by Craig H. McFarland, Mayor, City of Casa Grande
We are home to 75 restaurants, 19 parks, 18 miles of trails, the Dorothy Powell Senior Center, the Casa Grande Community Recreation Center, Aquatic Center, two public libraries, a Neon Sign Park and many sports fields and open spaces.
Leadership attributes are found in the “7 Mindsets.” They remind me every day; everything is possible because we are passionate about Casa Grande, we are connected to each other and each other’s success, and it’s about giving back — our attitude of gratitude and because the time is now!
Defining leadership can be a challenge. A friend shared a quote that does a good job of defining leadership. From Douglas MacArthur:
“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles . . . they don’t flock together, you find them one at a time.”
You need not look too far to find great leaders in Casa Grande; your City Council is full of leaders. They have the “courage to make tough decisions and the compassion to listen to the needs of others” (others being, Casa Grande’s citizens). Even when we disagree, every action is made with integrity and in the best interest of the City.
Leadership is linked to personality styles; they vary between the glass is half empty to the glass is half full. My style has always been the glass is half full, or more succinctly, a positive approach when dealing with people.
Over the past six years I have had many opportunities to speak with individuals and groups about Casa Grande. My approach has been to highlight the positive, find ways to support, make it happen, promote it and make our community better.
Casa Grande has seen tremendous growth and is positioned for more. We need to be prepared and manage this growth. Additionally, the best communities are those most livable, sustainable and those that provide the best quality of life to its residents!
From here we can build on a plan to positively promote our community. With this great leadership we can manage growth, and more importantly, manage what growth looks like.
I believe we all want a community that has things for people, has things to do, has managed growth and ultimately is “livable, sustainable and has the best quality of life.”
