“Whenever you do a thing, act as if the whole world were watching.” – Thomas Jefferson
On this President’s Day, let us thank those that serve in public leadership. These fellow citizens put the “public” in the public-private partnerships we all applaud when moving our communities forward. Whether you are serving the country, your state, or your local community—thank you. Your willingness to serve, set priorities, and make decisions is a critical part of the economic and community development process.
The complex issues facing public leaders today and the immediate scrutiny and commentary online makes serving difficult. It is crucial that smart, deliberate, and mission-focused people continue to serve if we are to compete for business and economicopportunity.
Economic development organizations are often the translators between public and private interests, and they are called on to work with federal, state, and local officials every day to help these leaders serve their constituents, achieve their goals, and help them understand our rapidly changing economic and business environment.
The Marquis de Lafayette said, “I read, I study, I examine, I listen, I reflect, and out of all this I try to form an idea into which I put as much common sense as I can.” This is all we can ask of our public officials as we work together to create opportunities and strengthen our communities.
Let’s have a great week, lift each other up, and move forward together!
Kenny McDonaldPresident and CEOColumbus Partnership