“Leadership is the wise use of power. Power is the capacity to translate intention into reality and sustain it.” Warren Bennis
Economic developers from the Columbus Region and regions around the world are hard at work trying to harness power in order to create job opportunities, develop community assets and lay the foundation for future growth.
The abuse and misuse of power are common subjects, and usually for good reason. I would offer that, when it comes to economic and community development, simply using power at all is perhaps the greatest challenge. States and cities seem to go through brief periods of great expansion when power is channeled properly, and they stagnate or decline when it is not. Harnessing power to achieve great things requires not only the willingness to use power, but also the willingness to use it for a period long enough to get something done.
History will tell whether this is one of those periods for the Columbus Region, but if the start of this decade is any harbinger, then Central Ohio is using its economic and political power very positively. Assets are being added that will exist for generations. Companies are starting, expanding and locating within our region – changing the trajectory of thousands of lives for the better. The leadership challenge of our era is to sustain this capacity and continue to align powerful interests to get the right things done.
How is your community using its power? How is your organization using its power to get things done? How are you using your power as an individual to develop your community and create positive growth opportunities?
-Kenny McDonald
One Columbus Update
- Our team returned from a very productive business development trip to the West Coast last week, excited about the growing companies we met. Let’s hope that their future plans include the Columbus Region! We also have team members in Japan right now, meeting with over a dozen new companies considering expansion into the United States. Other One Columbus team members will be in Chicago and Atlanta this week to meet with location advisors.
- Congratulations and thanks to both Experience Columbus and the Columbus Council of World Affairs for substantive annual meetings celebrating the Columbus Region.
- Thank you to the Licking County Chamber of Commerce and OEDA for allowing our teams to address their Basic Economic Development Course this past week.