Barren River State Park Lodge provided a great spot to get away, learn about leadership, meet fellow Leadership Hardin County classmates and kick off a great year. We arrived to find  a U-shape table set-up, Crayola markers, play-doh, slinkies and colorful pipe cleaners. It felt like kindergarten. Let the “Opening Retreat” begin!

Our session began with opening remarks from the Leadership Chair, Anthony Conder. He gave us an idea of what we could expect over the next day and a half. Little did we know it would be full of fun, laughter and fellowship.

Kenny Rambo, who has too many attachments to the community to mention, and Megan Stith who is the United Way of Central Kentucky’s President & CEO, joined together to talk to the group about building community. This involved an activity that separated the group in to pairs by the color of their Crayola marker. Each pair was required to share information about their history with the Hardin County and their current employment and responsibilities.

We quickly found our group had many connections. In introducing each other, we learned we had kids in activities together, families that knew each other and many joint friends. We hailed from Meade, Grayson and Hardin counties and hold a mix of perspectives as “natives, boomerangs or transplants.” Many of us were “Born at HMH” and the Hardin County timeline we created showed our respect for business, industry and our employer’s rich histories.

Kenny told us the Elizabethtown Industrial Foundation formed in 1956 and that Ft. Knox, the college and HMH were among the key drivers of early economic development success (and they still top the list in importance). Our group wrestled with the top three issues facing Hardin County and landed on education, economic development and infrastructure. Kenny commended our work and explained the three main tenets of growing communities; economic development, workforce development and quality of place.

Local speaker Jeff Peden talked about the power of relationships among other things. He advocated questioning your perspective, establishing trust with others, doing what you say you will do, and looking out for others.  His advice to “give first and give often” and to “be easy to be around” resonated with the group. As a local he understands the importance and the impact that our group needs to make on our community.  

After a lively lunch, we discovered our “True Colors.”  Melody Nall explained to grow as a leader you must understand yourself.  Once we completed the personality assessments we were organized into our personality “colors.” We learned although there is one driving color, there are no good and bad colors. We all fluctuate between colors and the best teams are built from a combination of people with different colors.

Other team building exercises helped us learn more about ourselves and each other. One thing a speaker said summed up the day: In this life learn as much as you can, grow as much as you can and look out for each other.

The final team building activity of the day focused on partnering with others. We were assigned a team building activity that encouraged our resourcefulness and to think outside the box. The first day flew by leading into a delicious dinner and a night filled with cards and laughter.

The second day of the retreat focused on our group as a whole and how we were able to communicate, develop, and execute a plan created by the whole team. After another problem solving activity, our conversation led into the plans for the class project. We discussed and focused on what the most important issues are facing Hardin County and how we can contribute to be part of a solution. This retreat was a great beginning to what lies ahead.  

 

Tracee Troutt
Chief Marketing and Development Officer
W: 270-706-5535

E: ttroutt@hmh.net
Hardin Memorial Hospital
913 North Dixie Avenue
Elizabethtown, KY  42701

 

Erika Schlenk

Assistant Branch Manager
W: 270-769-7272
E: erika.schlenk@pnc.com

PNC Bank
805 North Dixie Avenue
Elizabethtown, KY  42701

 

Kera Basham

Loan Officer

W: 270-737-1593 ext 10427

E: kera.basham@cecilianbank.com

The Cecilian Bank

1808 North Dixie Avenue

Elizabethtown, KY  42701