|
James A. Chatfield, Ohio State University Extension, Northeast District/Horticulture and Crop Science; Joseph F. Boggs, Gary Y. Gao, Erik A. Draper, Keith L. Smith, Barbara G. Ludwig, Stephen R. Baertsche, |
One of the crucial aspects of our team is its high degree of collegiality. It is non-heirarchial in nature, maximizing human resources. Leadership is shared, but often with discrete roles that can be identified for evaluation and promotion documents. Examples include our CTO (Chief Travel Officer) and our team Financial Czar.
Agent specialization plays a big role here with increasing professionalism and recognition region-wide, statewide, and nationally for many of the team members. On several occasions, at presentations at national Extension meetings, one of the authors was asked how many agents are on the team compared to the number of state specialists. The honest answer, though it could be easily determined, was a suddenly realized "I donšt know." We do have a Team Coordinator for administrative contact purposes, and that person calls meetings, assembles meeting agenda items, organizes certain team contacts with clientele groups, and doubles perhaps as a CCO, Chief Communication Officer.
Another key human resource component of our team is the extent to which each team member is constantly challenged. This culture has been encouraged in a number of ways.
Point CounterPoint is a popular magazine column that two team members write for a statewide trade journal (Chatfield and Boggs, 1994-2001). This idea of open, back-and-forth debate is encouraged in team meetings and in BYGL conference calls. The edges of sensitive egos have worn off over time as people learn that different perspectives can be expressed without retribution; ideas will not be used against the other person.
The history of again and again coming into meetings with widely divergent, strongly held opinions only to emerge from the meeting with decisions reflecting the "genius of team" has built strong commitment to vigorous debate in the best tradition of academic and intellectual ferment. We encourage opening our minds to different ways of doing things.
Though we value brainstorming and the acceptance of venting any and all ideas ("multihorticulturalism," so to speak), we also have a team culture that adheres to the principles of reason. In the words of Carl Sagan (Shermer, 1997): "If you are open to the point of gullibility and have not an ounce of skeptical sense in you, then you cannot distinguish useful ideas from the worthless ones. If all ideas have equal validity then you are lost, because then it seems to me, no ideas have any validity at all." Above all - Cogita tute! Think for yourself.