Nebraska LEAD accepting applications for 36th year

The Nebraska Agriculture Leadership Council is taking applications for its Nebraska Leadership Education Action Development (LEAD) program group 36.

"We are now in our 36th year," Terry Hejny, the program's director, said. "These are the people who go back into their communities and get involved."

The Nebraska LEAD program, established in 1981 by a consortium of University of Nebraska, industry and state governmental representatives, is a two-year leadership development program for adults age 25 to 55 from Nebraska that derive at least 50 percent of their income from agriculture, either as a producer or in agribusiness.

To be eligible, potential applicants must also have at least three years of Nebraska residency.

Hejny said among the program's 997 graduates, he has had people from a multitude of background participate in LEAD.

"I've had newspaper people in, radio people, bankers, lawyers, farm implement equipment dealers," he said. "But they have to receive a majority of their income through agriculture, or their work supports agriculture."

As part of the LEAD program, participants will travel across the state to college and university campuses, attending 12 three-day in-state seminars covering a wide range of topics including natural resources, communication, politics, social issues, advances in health care and more.

"We teach them how to think, not what to think," Hejny said.

During the first year, there is also the ten-day National Travel Study Seminar, where participants will travel to Kansas City, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. The second year features the 14- to 16-day International Travel Study Seminar, with the destinations to be determined by the director, which have included in past years countries such as Hungary, Romania and Moldova.

Hejny said after the application deadline, interviews with applicants are conducted.

"We divide Nebraska into five areas and do regional interviews," he said. "And if they're married, their spouse interviews also because it's a team thing. We want the spouse to know what's going on."

The main thing Hejny said he looks for in the interviews is individuals who are passionate about agriculture.

"You've got to care about it and want to be the future of it," he said. "I look for people with an open mind, who come in willing to learn, willing to listen, soak it all in and analyze it to come up with their own opinion, not a predetermined one."

Hejny said the applicant also need to be willing to commit the time for the program.

"They're going to spend 60 to 65 days over a two-year period away from their farm or their ranch or their business," he said. "So they've got to have the support their family operation or the business they are working for, plus their family, because somebody's going to have to cover for them while they're gone."

Hejny said oftentimes, potential applicants come in with the notion they need to have "a laundry list" of accomplishments, but that is not the case.

"I'm looking for diamonds in the rough," he said. "People who are ready to take that first step in their leadership development journey, willing to, and wanting to, develop themselves personally and professionally.

"Education level, there is no requirement. They don't even have to be a high school graduate."

Hejny said of the applicants, up to 30 are selected for the program each year. Two classes are run concurrently, with LEAD 35 set to begin their second year in September.

He said graduates stay connected with their community, participating in organizations and associations such as local school boards, county commissioners, and the like.

"And many of them get involved behind-the-scenes," Hejny said. "Economic development, youth groups, things where they are in service. We are a service leadership program."

Hejny said communication skills are an area that has a lot focus in LEAD. He said participants come out of the program as better speakers and, just as important, listeners.

"Our leaders need to listen to their followers, or they may be surprised when they turn around they don't have any," he said.

Networking is another component of the program, with participants learning to connect not just with the other in their class, but also LEAD alums and others they meet through the state, national and international trips.

"So they have a wealth of knowledge they can draw on," Hejny said. "You can't know everything about everything, but you've got to have people in places that do possess that knowledge or expertise that you can draw on."

The application deadline is June 15, and interviews will begin in July. Applications can be emailed to [email protected] or sent to 104 ACB, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 68583-0940.

For more information on the Nebraska LEAD program, visit lead.unl.edu or call (402) 472-6810.