Journey to Success with Your Commissioners Court in District 3

During challenging economic times it is imperative that Texas AgriLife Extension Service middle managers separate the things they can't control from the things they can control. One of the things Texas AgriLife Extension Service middle managers do control is the interpretation of programs to stakeholders and elected officials.

In Extension District 3, the District Marketing and Interpretation Committee has planned an Interpretation and Market Training entitled Journey to Success with Your Commissioners Court. The goal of this training is to increase the agents’ knowledge and understanding of effective interpretation strategies with Commissioners Courts. Some of the specifics regarding this training are as follows:

• Planning Your Journey Itinerary -Why the Need to Work with the Commissioners’ Court.
• Funding Your Journey-Successful Budget Development and Acquisition.
• What is your budget?
• Keys to your success or failure (examples)
• Developing Your Travel Brochure - Successful Interpretation Documents, Involvement and Recognition.
• Orientation of new court members.
• Involvement of other county officials (Auditor, treasurer, etc.).
• Commissioners’ Court Reports, volunteer and county recognition events, educational programs, newsletters, etc.
• Back Road Treasures -Politics in a rural county.
• Interstate Attractions -Politics in an urban county.
• Destination Success.

Again, it should be emphasized that there are County Extension Agents, District/County Extension Support Staff members and Extension Assistants/Associates who are looking to District Extension Administrators/County Extension Directors for leadership during these challenging economic times! It is imperative that District Extension Administrators /County Extension Directors provide confident leadership by articulating that a focus on Texas AgriLife Extension Services' interpretation efforts is more productive than spending time speculating on what might take place in the future.

All District Extension Administrators are encouraged to review this concept and implement similar strategies in order to redirect County Extension Agent's anxiety to a proactive interpretive focus. This and other types of approaches clearly demonstrates leadership and vision on the part of our middle managers.

Content for this article was provided by Donald Kelm, District Extension Administrator-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.