The Best Leaders – Always Present and Invisible

Yesterday, the leadership of Greater Nashville REALTORS orchestrated a fantastic day of learning and colleagueship (fellowship) for our members.

Traditionally, this association has been on a rhythm of quarterly “Membership Luncheons” at Nashville Music City Center (Our prized Convention Center in the Heart of the City). These luncheons were just that – Lunch – With a “key-note speaker” . . . The whole thing was @ an hour and a half, and had limited possibilities for attendees to interact with each other.

YESTERDAY was #NASHONOMICS! (Google that hashtag for comments and photos) . . . WOW! 4 great “Panels of Experts” AND a Lunch Keynote Presentation by the National Association of REALTORS Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. The sessions were:

• A look at Greater Nashville’s infrastructure, workforce, and economic development pipeline
• Affordable Housing and the effect on economic development
• How to tell valuable stories with data that builds your business
• Navigating downtown Nashville Commercial real estate

For sure, this Quarterly meeting was not like the others in so many ways. It was totally about informing our local REALTORS in ALL facets of the Middle Tennessee economy.

This meeting was a true gift to our membership in SO many ways . . . Here are a few of my take-aways:

• The Leadership was largely invisible excepting 4 – The President for the Opening and Closing, and 3 who facilitated the panels.
• The format was such that the membership had the ability to mingle and connect with each other and were able to directly interact with the panelists (Nice Flow).
• The information shared was candid, timely, relevant, and IMPORTANT.
• More members showed up than any others I’ve attended (I think a record of @ 650 of 5,000 Members)

There seemed to be common theme that wasn’t the stated theme.

In all of the sessions, I picked up on some frustration that the panelists were dancing around but not named . . . until the final session. There was this pervasive undertone that “Nashville’s Leadership” was hindering – not helping the growth and development of Nashville.

“We need enlightened leadership”

“We need forward thinking Leaders”

“Nashville has a “Crisis of Leadership”

Incidentally . . . I was not aware of ANY of the Political “Leaders” in attendance (I don’t know if they were invited).

People are baffled by the failed Transit plan and the lack of any evidence that a revised plan is in the works.

The City Leaders are “obstructing” healthy growth.

It’s not clear what direction this city is heading – “Bourbon Street – or “Business District”

How do we resolve the simple fact that there are more jobs than “workers” in many essential industries (Hospitality, Construction, Hospital, & etc.)

What of the MNPS Metro Nashville Public School System which is (and has always been) experiencing a crisis of leadership?

Oh! There’s more . . . but I can’t devote this whole morning to this blog post.

Essentially, the “Private Sector” is driving the growth of Nashville and consider the politicians to be obstructionists.

This is a classic example of “Leaders” who are deaf and blind to their constituents while the real work progresses despite their ineptitude. We all just want them to get out of the way, and let us take the wheel.

Interesting times, ain’t it?

Final thought . . . I’m thinking the “Leaders of Nashville” think they are “in control . . . They’re egregiously wrong . . . and they’ve never been in control . . . delusions of grandeur!

There now . . . I said it out loud!

and I say more in this morning’s BarrysDriveTime.com

Published by Barry Owen Strategist-CEO of Pareto Realty Real estate sales Professional Inviter-Facilitator-Practicer of Open Space Technology Opening safe space for people & organizations to self-organize around issues & opportunities BarryOwen.US Invite-Listen-Love View more posts