In a reality dominated by swiping, Zooming, and muting, making face-to-face connections can feel contrived. So how do you get over 40 people, who may or may not know one another, to bond on demand? Driving them into the wilderness, far from the comfort of cell phone towers, is a solid start. While disconnecting from digital demands was daunting, the Leadership Frederick County Opening Retreat at ThorpeWood was the professionally sanctioned “time out” that the Class of 2022 needed.
There was little time for toe-dipping on Day One of the retreat; we dove right in. For starters, we learned how to be more intentional about leadership. Early on, the challenge of defining leadership led us to a stark realization: there’s a technical definition of leadership, but it doesn’t sum up what a leader really is. Throughout the day, we deconstructed the thought processes and styles of leadership. After workshopping the leadership qualities of others, we got real with ourselves, identifying the methodologies that we employ (or struggle with) as leaders.
Day Two looked outward, helping us explore our connections throughout Frederick County. This gave us the chance to collaborate and expand our notions of community. As a group, we developed a community map with distinct classifications. We established where we fall within the community, to whom we’re connected, and how we can strengthen these connections to advance our community.
Then we tapped into the magic of Hood College’s Organizational Leadership program and received our Leaders on Loan groups. Putting leadership to the ultimate test, Leaders on Loan assigns teams of program participants to community nonprofits. Over the year, each team leads the nonprofit toward a solution to an obstacle faced.
A series of indoor and outdoor leadership development activities were heavy on collaboration and hilarity. Have you ever drawn a picture without touching the marker? Balanced a baseball on a ring with 14 other people? Made a polygon with rope while blindfolded? Each activity challenged us to communicate differently, strengthening our relationships in unexpected ways.
Exhausted but exhilarated, I left the retreat excited about the self-actualization and collaboration that characterized this experience. As a lifetime introvert, I won’t pretend that these exercises in communication were comfortable for me. But in the spirit of self and community betterment, I forged ahead. I learned so much about my own leadership narrative, and am eager to shape the story of my community in good company.
Ellen Buchanan is a is a member of the Leadership Frederick County Class of 2021-2022 Cohort. She is a marketing professional with a passion for growing communities and enriching lives through digital storytelling. As a Communications Specialist at Platinum PR, her responsibilities include developing and implementing multi-channel advertising and marketing strategies, conducting media outreach, creating social media, website and blog content, assisting clients to reach their communication goals, and conducting virtual meetings and events. Given the opportunity, Ellen also goes behind the lens of her camera to highlight communities through photography.
She is also an active member of the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA), the MEDA Young Leaders, and the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce.
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.