Jack Anderson:

"When we think of great leaders, visionaries come to mind – Churchill, Martin Luther King, Mandela.  But these were leaders whose unique skills were perfectly matched for a unique moment in history.  In my mind, a great leader is a person of integrity who has a broad toolkit of skills, with the wisdom to use them to influence others for the benefit of all.  Qualities  such as confidence, responsibility, an inspired vision and intelligence, the ability to motivate, to inspire, to articulate a vision with supporting ideas for action, to lead by example, and to listen to the needs and ideas of others.

Whether good or great, we need effective leaders on the Board.  Leaders who take their fiduciary responsibility seriously by abiding by the Covenants, placing the good of the whole community first, listening and communicating.  Lake Linganore was built on a vision that many of us were drawn to, and that we must strive to fulfill, that of a quality living environment where the natural landscape is preserved.  Our covenants, bylaws, and ECC guidelines were intended to uphold that vision and preserve the natural beauty we value in this place we call home.  These rules and that vision should drive every decision the Board makes.

Postscript: I’m writing this from Australia where I’m helping prepare my 97-year old mother-in-law to move to the U.S.  So I apologize that I will not be able to attend the Candidate Forum.  However, if you have any questions of me, please feel free to email me at jack.r.anderson@acs.bz."

Bob Charles:

"A great leader has vision and the capacity to bring others along to buy into that vision and accept although we live in one Village or neighborhood,  we represent the interests of all LLA villages and neighborhoods. Further, that the LLA is one set of residents in a bigger area, and we need to be good neighbors in this bigger area, too. We need to be honest stewards of the LLA community funds and other resources, and aim to collaboratively serve the community's interests.  Board members can disagree without being disagreeable."

George Schwab:

"What makes a good leader be a great leader is a topic that’s been discussed and books written about for hundreds of years. I’ve been in leadership positions for many years and have learned many life lessons from being in those leadership positions.  I don’t know that there are any great leaders. I do think there are good leaders who make some great decisions. Good leaders are not afraid to make mistakes and keep moving forward in the face of failure.

I feel a good Board member is first and foremost NOT agenda driven. Once you’re in a leadership position, you must work on behalf of other people. This can sometimes be very difficult, especially when the good of the majority or the community as a whole is contrary to your own (or a small group of your friends) best interest. Good Board members check their ego at the door when they do the hard work of doing what’s best for the community. To make things even more complicated, knowing what’s best for the community as a whole is rarely obvious.  It requires good communication, analysis and follow through. Even a simple safety oriented decision such as putting a fence around a playground that’s near a major road, generates heated debate. Board members must be prepared to calmly engage in that debate and then speak as a united group once a decision is made, knowing full well they’ll be criticized for their group decision by some. "