It has been quite some time since I have met and trained with a small group of county-based economic development professionals.  In most cases the economic development personnel were effectively blended-in with other organization employees and their individual issues, concerns and/or ideas never were addressed in the best… specialized way.  So when asked to join with an economic development staff and do some “EDC exclusive strategic planning”… I did not hesitate to say:  “Absolutely!”

Well it did not take too long for me to realize that in many ways this small group wanted to receive some historical and common sense points from me on the role and purposes of an economic development professional.  So it was a pleasure to toss out these points:

• A good economic developer must be well versed in life-long learning and must understand that not all learning occurs in a classroom.
• That economic development includes community, business, education and entrepreneurship options and opportunities.
• That economic development often takes the form of “parenting”… which means helping guide a certain area.
• That “comprehensive LISTENING” is a high-value professional skill for development leaders and should be utilized continuously to hear all sides of  every issue.
• That older residents view economic developers as someone who takes care of “the home area” (which includes neighborhoods/schools/stores and factories).
• And finally, that economic developers may sometimes need to be a financial “coach” and explain what “progress bills” should be paid first… second… and so on.

The time went by very fast and I closed with this final thought: An economic development person can not pick when it comes to being involved with a progress/growth issue… only when!

Maybe these points might help in other jobs too?!