CLASSROOM REFLECTION

Class Reflection
by Arielle Allen, Class of 2021, Butte

Connection, community, and civility. What better setting than Lewistown, Montana to dig into these concepts? The recent Leadership Montana session for the Flagship Program was nothing short of magic. The stunning Judith Mountain backdrop, warm sun, and colorful leaves provide a welcoming setting for learning, but more importantly, the intentional design, discussion, and curriculum again offered the opportunity to dig in.

Sometimes, the thought of digging into leadership principles can sound exhausting. I say this because in life you can find yourself in moments or stretches where your work, personal life, global pandemic or whatever it may be leaves you feeling like you’re depleted or may be causing you to reel into serious imposter syndrome. Despite those very human moments, Leadership Montana consistently creates the setting to do that hard work while simultaneously rejuvenating, re-grounding, and filling the cup for each member of the class. It honestly feels like magic every time.

The connections and vulnerability that came to life in our first session, were present and even more tangible in this second session. I surprised myself with the level of excitement I had to see my classmates in Lewistown, not because they aren’t truly remarkable people, but because we had only collectively spent about 24 hours together up to that point. Knowing that we were all committed to enter that safe environment where big work takes place together helped create the right setting and tone for the week.

We had the opportunity to connect with community leaders and learn about what is going on in Central Montana. Industry, passionate differences in points of view, and community leadership were all prevalent throughout the session. There was a beautiful balance between learning more about leadership principles and weaving those into our interactions with the local community and it’s leaders by practice. This session really brought to life, for me, what Leadership Montana is all about. Listening, learning, and leading in this beautiful state that we are blessed to call home- the last best place.