Like most events taking place in early 2021, my time at the Leadership Baltimore County (LBC) program was altered due to the pandemic. Eventually during the six-month program, we switched to a hybrid environment. Regardless of where the program was taking place, I was able to create impactful connections, learn more about my leadership style, and engage with the community.

Making Connections with Peers and the Community 

I was fortunate to be able to participate in LBC, which is an annual program for leaders from all industries in the Baltimore metro area to connect and engage with the community. As someone who has grown up and now has family growing up in Baltimore, it was powerful to be able to learn more about the community that I both live and work in. One day that stuck out to me was public safety. We learned about the police training academy and ran through simulations. It gave me better insight into the challenges and duties facing people like the resource officer in my children’s school.  

The class of 2021 consisted of 40 people in different fields. While there was some overlap and commonality, we had members from for-profit, non-profit, and government agencies with varying years of experience. As a class, we had eye-opening experiences and learned about the different industries that make up our community. Part of our social services-focused day was very thought-provoking. We learned that the average cost of an apartment in Baltimore is 1,700/month, and how that affects the quality of life for our residents. At that price point for rent alone it forced all of us to consider if we are creating a realistic career and salary path within our industry that allows for security, family life, and a community that is vibrant and diverse.  

The program was also structured in a way that allowed for in-depth lessons and discussion on different aspects of the community, like state and county government, economic development, education, public safety, social services, civic engagement, and healthcare. Each member of the class was responsible for planning one of these days. As part of the education committee, I helped to facilitate conversations about education in Baltimore County. What does school look like post-COVID? What are the challenges facing educators? How can we all work together to be more involved in supporting education and growing learning opportunities for all county residents?

Finding a Pathway Forward as a Manager

My manager was an alum of LBC and nominated and supported me in participating in the program. Another large part of the program was a leadership 360 evaluation where I heard feedback from my manager, my supervisors, my staff, and even some clients and peers that I regularly work with. It was a way to get a full perspective on what I’m doing well and what I need to work on.  

From this evaluation and throughout the process, I was able to establish two big takeaways that I will bring back to Dewberry with me. The first is to be more attentive to my people and my staff. As someone who has always been very efficient and organized, I have always prioritized problem-solving and task completion. This program helped me to reevaluate the importance of being an attentive listener and not moving on to the next thing. It is so easy to get distracted and lose focus, so this has challenged me to do just that in all conversations that I’m having.

My second takeaway is flipping the script. My inclination is to solve the problem, make a decision, and move on. Working with my peers at LBC, I have learned that sometimes it is more effective to give others the latitude to work through a problem and give me their recommendation or thought process before immediately stepping in to solve it. It allows some of my younger staff to have the confidence to tackle problems and give them more opportunities to get involved.

My inclination is to solve the problem, make a decision, and move on. Working with my peers at LBC, I have learned that sometimes it is more effective to give others the latitude to work through a problem and give me their recommendation or thought process before immediately stepping in to solve it. ” Lisa Betz

I appreciated this experience because it gave me the chance to learn a little bit about myself and explore how I can become a better leader, not only at Dewberry, but also in my community. Small changes can make a huge difference.