PHILIPSBURG:--- The world, the region, St. Martin, our communities are crying out for visionaries. What and who exactly is a visionary leader? Author and executive director of The Center for Visionary Leadership Corrinne McClaughlin shares a significant definition of a visionary:
“Visionary leaders are the builders of a new dawn, working with imagination, insight, and boldness. They present a challenge that calls forth the best in people and brings them together around a shared sense of purpose. They search for solutions that transcend the usual adversarial approaches and address the causal level of problems. They find a higher synthesis of the best of both sides of an issue and address the systemic root causes of problems to create real breakthroughs.”
McLaughlin’s description of a visionary leader is the criteria Victorious Living Foundation is using for its Visionary Leader Worth Following Awards and Symposium to be held on May 5th from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Belair Community Center. This visionary leader should exemplify the following values:
• Integrity: Possess honesty and uncompromising morals.
• Authenticity: Represent him/herself in a genuine nature.
• People-First: Focus on individuals over numbers.
• Excellence: Pursue surpassing ordinary standards.
• Discipline: Exercise a commitment to a purpose.
A call was made to the general public and VLF’s Leadercast community of leaders to nominate a visionary leader worth following. Only two nominees for the visionary leader were submitted which adhered to VLF’s nomination stipulations. These nominees are Apostle Napolina Richardson, CEO of Repairers of Broken Walls Ministries and Ken Crossely, a poet who significantly assisted many persons in the community during and post Hurricane Irma. Following are a few comments from persons who support these two nominees:
“I'm nominating Ken Crossely because he personally ran into my apartment to save me and my five year old daughter after our roof blew off and our windows broke. He got us out safely to a neighbour's house. He ensured that medication and water were available to the sick. He packed food items into vehicles for distribution by himself sometimes, in order for the communities of South Reward, Ebenezer and Weymouth Hill to get aid. His distribution plan was so effective that other community leaders and some Government officials used it and were able to get more done and reach more persons during this time. At a time when most persons were taking available flights and boats back to their home country, he stayed and rendered much needed assistance and expertise in organizing a group of young and old persons to give back to their respective communities. He organized a “night watch" and as a result the communities didn't suffer from vandalism and robberies. He did all he could do, expecting nothing in return.”
“Napolina Richardson along with her husband Kurt Richardson are the founders and CEOs of The Repairers of Broken Walls International Ministries (ROBWIM). She pioneered this work because she has been involved in education and ministry for over 30 years and realized that there is a void that she could contribute to filling. She envisioned and started ROBWIM because she has this indubitable duty to see people excel, reach their full capacity and fulfill the purpose for which they were created. Her fair and unbiased method of handling sensitive situations has enabled her to guide countless people towards successfully working through and triumphing over difficult situations. ROBWIM offers counselling, raising awareness of the depraved conditions in St. Maarten and other Caribbean islands, drug rehabilitation, shelter and relief to persons before and after the hurricanes. She is not only a visionary leader in St. Maarten but has expanded her reach to the USA where she established a branch of ROBWIM in New York.”
Voting to determine VLF’s Leader Worth Following Awardee 2018 ends April 23rd at 12 midnight. To vote, click on or visit: TinyURL.com/VLFLeadershipAwards. To learn more about VLF’s Leadership Summit or to register, visit: www.victoriouslivingfoundation.com or call 1-721-524-8731.
