Leadership and Main: A Blog on Leadership in Local Communities

How We Wait Matters

James Albright 07.25.2021

How we wait matters. Waiting is inevitable in our worlds. It may be for your future spouse, your first child, a position, test results, or anything in between. One of the most problematic things for us as human beings is that we are not wired to wait. One thing that Shannon and I strive to do for our kids is to create experiences. A couple of weeks ago, we took the kids to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. We were there for three days, most of it was spent waiting. Waiting in lines. Lines to get on the shuttle, lines to get into the park, lines for food,

It Takes a Village To Raise a Leader

James Albright 07.19.2021

It takes a village to raise a leader. You have likely heard a similar and more common version of this phrase, “it takes a village to raise a child.” Well, it applies to leadership too. In my world specifically. My story is unique. I was born, raised, educated, built a career, and am currently raising a family in my hometown of Acworth, Georgia. It is a rarity these days. Not too many people get this opportunity, one that I do not take for granted. Last Thursday was a big day. The day started off as most do. I got to work early, settled in, and developed a game

Shane

Dallas White 07.12.2021

I will never forget where I was sitting when Mike Linch — the long-time Senior Pastor at NorthStar Church — called me with an invitation to come and serve on his staff. A long-time friend, I was humbled he would even consider me for such a role! After months of prayerfully considering his offer, my wife and I agreed that there was no question, God was guiding us to NorthStar. Even before we officially arrived, God began giving me a vision for what it might look like for us to reach some of the 30,000 plus high school students within a seven-mile radius of the church. Because I

Making Turns Is Required

James Albright 07.06.2021

Making turns is required to get to your destination. Very rarely are our journeys a straight shot. Life is a series of intersections with decisions to make on which way to turn. Last Monday started off just like every other workday for me. I am a creature of habit. My routine consists of getting up, taking a shower, getting dressed, taking my vitamins, reading my Bible, grabbing a cup of coffee and heading out of the door by 7:30 a.m. In that exact order. My commute is less than five minutes. A good portion of that trip is down Main Street. According to the National League of

How Gardens and Leaders Grow

James Albright 06.28.2021

Gardens and Leaders Grow. My grandfather, affectionately known as Paw Paw, lost his battle with cancer a little over ten years ago. He was one of my heroes. He taught me about gardening and life. In 1996, he and my grandmother (Maw Maw) purchased nine and a half acres in Canton, Georgia. The property was simply referred to as “The Land.” His prized possession at The Land was a garden. I used to spend my summers as a teenager working in the garden with him. As I started college, a career, and a family I was not able to get up there as frequently as I once

Fatherhood Is An Awesome Responsibility

James Albright 06.21.2021

Fatherhood is an awesome responsibility. I became a father in August of 2007 with the birth of my daughter, Ashtyn Ann. She was born at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia. Before we got cleared to leave the hospital, we were required to watch a video. It is intended to give you a crash course on how to care for this new human being you are now responsible for. Once you leave, there are no doctors or nurses by your side to guide you. For me, the video did not fulfill its intended purpose. It invoked fears of inadequacy and lack of preparedness for this awesome responsibility, fatherhood.

Fire is Dangerous, Home is Safe

James Albright 06.14.2021

Fire is dangerous, home is safe. I had made the drive down McPhail Drive thousands of times in my life. I rode the school bus home from Acworth Elementary this way, rode home with my dad from ball games this way, rushed home to make curfew as a teenager this way, and drove with anticipation of telling my parents they were going to be grandparents this way. One fateful Thursday morning, the drive down the road was very different. I was wrapping up a breakfast meeting. I try my best to not check my phone when I am in a meeting. Since it was the first day

Ike

James Albright 06.07.2021

General Dwight David Eisenhower, or also known as “Ike,” is one of the most underrated leaders the free world has ever seen. Two weekends ago, our country celebrated Memorial Day. Tucked in behind Memorial Day, unfortunately a lesser celebrated event, is the anniversary of D-Day. On June 6, 1944 allied forces under the leadership of General Eisenhower executed one of the largest coordinated military operations in world history, code named Operation Overlord. My grandfather, known to us as Paw Paw, instilled in me a great love of history, specifically World War II. A couple of years ago, I read the book by Stephen Ambrose called The Supreme Commander.

Some Gave All

James Albright 05.31.2021

“All gave some, some gave all.” Most would know country music artist Billy Ray Cyrus for his hit song Achy Breaky Heart or as the father of Miley Cyrus. He was lesser known for a song that rings so true on Memorial Day, Some Gave All. Summed up, the song is about a valuable lesson a character named Sandy Cane, a Veteran, shared with the singer of the song. Memorial Day honors those individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. They wrote a check with their lives to make advance payment for every single freedom we enjoy today. I have no greater respect than

Upward Feedback

James Albright 05.24.2021

Upward feedback is critical to a leader’s growth trajectory. It is an angle of feedback that is rare. This form of evaluation comes from an important vantage point. The most valuable resource you have. The people you lead. In my professional world here in Acworth, Georgia; I have the opportunity to serve as our community’s Director of Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources. We have incredible Organizational Depth as an organization and have intentionally recruited and retained extremely talented people. Our department’s pace of growth has been fast and our trajectory has been steep in the arenas of people, programs, projects, and parks. With the department’s tremendous growth, I