Message from the Chair

Collaborative Leadership: Accomplishing More Together

By Shanna Czeck

The water sector is complex, interconnected, and requires many disciplines. We have a lot of moving parts and many voices to be heard. Owners, operators, consultants, contractors, regulators, community members – the list could keep going. In my opinion, getting work done effectively and efficiently requires a collaborative approach. Collaborative leadership can harness the collective strengths of a group to fully understand a project or problem, improve decision making, and save time and resources. I prefer a collaborative leadership approach in the workplace, and I am very proud of the collaborative leaders that I see across the CSWEA.

I have previously shared that the MN Section has filled all committee chair roles. This was critical and has improved how the Section is operating. Committees are working together to advance initiatives that were identified earlier in the year, and the outcome has been excellent. The Young Professional and Public Education committees worked together to design and purchase exhibitor booth materials to promote the CSWEA at local events. The MN Section Officers also worked to complete updates to the Section By-Laws which were finalized and approved in January.

All Committee Chairs were invited to be part of the planning committee for the Conference on the Environment which was held in November. Members from multiple committees have been helping with planning the Innovative Conference which will be in February. With the 99th Annual Meeting in St. Paul, the Section has really pulled together to help with planning this event. The involvement of so many members distributes the workload and makes the experience especially rewarding for all involved.

A collaborative approach is happening at the association level as well. The Government Affairs Committees have been communicating to discuss committee operations and coordinate the WaterWeek Fly-In. The Public Education Committees coordinated efforts for the Water’s Worth It Essay Contest that is concluding this spring. The R2E Committees worked together to review the R2E track in the Technical Program for the 99th Annual Meeting. This open communication is positively impacting the organization – learning from the experience of others and applying that knowledge to improve operations is a benefi t to everyone involved.

Collaborative leadership continues to shape the future of CSWEA by fostering innovation, resilience, and continuous learning. The Annual Meeting is an excellent opportunity for us to gather, collaborate and exchange ideas. I am really looking forward to it and hope to see you all there.