The Watershed Leader as a Catalyst for Change. (2nd September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bonnell, Joseph E.; Hettinger, Dallas Z.; Baird, Anne M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of contemporary water research and education. Volume 167:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 23
• Page End: 32
• Publication Date: 2019-09-02
• Subjects: watershed training -- core competencies -- nonpoint source (NPS) management -- watershed leadership -- collaborative watershed management; Water resources development -- United States -- Periodicals; Water supply -- United States -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 553.7
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1936-704X.2019.03309.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1936-7031

Abstract

Abstract: This paper describes a research project that collected information about the leadership characteristics of successful watershed coordinators in Ohio. We interviewed a total of twenty watershed coordinators who had successfully completed nonpoint source (NPS) management projects and asked them to discuss their perceptions of what made them and others like them successful. We organized the attributes identified into three themes (social, technical and administrative). Of these, social attributes like strong communication skills were considered to be the most critical for getting NPS projects completed, though technical and administrative attributes were also important. We discuss how these findings might be applied in evaluating and training watershed coordinators, and consider possible avenues for further research.