A Charge from our Mayors
Every September, Leadership Eastside kicks-off our program year with our Annual Mayors Lunch. This lunch has been a community favorite since 2007 when it first began. It’s a unique opportunity to see our East King County Mayors gather to talk about both the joys and the challenges of leading a city, acknowledging the complexities and sharing how they collaborate with each other and other leaders across the region. This year was no exception. Inspired by the quote by Nelson Henderson: “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit,[i]” the mayors engaged around the idea that leaders invest in things whose benefits they may never personally enjoy. Led by moderator Dr. Ettore Palazzo, CEO of EvergreenHealth, they shared how they balance the urgency of today’s issues with planting those long-term seeds — especially when the payoff won’t come within their term of office.
What a great conversation. Our mayors shared great insights into their work and their leadership approaches as they navigate big decisions for their cities. A huge thank you to all our participating mayors, moderator Dr. Ettore Palazzo, and John Taylor, CEO of Cascade Water Alliance who set the stage for us.
It is an LE tradition to have any guests or speakers give a charge to the class and the mayors’ charges always set the stage for the learning ahead. This year, we wanted to share those charges with you. We hope you will find a charge that inspires your work in the year ahead, and possibly well into your future long-term projects.
[i] Nelson Henderson was a farmer in the Swan River Valley of Manitoba, Canada.
Deputy Mayor Dave Hamilton, Bellevue
You are an impactful leader already; you are leading in ways that may not be obvious to you or to others. Try to consciously connect to all the ways you lead.
Mayor Mason Thompson, Bothell
Care about somebody else and be aggressively yourself.
Mayor Mark Mullet, Issaquah
“Don’t impugn the motive of people who disagree with you…look for common, shared ground.”
Mayor Nigel Herbig, Kenmore
Know yourself, know your values, lead with your values.
Mayor Kelli Curtis, Kirkland
“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is to show up” - Brene Brown
Show up and be brave.
Mayor Mary Miller, North Bend
Stay open minded. Be kind and be yourself, because that can be powerful. Treat people with kindness. Let people get to know you.
Mayor Angela Birney, Redmond
Be the light and lead with love.
Mayor James Mayhew, Snoqualmie
As you look at others, treat them as you would like to be treated.
Mayor Sarah Arndt, Woodinville
I’m a big believer in shared authority, to build resilience and creativity and diversity in an organization. Look around your life, where can you shift from control to collaboration?
Dr. Ettore Palazzo, CEO, Evergreen Health, Moderator
Kindness is free to give out. It is relationship building and it is everything.
Thank you to all of you for showing up, to our Mayors and to John Taylor and Dr. Etorre Palazzo for making this event such a great start to our year!
