State Legistlative Leaders Foundation

New Speakers Gather at University of Tennessee

“I would tell all to come and invest themselves in this program.”

"Fantastic. One of the better programs I have ever attended."

Institute for Public Service
University of Tennessee
January 15 - 18, 2009 

Program Schedule (pdf)

Front row:Former Speaker Tim Ford, Former Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, Speaker William J. Murphy, Speaker Glenn Richardson
2nd & 3rd row:New Speakers - Class of 2009

On the weekend before the inauguration of our new president, eleven new House Speakers from across the country gathered at the University of Tennessee's Institute for Public Serviceto share ideas with other Speakers and leadership experts on the challenges and qualities of leadership. Big Leadership: More than Perks and Parking Spaces focused on the opportunities available to these new Speakers to make a significant difference in their states and offered sessions to help them develop the skills to achieve their goals.
 
Featuring a combination of University of Tennessee faculty, experienced Speakers, leadership experts and SLLF staff, the program included sessions on understanding the role of Speaker, coalition building, communication, ethical decision-making, media relations and steps to tackle big issues. Speakers Glenn Richardson (Georgia) and William Murphy (Rhode Island), along with former Speakers Jimmy Naifeh (Tennessee) and Tim Ford (Mississippi) offered the wisdom of experience to the new Speakers who eagerly peppered them with questions about leadership challenges and strategies. Former Broadcast journalist Mimi Bliss of Bliss Communications offered assistance in dealing with the media (view her Quick Tips for Media Interviews) and executive coach Chip Scholz helped the new Speakers understand their own style of communication and recognize how to deal with other people who have different styles.
 
University of Tennessee Professors Alex Miller, Tom Kohntopp and Mike Fitzgerald led the new Speakers in exercises that helped them understand their roles as coalition-builders and ethical leaders. Finally, Andrew Romanoff, former Speaker of the Colorado House, and Thom Little of SLLF helped the new Speakers explore the potential their offices afford for tackling the big problems that they all face in these difficult times.
 
Participants were Speakers Kirk Adams (Arizona), Bob Bergren (Montana), David Clark (Utah), Christopher Donovan (Connecticut), David Hunt (Oregon), David Monson (North Dakota), Hannah Pingree (Maine), Ray Sansom (Florida), Shapleigh Smith (Vermont), Robbie Wills (Arkansas) and Kent Williams (Tennessee).
 
The program was jointly sponsored by the National Speakers Conference, the State Legislative Leaders Foundation and the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service. Discussing the significance of the program, one new Speaker described it as a "thought-provoking and perspective broadening program," while another assured us that he would "make sure his successor attends in two years."