Identify a "Champion" to carry the ball

One common characteristic of all Virginia’s current broadband projects is the presence of strong, dedicated leadership (individual and/or committee) who understand the broadband imperative and are willing to commit time, energy and scarce resources to insure that their community is not left behind.

Think of managing change as an adventure. It tests your skills and abilities. It brings forth talent that may have been dormant. Change is also a training ground for leadership. When we think of leaders, we remember times of change, innovation and conflict. Leadership is often about shaping a new way of life. To do that, you must advance change, take risks and accept responsibility for making change happen. - Charles E. Rice, CEO of Barnett Bank

Across Virginia, community leaders have traditionally focused broadband initiatives on connecting businesses - viewing broadband infrastructure as means of retaining and attracting industry, nurturing entrepreneurial activities, and fostering economic development. In recent days, however, the scope of broadband and “who” needs to be connected is broadening as more and more consumers are pursuing broadband enabled (home health, telework, distance learning) applications as a means of increasing scheduling flexibility, reducing fuel consumption (cost) and improving their quality of life.

What has become apparent through the work of the roundtable is that those communities who have successfully navigated the maze of broadband deployments, do so in large part to strong (and tenacious) leadership. For more information on forming effective broadband deployment teams, consult the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Rural Broadband Initiative and the Virginia Resources Broadband Models Document (pdf).

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