Dawson County Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond, District 2 Commissioner Chris Gaines and County Manager David Headley attended the August Leadership Institute, a program of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), Aug. 23-25 in Blairsville.

The program is designed to help participants gain an in-depth understanding of how to communicate effectively. It allowed Thurmond, Gaines and Headley to assess their personal leadership styles, practice world-class leadership communication, explore how they disclose and present themselves and how this affects their relationships with others.

“The class provided a lot of interaction between commissioners,” Thurmond said. “It also provided a good framework of ideas to bring back home to strengthen us as commissioners as we work together for the citizens of Dawson County.”

Gaines said he appreciates the opportunity to continue to learn and to be a leader in Dawson County.

"To me, this leadership program highlighted the skills needed in the county government environment to successfully lead our team with the goal of reaching higher levels of service both internally with departments as well as externally with citizens,” Gaines said.  

Headley called the program insightful, noting it will help him create a “leadership footprint for the future growth of Dawson County.”

“As county manager, I must work with a variety of people, organizations, jurisdictions and groups,” he said. “The principles and practices discussed over the three-day program will assist in helping me become better informed and provide a leadership guide as a public leader.”

Completion of the Leadership Institute is required for core certification in ACCG’s Lifelong Learning Academy.

ACCG is a nonprofit instrumentality of Georgia’s county governments. Formed in 1914 with 19 charter county members, today ACCG serves as the consensus building, training and legislative organization for 159 county governments in the state.