Capturing Leadership: A Career Lens Approach for Extension Professionals
Leadership and Administrative Skills
Shelley Mills
Agricultural Extension Agent
MSU
Glasgow
Abstract
As agricultural landscapes grow more complex, Extension professionals are increasingly expected to demonstrate adaptable leadership throughout their careers. This challenge spans the entire system as educators navigate evolving technologies, emerging producer concerns, changing community demographics, and ongoing organizational demands. Using the metaphor of a camera lens, this session explores how leadership competencies develop across the Extension career continuum and how each stage early, mid, and seasoned professionals contributes to a resilient, innovative, and community-centered Extension system. Early-career educators often approach their work through foundational leadership development. During this stage, professionals learn local agricultural contexts, build credibility with producers and partners, and strengthen core skills such as communication, relationship building, and self-awareness. Their perspective resembles a wide-angle lens, capturing the broad landscape of Extension work while shaping their professional identity. As professionals move into mid-career roles, their leadership perspective shifts to function more like a zoom lens. This stage involves navigating increased complexity, coordinating multi-county or multidisciplinary efforts, mentoring colleagues, and balancing program delivery with emerging leadership responsibilities. Skills such as systems thinking, prioritization, conflict navigation, and strategic decision-making become increasingly important as their sphere of influence expands. Seasoned Extension professionals bring deep agricultural knowledge, decades of experience, and strong community relationships. Their leadership perspective operates like a macro lens, focusing on organizational stewardship, mentoring the next generation, sustaining partnerships, guiding strategic direction, and ensuring Extension remains relevant and responsive to evolving community needs. Across all stages, leadership is strengthened through emotional intelligence, cultural awareness, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning. This session provides a practical framework to help agriculture Extension professionals recognize how their leadership lens evolves over time and how each stage presents unique opportunities to contribute to Extension’s mission. Participants will gain practical strategies, reflection tools, and leadership insights they can apply at their current career stage to strengthen their programs, teams, and community partnerships. By viewing leadership as a continuum, this presentation encourages Extension professionals to see their leadership journey as an evolving image, one that becomes clearer through experience, intentional practice, and thoughtful reflection.
Authors: Jemila Chellappa, Heather A. Neikirk, Shelley L Mills
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Jemila Chellappa Area Extension Educator - Cropping Systems, University of Idaho, Southern District, Idaho, 83065
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Heather A. Neikirk Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ohio State University , Ohio, 44641
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Shelley L Mills Agricultural Extension Agent, Montana State University, Montana, 59230