Sauk County initiative fills local need as county leadership programs dwindle

A decade ago, John McArthur was living in Milwaukee working as a veterinarian. Life seemed good, but something was missing. 

McArthur didn’t realize what it was until he stepped out of his comfort zone and attended the Sauk County Institute of Leadership in 2015. 

“The comfort zone is good, but nothing ever grows there,” McArthur told “Wisconsin Today.”

The conference led to a career change, helping others realize their leadership potential. Two years later, he became the community development educator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension Sauk County. 

“I didn’t consider myself a leader at the time,” he said. “That’s not uncommon for people that come through our program.” 

In 2021, McArthur became facilitator of the institute’s nine-month leadership program.

“(We) pull back the curtain on challenges that face the county,” he said.  “We’ve got all of these community development programs that need leaders.”

Nearly 500 people have graduated from the program since it started in 1997, according to McArthur. Each class includes 20 potential leaders from varying careers, such as county workers and health care professionals. 

McArthur joined “Wisconsin Today” to talk about the program’s success and offer advice on becoming a better leader.

The following has been edited for clarity of brevity.

Kate Archer Kent: We’re midway through the 2024-25 session. What type of personal growth is happening?

Morgan McArthur: There’s a real spectrum of people. We’ve got a conservation officer from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, people in insurance, health care, public service and farming. We’ve got two people from the Ho-Chunk Gaming Commission, which is fantastic. 

We asked people early on, “How many here self identify as introverts?” It’s usually about 50 percent. We spend a lot of time storytelling. When a physician’s learning about a dairy farmer, that’s a pretty cool deal. We’re doing some deep work. 

When you raise your confidence, you’re coated in confidence. You’re a different person that comes out the other side.

KAK: Has this Institute helped to solve local problems or been a part of solutions for Sauk County issues?

MM: This is the 26th class. We have county board supervisors in this class as well as the last class and the class before that. Those are people who are making decisions about what’s going on in the county. We put program graduates in a position where they can make a difference. 

The oldest member of the Sauk County Institute of Leadership graduated at 83 years old. She is on the city council in Baraboo and on the county board for Sauk County. She texted the other day, “I am still learning from my skill experiences and building on them.” That’s what we hope to create — someone who’s receptive to alternative ideas.

KAK: What do people understand about themselves as they learn these skills and in terms of their own personality assessment?

MM: Temperament assessment is one of many tools we do, including emotional intelligence.

We use a product called Real Colors. Its origins is Myers-Briggs. It’s helped me at home. It’s helped me with my wife. I’m not a planner. I’m creative. She’s organized. She’s got every blade of grass in the lawn manicured to the same height and blowing in the same direction. I just can’t get tangled up in all of those details. For years, it was a source of a blister between us. 

Now I go through Real Colors, and go, “Oh, it makes more sense now.” You combine those learnings with the power of listening and the power of empathy. All of a sudden, many things in the world make more sense.

KAK: We’re on the cusp of a time when people make New Year’s resolutions. What could people do today to make them a better leader next year?

MM: I saw a bumper sticker one time that said, “Leaders are readers.”

I can say as a 66-year-old guy, we are in an era where we have an abundance of resources like never before. Whether it’s YouTube, streaming or libraries. Leaders are readers. It’s low-hanging fruit to pick up a book and read it cover to cover. Not necessarily about self-help, but leadership development, insights. Learn from other people’s experience. I’ve got a stack of books by my bed stand and that’s where I would start.

Participating in a leadership program is fantastic. I had a transformative experience. Years ago, when I was a practicing veterinarian, I got involved with the Toastmasters organization to become a better public speaker. It was transformative. My professional and personal direction changed dramatically. 

Anything that you can do to engage in education, do it. Keep yourself growing, because all things that grow change and all things that change, grow.