Advancing the Leadership Mindset
Finding Success in the Success of Others
Paul Cynkar, February, 2021
This is another in a series of member profiles based on discovery interviews that were designed to help me fulfill the requirements of the Dublin Worthington Rotary Red Badge Program for new Rotarians and get an up close view of the traits and strengths of some of the members who provide leadership to this organization.
Membership Spotlight: Judy Barnhart
Service Above Self, Leadership Development, Helping Young Women Succeed
- Tell me about yourself. Give me three facts that include information about your family, your career, and your pastimes.
I’m from Dayton, Ohio, but I spent twenty-five years working for non-profits in Toronto. I’m married to Pete Barnhart and combined we have five daughters. When we married he did not want to relocate to Toronto so we settled in Worthington. I love to play golf, play mahjong, spend time in Florida and do needlepoint.
- How long have you belonged to Rotary? What’s the best thing about membership?
I became a member when Pete was Rotary president in 1997. It has helped me build lots of friendships and I am inspired by “service above self.”
- As you look back on your life and your career, where and when did you have the biggest impact on others? Who was impacted and how?
For a time I served as a private guidance counselor for high school students in Toronto. I would help them identify their unique qualities and help to match them to the right colleges and universities.
- As you look back, which of the opportunities you have/had has been the most fulfilling to you personally? Why?
I was part of the Worthington group that travelled to our sister city in Sayama, Japan. It was a tremendous cultural and relationship-building experience. While there I went to a Rotary meeting. I was the only woman at that meeting.
- Describe the most challenging project you have ever worked on. What was your role? What was the result?
I am currently the chairperson of a capital campaign, a concerted effort to raise a substantial amount of money for a leadership center for the Delta Gamma Fraternity. I was a Delta Gamma at DePauw University. While opportunities to help young people succeed have not changed, COVID-19 has changed just about everything else in our plan. Not as much bricks and mortar, but more Zoom. We are looking at things like “hot offices” and “huddle spaces.”
- What are some things you are passionate about? What really excites you? What gets your adrenalin flowing? What makes your heart sing?
Leadership opportunities for young women.
- What are you especially skilled at? What is something that others often tell you that they think makes you stand out?
I like to surround myself with people who are smarter than I am. I don’t need to be a micro-manager. I want others to trust me just as I trust them to do their job.
- When you have a moment to sit back and think (dream) about your future, what do you think about?
Spending as much time as possible with my grandchildren. Over time I’ve learned that it is okay to say, “No.” It’s better than getting overwhelmed and not doing a great job.
- If you could choose anyone (alive or deceased) to have lunch with, who would it be? Why?
There are so many people I would like to have lunch with but the one who stands out is Maya Angelou, the civil rights activist, poet and award-winning author. I have always thought she had great insight, wisdom and grace.
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