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Lessons in Leadership
Accomplished New Londoner writes his own book
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
Who knew that one of my favorite people would become an author, but that’s exactly what has happened. Let me introduce you to Jesse Howard. I have known him in many different roles. He was a friendly, respectful kid in high school. He viewed the school as his extended family and sports as his motivation to not repeat the difficult life script that marked his growing-up years. He was an effective member of the New London school board where he served as both president and vice president over his two terms. And he is the embodiment of what he preaches in his book, Beyond the Call. His book is a clear blueprint of how to be an effective leader and an impactful citizen.
I lost track of Jesse when he graduated from high school to when he started coaching my grandson’s grade school basketball team. I wasn’t really aware of his stellar service record, but I watched him take an interest in many civic issues.
Probably his finest hour of late was the post-tornado clean up of Burge cemetery, while Jesse was president of the Burge board. He marshaled volunteers and raised money to put the shattered place back together. He assisted in putting hundreds of tombstones back in place. Of course he didn’t do it alone, that’s where “Team Beast” enters.
The book is a tutorial on how to be a leader in the best sense of the word. He has distilled his philosophy into a 74-page book that lays out his “leadership blueprint.” It provides a very clear path to effective teams led by effective leaders. Included are:
- Service transforms lives. Personal experiences can and do inspire others. They can change the trajectory of one’s life as resilience and hope can create a new legacy, a new life story. That is certainly Jesse’s case. As a result of his tough childhood plus the Sept. 11 attacks, they propelled him to serve his country.
- Leadership begins with a servant’s heart. Such a leader fosters finding the potential of each member as he/she creates an environment of “care, collaboration, and shared purpose.”
- A unified team leads to success. With a shared vision, teams can achieve extraordinary and lasting results.
The book that Jesse worked on for 13 months, is a must-read for anyone who aspires to a leadership role. It not only works for business and the military, but also for the family. Most if not all of the principles can be the cornerstone of a successful family.
As he kept notes over the years, they would become the genesis for the book. A highly decorated Marine who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, he became the leader of an underperforming Southeast Iowa recruitment center for the Iowa Army National Guard. He and his team turned it around and became the top recruiting team in Iowa in 2018 and 2021 … thanks to the principles of Team Beast. He saw what worked and what didn’t, and adjusted accordingly.
The book is also a nod to Jesse’s belief that you don’t leave a legacy, but rather build on an established legacy.
In chapter 10, he highlights team rule #4 — have fun. It allows a culture that fosters camaraderie, laughter, and a renewal to excellence. That idea is to also important to families as it builds a strong support system at home. Jesse’s support system includes his wife Kasi and his children, Mila a 7th grader and Mason a kindergartner, both in the New London school district. It also includes his mom, Sandy Howard.
Beyond the Call — The Team Beast Leadership Blueprint can be purchased at Simply Golden Designs in New London and By the Book in Burlington. The H.J. Nugen Library has a copy and Jesse can be directly contacted through social media.
As Jesse travels the country spreading what he has learned about leadership and is training others through the ideas found in his book, he continues to make New London proud … but not surprised.
