The heartbeat of Vermont: Leaders with empathy, engagement, and enthusiasm

For four decades, Vermont has been my cherished refuge, especially when I was working fulltime in Manhattan and traveling for clients. Yet, as the years passed, my tolerance for winter’s icy grip diminished, and for the past two winters, I sought refuge in the sun-kissed embrace of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The siren call of sunshine and balmy temperatures, the sight of flowers blooming and trees adorned with verdant leaves — in February, no less — amidst Carmel’s storybook cottages, was irresistible. However, my 2024 experience there taught me why Barbra Streisand’s 1964 anthem, “People,” still resonates. 

My husband’s new role as CEO of a marketing firm in New Jersey created a challenging bi-coastal dynamic in our otherwise harmonious 43-year marriage. Adding to my unease, torrential rains battered Carmel early in my stay, bringing power outages and restless nights. Plus, the concerns of the politically conservative and affluent Carmel residents seemed worlds away from my own values and interests.

One glorious March morning, as I sat by the Pacific Ocean emailing clients on the East Coast, a profound realization swept over me: weather alone was not a sufficient reason to abandon my comfortable Vermont home and the community I held dear. This winter, despite alarmingly low  temperatures, I’ve rediscovered a refreshing sense of buoyant energy and warmth right here in Vermont, largely thanks to a group of enthusiastic young professionals.   

Over the past three months, I layered up in toasty clothing to venture out and embrace winter head-on. Meetings with young leaders often stretched into the evening, as they shared their dreams, challenges, opportunities, and insightful perspectives — related to their careers, housing, personal lives, and how to make Vermont an even better place to live.

There’s a palpable sense of belonging among these individuals, a connection that some older Vermonters might not fully appreciate. As French sociologist Emile Durkheim advised, the ability to build and maintain meaningful relationships and community, is paramount, regardless of the weather. He posited that society is like an organism, with each part contributing to the whole, a concept vividly illustrated in Vermont.

Among the youthful Vermont leaders who exemplify these qualities are Polly Lynn Mikula and Jason Mikula, of course — the young leaders who make this newspaper possible; Olivia Bucksbaum, a gifted ambassador for the Rutland region; Jen Yakunovich, development director at New Story Center;  David Justice, an advocate for adult education at Vermont Adult Learning; Hal Issente and Alexandra Jakab at the Downtown Rutland Partnership; Jadziah Derosia, owner of Camille’s Experienced Clothing; Mose Cassaro, a veritable genius in entrepreneurial finance; Tammy Landon, the empathetic owner of The Gymnasium downtown; and marketer Kiana McClure, who, at 26, is Rutland City’s youngest alderwoman.

Regarding McClure, while some older Vermonters might call her “…a piece of work,” I consider her a work of peace. She works exceedingly hard, possesses boundless optimism, and is exceptionally knowledgeable and empathetic about crucial issues like food insecurity and housing — the latter as a renter herself. 

Young Vermonters like McClure also possess an almost insatiable curiosity and passion about how technology, environmental sustainability, and economic development can create advantages for Vermont’s future. Unfortunately, some older Vermonters stifle this zeal. Perhaps threatened by the creativity and intellectual firepower of these young leaders, the elders persist in propagating outdated ideas that are no longer beneficial for Vermont.  

Let me be clear that, at my age, I’m not disregarding hard-won experience. In fact, when I was earning my MBA 15 years ago, I conducted extensive research on dozens of inspirational older leaders, because all the leadership case histories at that time focused solely on young white men. Today, business schools teach about leaders from a variety of socio-economic groups.   

However, I worry about the long-term implications of the bias that experience is the only qualification for leadership. After all, who will be more invested in Vermont’s long-term health and prosperity than its young leaders? Who is thinking more about the future, not just next year, but a decade from now? As the popular book Who Moved My Cheese illustrates, clinging to the past can lead to stagnation. In today’s rapidly changing world, adaptability is essential.

While experience is important, the word itself is transitional, subject to the vicissitudes of time and place. Now more than ever, the qualities of leadership that should matter the most are empathy, engagement, enthusiasm and positive energy.

My Carmel experience taught me this valuable lesson: Despite the allure of magnificent scenery and marvelous weather, a place is nothing without the right people to share it with. Over the past two months of almost unbearable icy weather in New Jersey as well as Vermont, I felt more engaged, safe, and secure, simply because I reconnected in person with people I care about the most.

For centuries, philosophers have taught us that building and maintaining meaningful relationships and community is supremely important. For countless friends and lovers, perhaps it’s Streisand who expresses that sentiment best: “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.”

Empathetic, engaged and enthusiastic leaders who foster innovation, and who welcome feedback, need our support.   We are lucky to have them, as they are the very heartbeat of Vermont.

Liz DiMarco Weinmann, MBA, is a strategic growth specialist, nonprofit leader, business educator, and author. Her L3C consulting firm works exclusively with charities and educational institutions, on strategic planning, organizational development, and fundraising: lizdimarcoweinmann.com.