TABC Nettles
TABC Executive Director Bentley Nettles speaks to the attendees at the Principles of Leadership course.

AUSTIN – Eighteen supervisors from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) recently attended the pilot of a new Principles of Leadership course in Austin. The two-day course was developed jointly by the TABC and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), which had developed and implemented its own Leadership Development Program to include courses on Leadership Essentials and Emotional Intelligence.

TABC Executive Director Bentley Nettles kicked off the first session of the new TABC leadership development program March 5 at TABC’s Austin headquarters. The course was developed from input provided by TABC employees and is designed to help supervisors better lead and develop TABC into an elite state agency. The program aims to develop leaders who both inspire great performance and empower employees and recognize the role they play in the TABC mission.

A team from the TEEX Infrastructure Training and Safety Institute — comprised of Division Director Ron Peddy, Associate Division Director Tony Crites, Program Director Laura Shehan, and Curriculum Manager Anne Davis — facilitated four course development workshops with a 10-member TABC leadership development team.

A very successful delivery of the pilot course was held on March 5-6, said Crites. Topics covered in the course included the top principles of leadership as identified by the TABC employees. The principles are communications, reward and recognition, work-life balance, and empowerment. Crites said TEEX will facilitate six more leadership courses for current TABC supervisors.

Leader development for TABC will be a continuous, and progressive process grounded in the TABC cornerstones, Peddy said. “The TABC Leadership Development Program initiative will provide TABC leaders with the education, training and experience to lead the agency in the future.”

TABC Chair Kevin J. Lilly said he is “extremely proud” of the TABC for taking this step. “Outstanding leaders make outstanding state employees, and I’m looking forward to watching TABC Leads grow. Thanks to TEEX for their assistance in developing this important program.”

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