Jannan J. Cornstalk

I attribute my success to the water and the Creator. I really think that I'm guided by something outside of myself. It's not me, me, and all me. I get a lot of help from a lot of people and a lot of ideas from a lot of people, and I listen. Sometimes someone suggests something and I think, oh, I don't want to do that, or I don't think that's a good idea, and then, poof, it takes off and I'm like, dang, I didn't think that was gonna work. I've learned that I gotta listen to the input of other people, so a lot of wisdom comes from outside of myself. Like that lady suggesting the Water Warrior Award, I was like, oh my god, that's very cool. People suggesting I do a newsletter - I'd never thought about that. So really, the wisdom of others guides me.

The best advice I've received is really to be open-minded. I can't be rigid, I can't be close-minded, I can't be like, we've always done it this way, so it's gotta be that way. Things change, people change, technology changes. I've had to learn some new things - I'm technologically challenged sometimes, and I have to ask for help. So you gotta really be flexible and not rigid. Our staff has changed, technology has changed, and I just gotta go with that.

I would tell them to seek the help of others, and then, however it is they believe - I believe in the Creator and that water, those are my guiding things that guide me - but also the wisdom of others. Like, I'm a leader, but to me, a good leader is I'm back here, and the people are in front, they're leading me. They're the ones that are leading me. I'm not standing out in front. People say I might be the face or the voice of it, but it really is all the other people doing the work. I do a lot, but man, they do a lot, too. And without them, the volunteers and the stage manager and all that stuff, I couldn't do it without them. I can't do everything. I'm more than happy to ask for help and delegate to people that have those skills that can do those things. You gotta be willing to learn from others, or outside sources, or however that comes. I've learned that I can't do this alone, and it really helps to work well in groups. When somebody brings an idea, try to work with that.

I really value people. I really enjoy the experience that I get interacting with them, whether it's vendors, or the people that are on the team, or the people that I meet in the community at different events. I really try to stay strongly connected to the community. Like, this weekend, I'm gonna go to my friend Michelle Chouinard - she's got a nonprofit - and go and meet some of her staff and the people that are on her nonprofit, just to stay connected. It's fun to meet all these people and go to all these events, and yeah, to me, that brings me great joy to do that.