Winter 1992 // Volume 30 // Number 4 // Commentary // 4LET3
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Extension-Take a Bow!
Abstract
Boone's To the Point on "Crossing Lines" and Malone's response on "Dropping Lines" (Fall 1990) were excellent treatments of a complex issue facing the Cooperative Extension System: How does a mature organization of 75 years renew and survive in a world with rapidly accelerating changes?
While Boone's article rightly identifies "what all Extensionists should know," Malone's response focuses on what all Extensionists should do-move from understanding to vision and action. Both are correct in their perspective. Boone correctly points out the role of staff development in helping increasing understanding, while Malone points out the need to operationalize such action words as visionary, leadership, creativity, ethics, and cultural diversity.
Unfortunately, neither Boone nor Malone address the most critical step of organizational change, renewal and survival-the who, what, when, where, and how questions. Therefore, each of us must accept this challenge and move forward to create an organization appropriate for the 21st century.
Clyde E. Chesney
District Extension Director
North Carolina State University-Raleigh