Meet Jim Williams`

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jim Williams`. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jim, thank you so much for making time for us today. We can’t wait to dive into your story and the lessons you’ve learned along the way, but maybe we can start with something foundational to your success. How have you gone about developing your ability to communicate effectively?

Engagement. Engagement is not always the first thing you think about when defining effective communication, but in reality, engagement captures the aspects of effective communication. Over the past 30 years in my professional career, I have developed an understanding about myself and my personal growth areas as it relates to effective communication. The key is to know yourself and your areas of opportunity to develop. As such, I have learned to focus on clarity of message, working to use direct language and avoiding jargon. I have learned to focus on active listening, listening to understand, not just reply. I have learned to master the emotions that come with responding to or receiving feedback to my communication so that I can improve. Further, I have learned to acknowledge the perspectives and feelings of others, enhancing my sense of empathy while at the same time being mindful of my non-verbal communication and body language. Finally, I learned that being an engaged and active communicator also means that you develop a consistency, aligning your words, actions and tone to build trust and reliability. Effective communication is a constant learning process. Understanding we learn by engaging, fosters the efforts for continuous improvement.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

The Story of Deadwood History, Inc.

Through one of America’s toughest economic struggles, the determination of a man dedicated to the legacy of Deadwood’s historic past remained unwavering. In the aftermath of the devastating stock market crash of 1929 and the impending warnings of what would become the Great Depression, William Emery Adams personally financed the building of the Adams Museum. Upon completion of the project in 1930, he generously donated the museum to the City of Deadwood.

This single museum eventually grew into a nonprofit organization—Deadwood History, Inc.—that brings the legendary history of Deadwood to life at five unique properties:

Adams Museum
Days of ’76 Museum
Historic Adams House
Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center
The Brothel Deadwood

Each property makes the history of Deadwood accessible to visitors through thought-provoking exhibits, personal and powerful stories of people, places, and events, and public programs for people of all ages.

As Executive Director, I am honored to work with a team that capitalizes on a passion to increase awareness and appreciation for the history of Deadwood and the Black Hills. As we continue to create opportunities for learning, I work to empower our well-developed team’s passion to engage, inspire and preserve the past, knowing we are creating a knowledge base for the future. Be it through educational programming for youth and adults, community engagement, historic preservation or regional exploration, Deadwood History, Inc. focuses our mission in a manner that creates active and engaged learning.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Developing a sense of knowledge about myself, my skills and my opportunities for growth early in my career helped me understand that there is great value in engaging with folks that have skills different from mine. That would be my first learned skill and professional growth area.

I think the second area was to understand as a leader you have to realize you do not have all the answers and that is okay to develop team members that can complement your skills, capitalizing on this and empowering team members to learn and grow.

The third skill or area of knowledge was to realize a title is just that, a title. Effective and strong leadership does not lead with the title, you lead with the understanding and knowledge that there is a goal and a team strategy to achieve that goal. You empower diversity of voices, skills, and growth as a person and leader, not as a title holder.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

I have been fortunate to have had a number of mentors in my career that have assisted me in developing my professional skills. The key to these mentors has been a truly open and honest relationship. Find people who you trust and who can have frank discussions with you about opportunities for growth by also areas of success. Listen and engage in this feedback.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.deadwoodhistory.com

Image Credits

Deadwood History, Inc. has the rights and credit for all images.