Nancy Steele: an eye for birds, a vision for leadership
Nancy Steele was featured in the Verde Valley Independent local newspaper’s ‘Influencers’ column about the surprising parallels between her experiences as a birdwatcher and environmental leader.
“Nancy Steele takes the same observational approach to building up organizations as she does with birdwatching,” Olivia Mallet wrote.
“Observe people who are leaders around you and pick out what you like; notice what you don’t like,” Nancy said. “You may be leading the vision for the organization, and how it wants to present itself to the community. You also need to know what your staff needs, because your job is to enable your staff to do what you need them to do.”
Nancy also shared her top 5 birdwatching tips:
- Observe small movements in your natural surroundings
- Download birdwatching apps on your phone like Birda and Merlin Bird ID
- Listen for the birds “talking” to you
- Invest in a pair of binoculars to pay attention to motions in the trees and bushes
- Start an eBird list online to record and share your bird sightings
“I’ve spent my whole life contributing to science and I like doing it,” Nancy said. “eBird is what we call ‘community science.’ It’s a project that everybody can participate in, not just trained scientists, but amateur birders and the public. They can contribute to science.”
Read the full story in the Verde Valley Independent (subscription required).
