Macon Magazine

1. YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS. ROBINSON FIRST MET JORDAN in the early 2000s but came to know her better through their work with Macon's Center for Racial Understanding. "She pulled together key leaders to help form the center," Robinson said. "She pulled in people around the table who could get it done." at effort does not surprise those who knew Jordan's commitment to honoring the wishes of Anderson. In the Peyton Anderson Storybank Project, which was videotaped and archived several years before her death, Jordan shared what Anderson asked of her: "You have to make Macon a better place. Not for just white people or not for just black people, but for everyone. So, from that point forward, once he was gone that's what I tried to do." Jordan's daughter Karen Lambert also admired her mother's talent for bringing others to the table. Today, Lambert leads the Peyton Anderson Foundation that Jordan and a group of trustees began in 1989. Under her mother's leadership, the philanthropic organization sparked the revitalization of downtown Macon, launched the Ocmulgee Trails initiative, founded the Peyton Anderson Scholarships for local high school students and provided the seed money to create the Community Foundation of Central Georgia. Lambert said one of the primary lessons she learned from her mother was that you don't always have to be the smartest person in the room. Instead, "you surround yourself with good people. People that are passionate, that are reliable." Lambert said in her role today she takes comfort in the memory of a conversation her mother shared with her. "When Peyton Anderson told my mother what he wanted, Mom asked, 'Mr. Anderson, how are we going to do this?' He answered, 'You don't need to know how to do everything. You just need to find the right people.'" Once you have your team at the table, those who worked with Jordan said she taught them a second leadership lesson. 2. IF YOU WANT TO LEAD, DON'T COME EMPTY-HANDED. DR. R. KIRBY GODSEY is known for his transformative 27-year tenure as president and CEO of Mercer University. His work included opening seven new colleges at Mercer including schools of business, engineering and medicine. at kind of initiative takes courage, and he said his close friendship with Jordan "reinforced my own belief that few things are impossible." at may be true, but to achieve the seemingly impossible takes vision. In the tribute Godsey delivered at Jordan's funeral, he explained: "She was born with the birthright of seeing further than most," and that meant Jordan, "never came unarmed without ideas." Robinson knew what Godsey meant: "Juanita looked around this community. I think she saw things other people didn't see." Josh Rogers was a young student at Mercer and an intern at NewTown Macon when he first met Jordan. "I paid close attention to every moment I had with her," he said. "She is an absolute hero to me." Today, Rogers is the president and CEO of NewTown and he said Jordan, "just had this ability to conjure her dreams into reality. ... It was astounding to watch." Even though vision is crucial, a third leadership lesson from Jordan provides insight for leaders on how to turn visions to reality. "SHE PULLED TOGETHER KEY LEADERS TO HELP FORM THE CENTER. SHE PULLED IN PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE WHO COULD GET IT DONE." - THERESA ROBINSON 44 maconmagazine.com | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

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