I'm Steve Hewitt, I'm a city administrator for Greensburg, Kansas. On dealing with utilities from gas to electrical issues, to water issues, to safety issues, to rescue issues.I will tell you the struggle this community is at. Lot of TV cameras around, a lot of media attention. And a lot of people want to be heroes. You know, the heroes are every guy that shows up every day at my office. They work every day. Those are heroes. Those are true heroes. Heroes aren't the ones who stand in front of the cameras and say we're going to do this as much as the heroes are the one that are actually doing it. I don't like the politics. It comes with the job. We did not need an election during a recovery process and now I've got three now counselors and one new mayor. They're good people, I think. But why did we need that? I don't think we did need that. But that is, it is what it is and I don't like politics and I don't like dealing with new people and I don't like dealing with the new direction. I'm now my third mayor in one year and I think that's ridiculous. But it is what it is, and I have to work with these people and we're going to get it done.

More than ever I have allowed my department heads to be true department heads. Take their guys and take their team and lead. And to work with them and give them a true direction and a true plan and say, hey guys, we need. These are our goals, we need to accomplish these things. Now take your staff out and do it. We had a staff about 20 before the storm. Now we have a staff about 35. We didn't have a full time fire department, we got a full time fire department. Got a planning department. I got a community development department. I've got new people, new positions, and new departments. You know, you've got to not just be that team leader but you also got to be that, you got to do that, you know, counselor, that friend. And also you got to be tough to be the boss. Because you know what, we got to get this done, get it done now. But they also are dealing with major issues. They're trying to build their own homes back. I didn't have any staff leave. They all came back. And that's a testimony of what true teammates who believe in a leader. Listen, I have to, I'm only as good as a team. And, you know what, the fact that they've all stood behind me. You know, I really appreciate that because, you know, that's the only way we're going to get it done.

You know, I dealt with people early on who said I don't want building codes, I want you to leave me alone, I'm going to do what I want to do. And I said, no. I said you're going to build it right, you're going to build it to code. Make a safer, better community. We're not going to have this patched together. You know, we're not going to have this free for all. We got to be focused and dedicated. We have to have goals, we have to have a plan. I think I'm young enough and dumb enough, to be honest with you. I'm dumb enough not to care what people say. And I'm young enough to have the energy to get through it. And I really feel like I'm the guy that was here at the right time to get us where we're at today. You know, there's going to be a time when I am no longer needed and I understand that. And the town will tell me that. But right now I think I am the right guy to help us and I'm excited about that. I'm humbled by that, but I'm arrogant enough to see that, you know what, you know, let's get this thing done. And I think I'm the guy that can do it. And that's, so probably no leader that's influenced me except for many leaders. And to say that, you know what, I want to be the guy that sticks his neck out there and says you know we can do it. You don't like it, chop it off, get somebody else. But you know what, while I'm here, we're doing it this way and going that direction because that's the right thing to do.

Why is Steve Hewitt’s leadership style well-suited for the rebuilding efforts of Greensburg?