Mike Thompson, author “The Anywhere Leader,” is visiting Heifer projects in Bolivia as part of his search for stories of leaders who “exemplify what it means to be Driven for Progress, Sensationally Curious and Vastly Resourceful when faced with uncertainty and disruption.”

In a recent post on his blog, Mike shared some interesting insights on how he sees our Bolivia team as a group with many diverse talents…

Heifer International is helping communities here transform socially and economically through training and assistance. For them, one solution won’t work. This team of Heifer leaders must have a broad understanding of the Bolivian landscape and the hundreds of cultures that exist here…To sustain their relevance in this culture and maximize their impact, they must be generalists – something many organizations are asking of their leaders as business grows globally and changes rapidly.

For Heifer to help Bolivian communities transform (mainly through agricultural development), this organization and its leaders have to know what works well at 18,000 feet and at 180 feet. In the highlands, Heifer helps communities grow potatoes and grains. Llamas do pretty well up there, as well. In the lowlands, the focus is on cows and corn. The valleys are perfect for growing fruits and vegetables.

Combine that with different processes for each produce and mix in any number of ethnic groups, languages, customs and lifestyles, and this is a job for Anywhere Leaders who are skilled generalists – right here in Bolivia.

You can read the rest of Mike’s insights about our Bolivia team here, and see additional photos from this trip on the Anywhere Leader Flickr account. In recent weeks, Mike’s travels have also taken him to our projects in Nepal and China.