Capital Rotary Club

Columbia is planning for a future that is innovative and progressive, but also aims to maintain quality of life.  That’s the message guest speaker Krista Hampton brought to Capital Rotary on April 24.  Hampton (shown with club president Philip Flynn) is the city’s planning and development director.  She previously created, launched and led efforts to streamline construction review and permitting.  Her current priority is rewriting Columbia’s outdated zoning and land development ordinances that go back to 1977.  Goals include (1) making codes more flexible so that future development doesn’t negatively impact existing neighborhoods; (2) promoting walkability and sustainability  with more green spaces and green buildings; and (3) dealing with the impact that micro-mobility (such as bike sharing, standup scooters and/or hoverboards, drones and robot cars) might have on future traffic and parking needs.  Hampton has over 20 years of local government experience and was the city’s historic preservation planner.  She has a BA in American Studies from Miami University, an MA in Public History from the University of South Carolina, and is a graduate of the Urban Land Institute’s South Carolina Sustainable Leadership Institute and Leadership South Carolina.

Image consultant Brian Maynor told Capital Rotarians that a person’s attitude, behavior and appearance are powerful, underutilized tools for success.  Maynor – the club’s guest speaker on Feb. 27 – built a reputation over the past decade as a lifestyle coach, helping clients transform their image, boost their confidence and feel empowered to look and feel their best.  While most people think “image” is largely based on physical appearance, Maynor said attitude and behavior influence 90% of personal success.  Attitude affects mental and physical health, engagement in both work and life, communication skills and effectiveness, morale and productivity.  Behavior encompasses not only actions, but also factors such as verbal and non-verbal communication, eye contact, gestures, movement, posture and habits.  “Habits are a big part of our behavior,” Maynor said, “so we need to pay attention so we can address them.”  He described common “bad behavior” examples that include (1) inappropriate verbiage or lingo, (2) lack of punctuality, (3) excessive cell phones usage, (4) interrupting or talking over others, (5) being disengaged and (6) not abiding by dress codes, either formal or informal.