Why I Try To Lead With A Scout Mindset

A few years ago, I read a book called The Scout Mindset by Julia Galef. It’s about how we approach disagreement — whether we act like soldiers defending a position, or scouts trying to understand the terrain.

That idea has stayed with me, especially in local government.

Very early in my first term, we were faced with a proposal to ban single-use plastic bags in North Andover.

My initial reaction? I was opposed.

I’ve never been instinctively drawn to bans. My first instinct — my “soldier mindset” — was simple: bans are bad policy. Government shouldn’t overreach.

But instead of digging in, I tried to do the homework.

I met with supporters and opponents of the article to understand their perspectives. I visited communities that had already adopted similar policies. I looked at whether consumer pricing changed. I asked whether the policy was actually reducing waste. I tried to understand the real-world impact, not just my initial reaction.

In the end, I voted to support the warrant article. It passed overwhelmingly.

Three years later, I think it has made a visible difference. There are fewer plastic bags littering our open spaces and waterways. And I can say honestly — if I had clung to my first instinct, I would have been wrong.

That experience reinforced something important for me.

Leadership isn’t about defending your first reaction. It’s about testing it. Listening. Gathering facts. And being willing to adjust when the evidence supports it.

That doesn’t mean I don’t have principles. It means I don’t confuse reflex with conviction. It's not always easy, we all have that inner soldier, the challenge is taking the time to listen to your inner scout.

As I said at my campaign kickoff, I recognize that there are many in our community who have good-faith concerns about new growth and its impact on our town. Moving Forward Together doesn’t mean dismissing those concerns. It means embracing them, validating them, and working together to find the right solution for North Andover.

A scout mindset doesn’t mean avoiding tough calls. It means making them after doing the work.

That’s especially true now. As we move through budget season and make decisions that affect taxes, services, and long-term planning, there will be moments where instincts and headlines pull in one direction. My commitment is to slow down, ask hard questions, and evaluate the full picture before casting a vote.

North Andover deserves leadership that is steady, thoughtful, and grounded in evidence — not reactive or ideological. Leadership that relies on its inner scout.

That’s the mindset I’ve tried to bring to this role. And it’s the mindset I’ll continue to bring into my next term.