Moving Communities from Good to Great

ICMA Regional Meeting: March 13 & 14 , 2008:

-“Managers Role in moving Communities from Good to Great”
Preparation: To prepare for this, I reread parts of Jim Collins, “Good to Great” and prepared some key thoughts:

-Right people on the bus: This concept (and the discussion at the ICMA Regional Conference in 2007) really helped. We changed our “help wanted” ads from “help wanted” ads to notices for interested persons to join our Team instead of advertising vacancies for a job.

In some cases, I simply refused to hire the “almost right” person and waited for the “right” person, in spite of some adverse comments and actions. Thus far, this caution has been well-rewarded and even the protests have died down on this as, by action, other Supervisors and personnel (and Board Members) have seen the wisdom in getting THE right person.

My biggest problem remains “moving the people on the bus to the right seat” or “getting people off the bus” who shouldn’t even be on the City of Lakeland bus. I have been utilizing some techniques to “work around” such personnel, with some success, but not to my satisfication.

-“Confronting the brutal facts”: I have to work on this some. Hopefully this will be discussed in more detail at this session. We have emphasized asking questions, encouraging healthy debate etc., and investigating problems with the idea of learning rather than blame. Also, I have always emphasized I need to “know the bad news” more than the “good news”. However, the organization still occasionally fails to confront “brutal facts” and work on facing reality.

-Flywheel concept: This has been relatively successful. I think we still are prone to hope the dramatic change, decision, person, program etc. will make significant sudden changes, but at the same time, we continue to work on the “flywheel” concept of continual improvement.

-Hedgehog concept: I understand the concept, but also realize that City Government includes items I can’t “get passionate” about, except perhaps in the overall picture. I have attempted to hire people who are “passionate” about their sphere and it does seem to be effective.

-Culture of self-discipline: Overall, this has improved. Relates to “getting right people on the bus/moving to right seat or off the bus”.

-An approach I had missed before is to create a “council” of personnel (5 to 12 people) to discuss and gain insights into the organization. Meet on a continual basis, discuss organizational understanding.

-Understand and continually reinforce core values of organization.

SESSION: The session on “The Manager’s Role in Moving Communities form Good to Great” was excellent.

The Presenter noted the following as reasons why we (Managers) need to encourage continue change to meet the following Forces affecting local Government:

-Demographics (Demands of babyboomers will increase need for some public services and infrastructure). I feel also the changing needs of the younger residents.

-Demographics-

(diversity) in a few years there will be NO majority race/national origin.

(Population migration): In migration is high in some areas, out in others (see map)

-The Important Issues transcend boundaries (public, private and non-profit centers). (Important Issues are health care, economy, environment etc.)

-New Media: Impact of 24 hour “news”, frequently more what to be first rather than accurate

-Technology

-Direct Democracy

-Trust in Government

-Globalization

-Fiscal Stress on government

-Fractured Federalism

-Infrastructure

-Sustainability;

Discussion included a presentation of a discussion with Jim Collins: Some general areas:

(A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink)

-Leadership Challenge: Preventing it from breaking. Anticipate changes needed to move with change

-Leadership
-Level 5 leaders keep focused on goal

-Public Leaders don’t have concentrated power (Legislative Power): -Lots of Groups have Negative Power (ability to stop, without any positive function) Public Leaders have to create legislative skill set-Have to create conditions for approval, since don’t have authority to make decisions

-Have to “qualify for job every day”. Learn from mistakes, take resp. mistakes

-Values and Practices:

-Core Values: Won’t change

-Practices: may be subject to compromise (I need to review this more.)

-ELEMENTS OF LEVEL 5 Leaders

-BHAG

-Accept incremental revolution

-VISION

-BHAG can be incentive (Big Hairy Audacious goals)

-FLYWHEEL:

-Clear, concise idea of what to do: Keep pushing on flywheel

-Swiss watch flywheel (lots of cogs moving to a common purpose)O

RESOURCE ENGINE

-DIFFICULT AREAS OF “GREAT” (LEVEL 5)

-First WHO: (Too much emphasis on WHAT to do, not WHO will do it.

(A discussion ensued, and I was amazed at some of the discussion on the video and in the room as Managers discussed wholesale firing etc. before they really even had a chance to know what was going on. To me this shows a lack of flexibility and indicates a lack of leadership. I certainly wouldn’t want to work for such a City Manager and I wouldn’t want to live in a City with such “Leaders”. I totally disagree with this way of thinking and actions. Such actions indicate failure and inability to adjust and just an excuse, not “getting the wrong people off the bus”. Obviously such action may be required but it appears that the Managers on the video and some in the room were doing it for reasons other than just “getting the wrong people off the bus”. )

-STOP DOINGS

-Determine what NOT to do