Preparing Councils for Their Work

1. Preparing Councils for Their Work NC League of Municipalities Annual Conference October 2011

2. Objectives • Outline today’s political environment • Discuss the attributes of a high performing elected body • And the many obstacles standing in the way • Provide tools to build good governance and be more effective as an elected body

3. Why is this so hard?

4. Today’s Political Environment • Anxiety regarding the relative stability of the economy as well state and federal government • Influx of new and/or novice politicians • Engaged and active citizenry • Greater interest in government affairs • Scrutiny of management and service delivery • Citizen as “stakeholder”

5. High Performance Government • Attributes of a high performing council: • Willingness to address difficult issues • Obstacle: Conflicting political values • Ability to address difficult issues • Obstacle: Difficult working conditions • Quality of partnership with staff • Obstacle: Different logic of politics and administration Source: www.goodlocalgovernment.org

6. Values • Representation • Social Equity • Individual Rights • Efficiency

7. Conflicting Values

8. Working Conditions • No hierarchy • Vague task • No specialization • No systematic feedback • Open meetings

9. Characteristics of Politics and Administration Source: John Nalbandian, University of Kansas

10. Potential Learning Gap High Staff The Gap Potential for Misunderstanding Learning Elected Low Then Now Time Source: John Nalbandian, University of Kansas

11. How can we become effective?

12. Tools to Build Good Governance • Orientation • Retreats and Goal Setting • Information and Communication with Staff • Documented Business Practices • Leadership

13. Orientation • Ensure all candidates have public Council packet information as soon as they have filed • Meet with staff immediately after the election • What do you want to accomplish during your term in office? • What orientation information do you need? • How do you like to communicate? • Know what you need to know • Separate fact vs. fiction

14. Orientation • Conduct a thorough orientation • Updates • Tours • Information about how you can interact with the organization • Identify a former councilmember who can serve as a mentor

15. Retreats and Goal Setting • Focus on identifying what the body wants to accomplish during their shared time in office • Determine how to communicate progress • Use of “dashboard” • Develop working relationships • Among the Council • Between the Council and Manager • Between the Council and Staff

16. Retreats and Goal Setting • Explore issues of style • Talk about conflict before there actually is conflict

17. Information and Communication with Staff • Schedule regular time for discussion so you do not fall into the habit of JUST discussing hot topics • Focus on the “dashboard” • Value of a strategic plan and management system • Respect staff’s responsibility to meet the needs of the minority while implementing the policy direction of the majority

18. Information and Communication with Staff • Develop a shared understanding of what “appropriate” is… • Use your retreat to develop clear guidelines for interacting with staff • This should include staff at all levels of the organization

19. Document Business Practices • How issues get placed on the agenda • Balancing moving and seconding motions • Defining the appropriate use of City letterhead • Expressing minority opinions • Perks • Do I get a laptop? • How many City logo golf shirts do I get?

20. Leadership • Create for your community a • “possibility to live into”

21. Thank you! • Michelle Ferguson • Associate, The Novak Consulting Group • Practice leader for local government organizational assessment, optimization and strategic planning • mferguson@thenovakconsultinggroup.com • www.thenovakconsultinggroup.com • Hendersonville, NC • (828) 777-6588