Downtown Leadership Managing for Success

1. Downtown LeadershipManaging for Success Linda K. McCarthyExecutive DirectorMissoula Downtown Associationwww.missouladowntown.com

2. Downtowns are Unique! • Diverse Business Mix • Organic in Composition • Independently-Owned • Government Centers • Cultural Centers

3. Downtown Stakeholders are Varied • Business Owners • Property Owners • Government Representatives • Non-Profit Directors (EDA, CVB, Cultural) • Consumers (residents & tourists)

4. Opinions Are Divergent • Urban vs. Suburban • Bike/Pedestrian vs. Vehicle • Republican vs. Democrat • Development vs. Preservation • Other

5. Leadership • A process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal • Involves Influence • Occurs in Groups • Involves Common Goals • Not Necessarily a Trait

6. Leadership Produces Change & Movement • Establish Direction • Create a Vision • Clarify Big Picture • Set Strategies • Align People • Communication Goals • Seek Commitment • Build Teams & Coalitions • Motivate & Inspire • Inspire & Energize • Empower Subordinates • Satisfy Unmet Needs

7. Management Produces Order & Consistency • Planning & Budgeting • Establish agendas • Set timetables • Allocate resources • Organizing & Staffing • Provide structure • Make job placements • Establish rules & procedures • Controlling & Problem Solving • Develop incentives • Generate creative solutions • Take corrective action

8. Downtown Leadership Must Be • Collaborative • Communicated • Consistent / Dependable • Ongoing • Present / Available / Accessible • Strategic • Transparent

9. Missoula’s Downtown Leadership • Missoula Parking Commission (1971) • Missoula Downtown Association (1975) • Mountain Line Transit District (1976) • Missoula Redevelopment Agency (1978) • Downtown Business Improvement (2005)

10. Missoula Downtown Association 2000 • 175 Members • $100,000 Operations • One FTE • 25 Events/Year • $20,000 Gift Cards 2010 • 450 Members • $600,000 Operations • Five FTEs • 75 Events/Year • $150,000 Gift Cards

11. MDA’s Mission Mission: to promote, support and enhance the vitality of Downtown Missoula for the betterment of the community. • Advocacy • Marketing & Events • Membership • Master Plan

12. How MDA is Organized

13. How BID is Organized

14. MDA’s Greatest Accomplishments • 1986: Created Out to Lunch Summer Series • 1997: Built the Permanent Pavilion in Caras Park • 2001: Created Downtown ToNight Summer Series • 2005: Created Downtown BID • 2006: Co-located with BID in 1st Floor Space • 2008: Created the Downtown Master Plan • 2010: Paid off debt on Caras Park Pavilion • 2010: Created Missoula Downtown Foundation

15. MDA Leadership • Puts “Community” before “Membership” • Uses “We” instead of “I” • Works in “Partnership” with others • Thinks about the “big picture”

16. MDA Board Expectations • Outlined, spelled out and reviewed • Attend meetings • Take responsibility for portions of the program • Sell: membership, sponsorship and Downtown • Buy: sponsorship, tickets, tables, etc. • Write: 1-12 articles per year • Plan to be an officer in the future

17. MDA Committee Expectations • Outlined, spelled out and reviewed • Attend meetings • Take responsibility for portions of the program • Sell • Staff • Volunteer

18. Board Composition • Seek expertise in the areas you and your organization have needs in. • Seek diversity in your representation so all sectors of your membership feel represented and connected. • Strive for a mix of visionaries and worker bees

19. MDA Board Composition • Accounting & Finance • Computing • Communications • Economic Development • Education • Health Care • Human Resources • Legal • Lodging & Hospitality • Marketing & Media • Municipality • Parking & Transportation • Planning & Engineering • Retail & Restaurant

20. Quality Staff & Board Relations • Must be balanced • Must have trust • Must be collaborative and open • Must always have the “good of the whole” as the priority (self agendas checked at the door) • Each must know the expectations of the other • Must work towards consensus

21. Acquiring Knowledge • There is no real bona fide training for Downtown professionals, so we have to seek out as much knowledge and information as possible: • IDA, National Main Street, IAEDA • Peer Community Relations • Reading(management & motivation, land use and planning, economic development, marketing, development, homelessness, etc.)

22. Always the Expert • We are expected to be experts…or at least know the experts…in so many areas: • Branding & Marketing • Business & Finance • Construction • Development & Redevelopment • Event Planning & Production • Housing & Employment

23. Always the Expert • Human Resource Management • Non-Profit Management • Park Maintenance & Landscaping • Parking & Transportation • Politics & Government • Tourism & Cultural Heritage • Other

24. Good Leaders… • Lead by example • Keep things on task • Motivate others to movement • Hold others accountable • Are ALWAYS kind and respectful • Take care of their staff

25. Good Leaders… • Admit when they’re wrong • Apologize when appropriate • Listen often and well • Write often and well • Keep things on task • Are open to change

26. Good Downtown Leaders… • Recognize and understand their role as public servants • Develop and maintain relationships with as many stakeholders as possible • Know when to say when, especially with that always discontented business owner • Have a plan

27. Do You Have a Plan? • It’s the most important work you can do for your Downtown!

28. A Plan for Your Downtown Can… • Drive your work plan and budget • Acquire buy-in from stakeholders • Keep the public and private sectors informed and on the same page • Offer predictability for current investorsand future investors • Help with acquisition of funding and support • Set expectations

29. Downtown LeadershipManaging for Success Linda K. McCarthyExecutive DirectorMissoula Downtown Associationwww.missouladowntown.comlinda@missouladowntown.com