The Essential Nature of the Leadership Task

1. The Essential Nature of the Leadership Task Leadership Academy Session #1—April 24, 2014 Dr. Frank Benest (650) 444-6261 frank@frankbenest.com

2. Leadership Academy Purposes: • To create a cost-effective talent development program • To enhance the leadership skills of the participants • To assist participating local governments in succession planning efforts • To offer participants positive development opportunities in tough times

3. Leadership Academy Curriculum Focus: • Curriculum will focus on promoting leadership aptitudes & skills as opposed to nuts-and-bolts supervisory or management skills.

4. Exercise: “Exploring the Commons” • Rotate through several groups of six • Identify in 3 minutes what you all have in common (can’t use “live in Bay Area” or “work in local government”) • Announce commonality & form new group of 6 • Repeat process

5. Self-Introductions • Your name • Your title & organization • “One thing I want to learn”

6. Frank's Story • Listen & take a few notes • Try to discern some key elements leading to successful advancement in career & fulfillment

7. Academy Requirements • Attend all sessions & full participation • Arrive no later than 8:15 am for prompt start at 8:30 am • Turn off cell phones; make calls at breaks • Read all articles & be prepared to discuss • Actively serve on Team Project • Participate in 1 to 1 coaching • Reflect & apply • Have fun!

8. Why Use Case Studies? • Given accelerating & discontinuous change, an organization’s capacity to learn & adapt becomes key to survival & success now & in future • Case studies allow us to learn from our own real-life experiences or the experiences of our colleagues • Case studies provide lessons that can be applied to future practice • Case studies are one way to promote learning & support a “community of practice & learning”

9. Your Questions

10. Context of Local Government 1. What are 2-3 key aspects of the internal context of local government? (for example: heavily unionized) 2. What are 2-3 key aspects of the external context of local government? (for example: very scrutinized)

11. Key Question • In this kind of environment, what do organizational members need from their leaders?

12. The Big Challenges & Leadership Competencies 1. What are 2-3 big challengesfacing local governments in the next 5 years? 2. To effectively address these challenges, what are 2-3 indispensable competencies for leaders at all levels of the organization?

13. A Disruptive World • Local governments are overwhelmed with accelerating & discontinuous change • Problems are complex, difficult-to-solve, emotion-laden, & divisive • No one institution, including government, can solve any major problem

14. A Disruptive World (con’t) • Power is diffuse (“veto” power) • Citizens have lost confidence in all institutions, including government • To confront any major challenge, leaders must cross boundaries • Experimenting & learning are key ingredients to adapting

15. “Are we learning as fast as the world is changing?” Gary Hamel

16. “VUCA” Volatility Uncertainty Complexity Ambiguity

17. The Nature of the Challenges • Technical challenges(“tame”) Solutions are known & can be addressed through management • Adaptive challenges (“wicked”) Solutions are unknown, often involve value conflicts, & require leadership at all levels

18. The Essence of Leadership “Leaders do not force people to follow—they invite them on a journey.” Charles Lauer

19. Indispensable Competencies • Active futures orientation • Boundary-crossing & partnering skills • Learning agility • Ability to start conversations & tell stories • Ability to create meaning • Ability to develop talent • People skills

20. The Importance of People Skills

21. Reflecting on a Leadership Experience • Go to worksheet • Individually complete worksheet • Share in dyads • Focus on key ingredients for successful (or unsuccessful) leadership experiences • Identify themes in large groups

22. “Why would anyone want to follow me?” • Identify 2-3 reasons that people would want to follow you • Identify one trait that would cause people to be reluctant to follow you

23. Kevin Duggan • Career journey • Case study • Critique of case study • Kevin’s response • “15 Thoughts on Ethics and Integrity”

24. My Career Journey • Description • Key elements

25. Case Study • Go to handout • Description of case • Critique • Kevin’s response

26. Thoughts . . .on Ethics and Integrity

27. #1“Prevention First” • Never take ethics and integrity for granted • Talk about it • Train • Don’t assume it will just happen • Make it part of the organization’s culture and value system

28. #2It’s Very Difficult to Have an Ethical Organization without Ethical Employees • “Hire for Ethics” • Have it as a criteria • Talk about it as part of the selection process • Thorough background checks

29. #3“Just Because it is Legal Doesn’t Mean it is Ethical” • Don’t confuse “Legal” with “Ethical” • Not breaking the law will keep you out of jail, but won’t make you a role model of ethics and integrity (consider the spirit as well as the letter of the law) • Our obligation is to maintain public confidence in ourselves and our public institutions • We must hold ourselves to a higher standard than not breaking the law

30. #4The Greatest Obstacle to Ethical Conduct: The “R” Word • Our greatest enemy is our and our employees’ ability to rationalize that inappropriate conduct is okay • “I deserve………” • “In this case it is okay to ……..” • We can be seduced by our ability to come up with a “plausible rationale”

31. #5Beware of “…But No One Will Find Out” • “A secret is a 5-second head start” • There is always someone who will (or could) know • No one finding out is NOT an appropriate criteria • YOU WILL KNOW

32. #6“The Newspaper Rule” • The best defense to the “seduction of rationalization” • Understand you don’t just have to convince yourself – you have to convince everyone else

33. #7 “The Taxpayer Rule” • What you think is justified vs. what taxpayers will think is reasonable • Public funds belong to the public

34. #8Leaders Need to “Walk the Talk” • Talking about vs. demonstrating ethics and integrity • Leaders need to hold themselves to a higher standard

35. #9You Are Only Really Tested When it Isn’t Easy: • When you have something to lose or gain • When you can suffer personally or professionally for taking a stand • When it is difficult and uncomfortable

36. #10If You are an Organizational Leader, it is Not “Just About You” • You won’t simply be held accountable for your conduct, but also for the conduct of those in your organization • You will fail no matter how ethical you are if your organization fails to perform ethically

37. #11The Three Levels of a Leaders Ethical Responsibility • What you did: • Your decisions and actions • What others did – that you knew about: • Did you respond • How you responded • What others did – that you didn’t know about: • Should you have known • Pay attention • Ask questions/due diligence • “Open to bad news” – Don’t shoot the messenger

38. #12Responding to an Ethical Failure: Being Judged Not Just on What Happened, But How You Responded • Avoid the “C” word at all costs (“coverup”) • Full disclosure • Early disclosure • Corrective actions • The biggest issue is often not what happened, but how it was responded to • How you respond may well be the primary basis on which you will be judged • “Not deciding” is a decision for which you may be held accountable • Don’t turn an honest mistake into an ethical scandal

39. #13Whose Responsibility Is It – Is It “Your Job”? • If you know about it – it is your responsibility to do something • What you are required to do depends on the circumstances • You don’t necessarily need to be the “Lone Ranger,” but……

40. #14As a Leader, You Need to Support the Organization & “The Innocent” During Ethical Crisis • Protect those who stand up for ethical conduct/integrity • Keep the organization focused during an ethical crisis • Recovering from an ethical failure – learning and getting better

41. #15The Three Questions You Will Always Need to be Prepared to Answer • What did you know? • When did you know it? • What did you do about it?

42. Key Thoughts • You will not be an effective leader unless you demonstrate ethics and integrity • Beware of the “R word” – Rationalization • If you are a leader, it is your responsibility • No one finding out is not the criterion • The “newspaper rule” • The “taxpayer rule”

43. Resources • International City Management Association: www.icma.org • Institute for Local Government (California): www.ca-ilg.org

44. Crucibles of Leadership • Why do some leaders inspire confidence, loyalty, hard work & commitment, while others with equal vision & intelligence do not? • The answer may lie in how leaders handle adversity, esp. “crucible” events • A “crucible” experience is a severe test or trial for the leader • Crucibles are intense, often traumatic for the leaders—& always unplanned • The crucible event can transform the leader

45. Reaction Panel • What resonated with me? • What did not resonate with me? • What do I have to add?

46. Key Learnings and Questions • What is one thing I learned or re-learned or discovered about myself? • What questions do I have?

47. Team Projects • Teams will consist of 5 or 6 members • Teams will act as “sounding board’ or “feedback panel” or “consulting group” for local government agency or agencies facing real-life challenge • Team members will interview key players, review source documents & the literature, come to several conclusions, & provide suggestions to agency leaders

48. Team Projects (con’t) • Executive Sponsor for Team Project will serve as a “go-to” resource & provide guidance, information & suggestions • Team will also present report to Academy class & Executive Sponsor or City Managers Assoc.

49. Team Projects (con’t) Next Steps • Each participant identifies your interests for a particular project (today) • Each team develops outline on how you will carry out project (May 22-copies for everyone) • Frank & all will provide feedback on outline (at end of May 22 session) • Teams get started • Each team member picks “stretch” involvement in project in order to expand skill set

50. 2014-15 Team Projects