It’s OK to say “I don’t know”

Recently, I was participating in an interview process for a high-level position in local government. The questions were flowing and the interviewee was handling himself well. But his best answer might have been the one where he said “I don’t know.” You see, far too often candidates try to BS through an answer on a topic/subject/prompt where it’s clear they are lacking in experience, past project success, depth, or all of the above. Rather than dance around it, just be straight up and candid. He was, and it helped his cause immensely.

Associations

There is an incredible power in associations. In this case, I mean the formal, actual organizational structure of a professional association. Statewide and national associations affiliated with public administration (NACo, ICMA on the broader level; NYSAC, NYCOM CCAP and VACo on the individual state level) wield immense power and transformative influence. Members not taking advantage of these assets are missing out. It’s all in what you make of it. Participate, volunteer and, drum roll, associate with your association. It’s an easy decision, with high ROI and almost immediate payoff.

Headlines

Some business CEOs use the leadership retreat or C-Suite gatherings to discuss headlines. No, not the items over the last months where the business made the news. And, no, not the “bad news” headlines that everyone wants to stay out of. Instead, they forecast the next 12 months and ask “what do we want to see?” This starts the tension between short term and long term objectives, and also the leaders gain perspective on the CEO’s vision and also their own individual, but spinning up into collective, role in making those headlines a reality. 

Go Analog

I have written about this before, but in an increasingly tech-focused world, it is often recommended for both physical and mental health benefits to “go analog.” By that I mean: take a walk in a park. Read a physical newspaper or a hardcover book. Jot down, pen to paper, your thoughts in written word. Call a friend versus text. These “revisitings” of yesteryear norms can have a whole host of positive effects.

On Organizational Meetings

I posted this recently to LinkedIn and wanted to share here.

Random thought: the local government's annual "organizational" meeting is rarely about, the art and act of actual organization.

Yes, well, a little. The hierarchy of council/board leadership, affirmation of certain roles/responsibilities, the uber-important declaration of the official newspaper for public notices. That's organizational, yes.

What if we used this time to actual focus, even slightly, on organizational matters themselves? Process, procedures, how certain things are managed, the flow of information, time management improvements, efficiency suggestions, why and when meetings are held, how many committees do we really need, etc.

Affirmation

I write a daily affirmation every day. Every single day.

If I look back (I have been actively and regularly journaling for over 7 years) I probably have repeated myself a time or two but generally these are unique, daily statements.

What is a daily affirmation? In my case, they are simple statements I write each morning to sort of govern the day before me and reset my mind around a possible theme, goal or thought-pattern. They are positive and usually reflect what plans I have or what mood or mindset I feel I need to get myself into for that particular day.

For the public sector leaders I coach, I recommend that they think about incorporating a daily affirmation into their morning routine. You clear the mind, start fresh, and etch out a new 24 hour guidepost through a straightforward statement. Consider building your day’s activities around an affirmation.

And in case you’re wondering, today’s affirmation was “Embrace the present.”

Separators

What are your separators? What are you “extra” good at, versus someone else? What makes you distinguished from peers? Ask yourself this, but also ask it about your community. What are you natural assets? Why would someone work there? Inventory them and list/rank them and perfect and refine them accordingly. Build off of them. Use these separators to your advantage, as they are yours and yours only.

Local Government

Many people quote research that indicates that local government is the most trusted among the levels of government. Color me unsurprised. First, the competition is porous. It’s like stacking Bruce Springsteen with a lounge singer and an American Idol castoff and asking who is the generational performer? Second - local governments are closest to the people. We sort of do have an advantage, so to speak, and a leg up. Everyday, our residents see democratic ideals and plans transformed into real-world action—streets paved, parks maintained, people housed, safety maintained. However, it must be noted - trust has to be maintained and secured (and often earned). Don’t screw it up!

On Plan Implementations

I was working in a community recently that is very planful. They have developed plans for a variety of endeavors. In some cases they have hired consultants to develop the plans. They have also very intentionally and purposefully involved the public in strategic and thoughtful ways. Very inspiring I must say, from a planning perspective. I will pause here to say that having a good plan is essential but implementation is what delivers results. As I have written about previously on these pages, often there is frequent disconnect between vision and action. Challenges abound, like staffing limitations, budget constraints, lack of accountability, or shifting political priorities or council/board preferences. Getting everyone on the same page with respect to prioritization, connecting plans together, progress reporting, and measurement of progress are all “must-haves” for successful implementation.

Positive Intelligence

I am not sure where I heard this, but it relates and translates well to my overall life philosophy and buttresses the foundational underpinnings of mindfulness. Always find the silver lining. Ask yourself - where can can you gain positive insights and intelligence in every life experience, even the challenging ones? It’s not Pollyanna-ish and naivete, nor is it a sign of weakness. Instead, seeking (and allowing yourself to obtain) positive intelligence is a sign of mental fortitude, emotional resilience and overall strength of character

Career Capital

An author and podcaster I really like, Cal Newport, talked recently about his concept of “career capital" and I think the teachings have relevance to local government management. First, what is it? As Newport says “The key to a great career is to develop rare and valuable skills — career capital — and then use that capital to gain control and do work that matters. To me, I think of project management, budgeting/financial acumen, public communications savviness, intergovernmental relations skills, technological know-how and the like. One sub-concept of this overall career capital theme is the master craftsman philosophy. Instead of focusing only on "finding the perfect role," local government professionals can benefit by asking: “How can I master the craft of _________ e.g. service delivery, policy execution, or civic leadership?” This mindset builds influence and impact. As someone who is involved in many executive recruitments, I want to see this full breadth and portfolio of career capital skillsets on display in the resume itself and also coming out in the interview process.

Forgiveness vs Permission

There’s an old saying: “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” I had a colleague in economic development who would regularly exemplify this adage to try and get projects done. But in local government, where public trust, transparency, ethics-above-all-else and accountability are non-negotiables, that type of mindset can be risky. Yes, innovation (especially in competitive settings with multi-million dollar projects on the line) often requires boldness. But true leadership in public service balances courage with collaboration. Life is nuanced. When I think of the seeking of operational efficiencies, sometimes a proactive step makes sense. For policy, budget, or community impact, you better bring others along - maybe not seek their permission, but most certainly gain their inputs and involvement. As someone who’s been in the CAO seat, I’ve seen the cost of skipping that conversation upfront—and the power, and positive spillover effects, of building strong coalitions early. The next-gen local government leader doesn’t just act fast, they act wisely and prudently.

Curiosity

Our son and other "home from college" young adults started summer internships this past week. Replete with a pressed shirt, lunch pail, and questions on typical work environs. An inquisitive mind has questions - what will the co workers be like? What will the office attire be? Will I be engaged in meaningful work activity? There is a new book that intrigues me, written by LinkedIn connection William Hatcher, called the Curious Public Administrator. How does this relate to local government? Well - Check in with yourself - have you lost your curiosity? Is anything novel? Get out of your comfort zone and be, again, curious - like the summer intern on Day 1. Ask questions, visit, learn, grow, onboard all over again. My guess is you will find it worthwhile!

From Arthur Brooks

(This is not my work - sharing from the great Arthur Brooks)

Arthur Brooks

What you can do

Based on Tibetan Buddhist teachings, here are five examples of small-seeming yet world-changing acts that His Holiness has urged me to undertake each day.

1. Serve the tea. Practice common acts of generosity and humility, like serving tea to visitors in your home. Small acts require conscious intention to begin with but can become a habit in short order.

2. Show your teeth. To the Dalai Lama, to “show your teeth” means to smile authentically—no half smiles, no Mona Lisa–style ambiguity. The true smile, he believes, starts a kind of contagion.

3. Change places. If someone is bothering you, think deeply about their troubles. This is a variation on the loving-kindness meditation in many traditions, in which we change our attitude toward others by focusing on their good and wishing them well.

4. Think, don’t just feel. Enlightenment requires us to manage our negative emotions—so that they don’t manage us. The Bodhisattva Shantideva counsels us to do this by exercising our powers of logic and reason, urging us, for example, to remember that “if there is a remedy, then what is the use of frustration? If there is no remedy, then what is the use of frustration?”

5. Let it go. In our world of conflict, many cultural combatants look for offenses—even when none is intended—as an excuse for aggression. Even when offense is intended, we have the opportunity to make the world a little better by refusing to take it as such and maintaining our equanimity.

Will the globe change overnight with these five lessons? Of course not. But in your own local way, the spirit of the Dalai Lama and his wisdom will be with you, and you will be a force for good in a world that badly needs it.

Public Information

One day, I was in the backseat of a bus and traveling to development sites with a Fortune 500 CEO scouting possible locations for a $250MM investment in my county. The CEO says to me as we are chit-chatting “so, you have a fair amount of crime here, eh?” Flummoxed, as we do not, I answer “not really, what do you mean?” He goes on to mention that he has picked up the paper the last week and noticed the blotter, etc. Our Sheriff was on a transparency kick to post arrest information, including a full press release and mugshot on every felony arrest. Due to the county’s somewhat tepid press activity (generally), the crime news sort of overshadowed everything, good news and all. I vowed that day to never be in that position again, and we doubled down on efforts to increase messaging, engagement, social media activity and press releases. I encourage all the local governments I work with to treat Public Information as an office/department/division, as you likely do with Public Works and Public Safety. It is that important!

Perceptions

There is a phrase “it’s not what you are looking at, it’s what you see,” attributed to many, including Thoreau and Homer Simpson.  I really like this adage. Take artwork, a movie, a book, a mural, a situation happening that involves a fight or dispute, and so forth. We all have different, often visceral reactions to what it is that is in front of us. With local government this could be a police interaction, a piece of public art, a proposed zoning variance for a new housing project, a client service meeting for a public assistance case - the list is endless. The different perceptions and contextualized, subjective assessments (based on our own life experiences) that come into play in these situations should be taken into account when you are managing a local government. This relates both to interactions with those we work for (elected officials) and engagement with residents, co-workers, and business owners. Staying mindful in these situations separates the emotionally intelligent leader from those that still need a little refinement in that area.

Mental Health Days

I was participating as a panelist in an ICMA coaching webinar recently, and the question was related to Mental Health Days. I answered “What do you think about physical health days?” The usual answer is - we don’t, or minimally that we don’t think to distinguish a “sick” day from the physical. I have written about this before - but we need to normalize a mental health day. No, not the trip to the beach because you needed it, nor the shopping excursion because “that’s your therapy” - but a true, needed, day off for your emotional/mental health to improve your wellbeing. If I am a council or board, I want to 1) provide accruals for your appropriate use as an employee benefit and 2) see you at your best self.

You don’t know everything? That’s OK.

I posted recently on LinkedIn, crowd-sourcing ideas for a 30 to 365 day plan for the new local government CAO.  Great ideas were shared, including just listening, visiting departments, getting to know the entity’s “symbolism” and other excellent recommendations. One that I think of is - knowing that you don’t know it all. Humility, curiosity, “I’m not sure,” and those types of questions and attributes are indeed entirely A-OK.  Far too often, especially lately, I have seen new CAOs hindering their own growth, by failing to recognize they themselves still need to grow.  I have been doing this work for 20+ years, and I need to grow, evolve, learn, stay up on professional development, ask questions, stay inquisitive, stay curious, etc. If I do, you do. You don’t know everything?  That’s OK, I don’t expect you to. Confidence, and competence, will grow as you yourself develop and refine your skills.

Main Streets

The GOP cause-de-jour to restore Main Streets, American manufacturing, and that sort of nostalgia is often ridiculed as a dwelling-on-the-past, quixotic, fantasy-land type set of goals. However, one spillover element that would likely be enhanced should this ever come to (even some semblance of) fruition is the reestablishment of social connection activity. As readers of Bowling Alone will recall, these days we have far fewer of these types of activities. Social clubs, service clubs, volunteerism, etc - are all seeing rapid declines in the last few decades. Additionally, and not coincidentally, we see social isolation on the rise. For all of tech’s advances, one achilles heel is the ability to remain isolated but still communicate. It’s just not the same. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, you have the research-backed super-strong link between social connections/relationships and overall happiness. While dreamy and aspirational, and perhaps completely non-doable, there are indeed some very worthy tangential, positive impacts of trying to “restore” small towns and Main Streets.

Governance

When preparing for a presentation on governance, and proper board-manager relations for cities and counties, I happened to be in a county government building on another project - a coaching engagement. I was killing time in the hallway before a meeting and stumbled upon a take/borrow bookshelf and found an old book on effective non-profit and public boards.  What a gem of a book!  Noting their top traits of effective boards, I was struck by three (among many):

Culture of Respect, Decorum, Order and Civility - Even when members disagree, they debate ideas, not personalities. In this rise of incivility at the local level (likely a product of the national scene emboldening people and it trickling down) for cities and counties to be productive, meetings themselves must be productive, not chaotic.

Willingness to Adapt and Innovate and allow for creative ideas to flourish - Good boards embrace new ideas, technology, and community trends, rather than clinging to "the way we've always done it."  The status quo, when working, is OK. But it must be challenged and Boards must be not be of the head-the-sand variety. This is also an allowance to fail. What you say?  Meaning, allow for growth and opportunity to happen when staff attempt, and sometimes - yes - fail, at new ideas and concepts to address old problems. Just fail forward. 

Above all, Ethical Behavior and Integrity in activities - No self-dealing, hidden agendas, or conflicts of interest. Public service ethos drives their work. Unfortunately this in my opinion is another area ripe for under or mis-interpretation. Training in this area is important as well, and should be organization-wide.