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Vertical Leadership vs. Horizontal Leadership in Local Government
Historically, local governments have favoured the top-down vertical alignment of their human resources (also commonly called a “Bureaucratic Structure” where Leadership is Vertically aligned). This structure offers up a clear chain of command and typically features a top-down decision-making process...
5 Key Issues Impacting Municipalities for 2022
So, I thought we’d start off 2022 with some observations for local government enthusiasts! Here are 5 key issues that I see putting local government to the test over this next year and likely into this decade.
Ontario Announces New Municipal Modernization Funding Program
Shortly after the Province let the air out of the tires of the Regional Government Review convoy, it announced another round of funding as part of the new “Municipal Modernization Program” (MMP). Small and rural municipalities across Ontario now have access to an additional $125 million through 2022-2023.
Change is Good Donkey!
Too often we see people who say they are committed to change but at the first instant that arises which demonstrates their level of commitment it is clear they have been “faking the change”. All along they have been paying lip service without any real commitment to supporting the actions required to implement the change.
Fake News Phenomenon
With all of the churn and divisiveness encompassing society, the general uncertainty of global affairs and the rather caustic nature of “fake news” or as some communication spinmeisters like to call it, “alternative facts” (much of it generated via the platform of social media), let’s take a minute to reposition ourselves.
Do you recognise a Master Manipulator?
Manipulative people are challenging and terrifying to deal with. They prey on fear, insecurity, and uncertainty to get what they want. Deception isn’t out of bounds for them. Dealing with them requires you to change the game.
Leadership Ingredients for Success
It seems that on a daily basis we read or hear about the very important topic of “leadership”. Whether the topic of leadership arises within the context of the world of politics or in the business world, the challenges of leadership are all around us...
Are You A Good Listener?
It seems that on a daily basis we read or hear about the very important topic of “leadership”. Whether the topic of leadership arises within the context of the world of politics or in the business world, the chaaYour listening skills don’t simply begin and end at the words being spoken to you so we suggest that you need to pay careful attention to “non-verbal” behaviours as well. Use your eyes and your ears and pay attention to the individual’s facial expressions, their eye, and body movements, as well as the intonation of their voice.llenges of leadership are all around us...
NEW FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE MODEL NEEDED FOR CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES – “Exclusive” Book Launch & Webinar
“The Leadership Crisis” is the 6th book on local government by author, speaker and former city councillor Gord Hume. It has just been published. As part of the research for the book, a national survey was conducted in 2015, with nearly 1300 respondents. The research reveals problems inside city halls as well as the larger governance issues.
Do we need more Devil’s Advocates?
Is there any advantage to having a “devil’s advocate” on the team? For a long time many of us would simply like to see team members all get along rather than to have a contrarian thrown into the mix. But in reality a “devil’s advocate” can actually create an opportunity for the team to make better decisions and to have more fulsome discussions on issues that are really important for the overall success of the team.
MONEY IS NOT ALWAYS A MOTIVATOR?
At least that is what the experts in the field of human studies tell us. So how then can we as supervisors, managers and leaders motivate or as the trendier expression “engage our employees”? Just how can we get top performance and commitment from our employees without breaking the bank? In the scrutinized public sector any expensive initiatives are likely to become a major issue with the public, so just what might be some reasonable options to consider?
SUCCESSION PLANNING What are we missing?
We’ve been inundated over the past decade with facts related to those “Baby Boomers” who are gathering like lemmings at the cliff’s edge and are about to throw themselves over it into retirement. Numerous labour/employment trend experts have cautioned us about this situation and yet it appears that few if we’re taken the signs seriously. Are we numbed by the experiences that we had in dealing with “Y2K”?
Is Your Talent Tank Running on Empty?
Pending Challenges to Recruit and Retain Your Top Dog! For several municipalities throughout the Province of Ontario, 2014 ushered in some serious changes around the council table. Potentially more change than many had anticipated. In fact, almost 1/3 of Ontario municipal councils realized a greater than 50% change in its members.
CONDUCTING AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION; Not just for HR
Getting to the Heart of the Real Facts & Evidence Today there is an increasing amount of pressure on employers to investigate complaints and issues in the workplace. There are many reasons why an employer may need to conduct an internal investigation and it is critical that those tasked with the responsibility for conducting the investigation have the proper skills and insight to complete the job right the first time.
CAO’s ABOUT HAPPY WORKPLACES
As a follow-up to a previous post, I identified the fact that I had engaged some CAO’s in a bit of a roundtable discussion to chat about some issues related to municipal leadership. I asked them – Why they thought it is important to create a happy working environment for their employees? After all, it only makes good sense that when we are “happy” we tend to be more productive, engaged and focused. And when we are feeling good about ourselves and the people around us, there is a dynamic that sparks our productivity and interest in performing well.
Mind-Numbing Polar Vortex. What were they thinking?
Yes, we know its municipal election season, and sure there are likely circumstances where some of the brouhaha is largely motivated by pure politics, but seriously folks if you are living in a public fishbowl (called public life) you have to know that there will be more eyes are on you than you care to imagine! Well, apparently someone didn’t tell that to some of the elected officials who are starting to feel the wrath of their colleagues (not intended to mean friends) and the media.
DNA – Born to Lead
A great deal of thought and debate has centered on the question of leadership. There are those who believe that leadership is a skill that one can learn and master. The others would argue that leadership is inherent, and part of your character and personality. Well, according to new research out of the University College of London a genotype, called rs4950 appears to trace the link of leadership ability across generations. The study’s lead author, Dr. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve (UCL School of Public Policy) suggests that “the conventional wisdom – that leadership is a skill – remains largely true, but we show it is also, in part, a genetic trait.”