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ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C. ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

Leadership in the Context of

a Public Agency

Harry A. Capers, Jr. P.E., Vice President

(Corporate Bridge Engineer)

Arora and Associates, P.C.

Lawrenceville, New Jersey, U.S.A

CIE-579 “Bridge and Highway Infrastructure

Management and Public Policy”

April 12, 2010


Disclaimer

• These are my reflections on my own

experiences

• My goal is to provide observations based on

35 years of experience in about 2 hours

• I’m offering a buffet not a plated meal – it may

not look pretty but there will be a lot of it!

• What I say will certainly reflect my own bias

• Any similarities to real events or people is

strictly coincidental


Leadership


What Is Leadership?

•The art of getting or inspiring people todo something.

•Leadership is about vision.

•Leadership is equally about creating aclimate where the truth is heard and thebrutal facts confronted.


A leader acts as a liaison between the

individual staff member and the

organization. Leaders integrate the

skills of staff members with the goals ofthe organization by integrating people

with tasks. Leaders transform potential

into reality


Leadership Styles

• Leadership is situational.

– Different situations call for different leadership.

– The behavior must be appropriate for the situation.

– one style of leadership is not necessarily better than

another.


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Traditional Leadership

Styles

• Autocratic

• Democratic

• Laissez-faire


–Tells others what to do

–Limits discussion on ideas andnew ways of doing things

–No feeling of teamwork

experienced by group

Autocratic


–Involves group members in

planning and carrying out

activities

–Asks before tells

–Promotes sense of teamwork

Democratic


–Gives little or no direction togroup/individuals

–Opinion is offered only whenrequested

–A person does not seem to bein charge

Laissez-faire


WHAT IS COLLABORATIVE

LEADERSHIP?

“Bringing the appropriate people

together in constructive ways with good

information, creating authentic visions

and strategies for addressing the

shared concerns of the organization or

community.”


SERVANT LEADERSHIP

- Looks at leadership as a service

- Incorporates the spiritual aspect

being a leader into style- Take care of others through their

style


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Servant Leadership

“The best test (of servant leadership)…is:

Do those served grow as persons; do they, while

being served, become healthier, wiser, freer,

more autonomous, more likely themselves to

become servants?

And what is the effect on the least privileged in

society; will they benefit, or at least, not be further

deprived?”Robert Greenleaf, The Servant as Leader, 1972.


Traditional Boss v. Servant

Leader

• Motivated to achieve

• Competitive

• Independent

• Gives orders

• Personal power

• Motivated to serve

• Collaborative

• Interdependent

• Listens deeply

• Power of the group


Qualities: Collaborative & Servant

Leadership• Leads the process; not the people

• Promotes a sense of community

• An attitude of service

• Inspires honesty, courage, empathy, joyfulness, & love

• Active listener; paying attention

• Sees the “whole”

• Caring vs. controlling (shared power)

• Finding meaning

• Uses personal vs. positional power


Practicing Collaborative Leadership

• Help set norms

• Ensures everyone isheard

• Encourages & modelinclusiveness

• Makes real connections

• Helps identify and obtainnecessary resources

• Creates mechanisms tosolicit input

• Mediates conflict /disputes

• Adheres to an openprocess

• Keeps focus on what’sbest for thecommunity/customer vs.individual self-interest

• Maintains collaborativeproblem-solving &decision-making


LEVELS OF GROUP DECISION

MAKING METHODS• Autonomous/ Uni lateral

Individual acts independently without consulting others prior to making the decision

• Delegation An in divi dual i s asked or tol d that he or sh e has ful l auth ori ty to mak e the

decision and let others know what was decided

• Consultive An in divi dual mak es the deci sion after g ettin g advi ce or i nfor mati on fr om ot hers

• DemocraticDecision making method occurs through voting and majority wins

• ConsensusDecision making is made by the group and evolves from shared information and ideas.

Source Material: NCJW Institute


• All members have been heard, fully, frankly &

respectfully

• All views have been considered without prejudice

• All relevant information has been shared

• Members are willing to sacrifice personal goals for

the sake of the group

• Members support the decision fully and implement

as if it was their own decision

CONSENSUS IS ACHIEVED

WHEN…


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Critical Questions for Leadership

• Is the Organization’s Mission and Vision clear andmeaningful?

• Do our members know what is expected of them?What they can expect from us?

• Are we preparing the next generation of leaders?

• Does “being polite” prevent us from addressingthe issues that will help us grow?


Great Leaders…

All of the great leaders have had onecharacteristic in common:

it was the willingness to confrontunequivocallythe major anxiety of their people

in their time.This, and not much else, is the

essence of leadership”

-- John Kenneth Galbreath


Pertinent?

“ You don’t lead by pointing and telling

people some place to go.

You lead by going to that place and making

a case.”

-- Ken Kesey


Managing Change


Managing Change vs.

Leading Change

Produces a degree

of predictability and order and has

the potential to consistently

produce short-term results.

Management:


What Does a

Leader of Change Do?

1. The Leader

Establishes Direction

Aligns People Motivates and Inspires

2. Always Evaluates

3. Creates an Action Plan


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What Does a


Develops a

vision of the future and strategies

for producing the changes needed

to achieve that vision.

Establishes Direction:


What Does a


Communicates direction

to all those whose cooperation is needed

and influences the creation of teams

that understand and accept the validity

of the vision and strategies.

Al igns People:


What Does a


Energizes

people to overcome barriers by

satisfying basic human needs.

Motivates and Inspires:


What Does a


“Am I doing the right thing? Am

I dealing with priorities

(mine or my organizations)?”

Always Evaluates:


Five Phases of

the Change Process1. Communicate the change.

2. Admit that you have felt the sameway.

3. Demonst rate that you have made

a change.


Five Phases of

the Change Process

4. Encourage and promote change.

5. Build skills to handle resistance.


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The Duties of Government

Safety

Security

Service

Justice


The Organization


Agency Background

• Authorizing Legislation

• Authorities granted organization

• Mission

• Vision

• Objectives


History of Jurisdiction and

Agency• Origin

• History

• Accomplishments

• Noted Leaders

• Current events


The ORG Chart

• Who's in charge?

• Who are the key players?

• Chain of command/authority• Organizational Relationships

• Organizational Authorities/Responsibilities


Look Familiar??Typical Hierarchy

Executive Director

Board


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Know the organizational tempo

• Organizations generally operate in a

repetitive tempo. – Planning cycle

– Budget Cycle

– Legislative cycle

– Election cycle

– Weather cycle

– HR cycle

– “Press” cycle


Know the Rules

• What Legislation governs your job

• What Rules govern your position?• What are the agencies Policies and

Procedures?

• What other guidance governs your work?

• Are there forms?

• Are there Reports?


Examine Your Agency’s

Unspoken “Rules”• How are decisions made?

• Is the process clear to all members?

• What is done to orient new members so they

feel comfortable enough to participate?

• How are unwritten rules shared?

• What other rituals should you know?


Tips:1. Assign a mentor to all new members to help ease

their transition into the group and to articulate

unwritten rules.

2. Reach out to individuals who may serve as

intermediaries with specific groups in the community.

These individuals may include religious leaders and

leaders of local ethnic organizations.

3. Create a feedback system that allows anyone who

perceives or experiences exclusion to make it known

to the organization; make sure the organization

responds to all feedback.


Organizational Relationships

• Who is the leadership team in the

organization?

• Who sets the agenda?

• How are decisions made?


Who has the bigger desk!


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Building Relationships with

Care• Make sure you convey the

message that you respectthe other person’s positionand judgment

• Avoid questions that beginwith the words “How dopeople from your group feelabout…”. Use we a lot!Everyone is a member of theteam…

• Check out a question by firstasking it of yourself.


Training• Provides a means of relaying all types of information

to a broad audience.

• Training insures QA/QC targets are met

• Training insures staff and leadership development• Forms of training: – Opportunity training

– exercises

– Agency training

– Contract training

– Certification programs

– Conferences

– University programs


Amplify Staff Strengths And

Reinforce Their Weaknesses• Define The unit and staff responsibilities

• Identify needs and assets of each of each staffmember

• Examine current performance, comfort zone andenvironment of each staff member

• Identify strengths - what each member “brings to thetable”

• Identify weaknesses – “the pitch they can’t hit!”

• Develop action plan for utilizing strengths andreinforcing weaknesses where possible


Project Team Management• Organize the team

• Provide the vision to the team

• Clearly state the expected outcomes

• Provide checkpoints and milestones asrequired

• Resource the team

• Check in and support the team

• Celebrate it’s success

• DO NOT MICRO Manage the team!


Recruiting• Formal recruiting usually performed by

agency – Civil service announcements

– College fairs

– Promotional announcements

– Temporary appointments

• Informal recruiting – Referrals

– Inter or intradepartmental transfer requests

– Personal contact by staff or yourself


Diversity

• We serve all citizens living or doing

business within our jurisdiction

• How do we do that without knowing about

them?


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Personality

Functional Level/

Classification

Geographic Location

Age

Work

Location Seniority

Division/

Department

Work

Content/Field

Union Affiliation

ManagementStatus

MaritalStatus

ParentalStatus

Appearance

EducationalBackground

WorkExperience

Race

Income

PersonalHabits

Religion

RecreationalHabitsEthnicity

Physical Ability

Gender

The Four Layers of Diversity

2

SexualOrientation


Practical Action Steps

• Intentionally identify and address issues

relevant to the particular groups of people with

whom you are working (e.g., history, language,learning style, communication, gender roles,

value systems)

• Intentionally recruit, retain, and develop diverse

staff

Alliance for Nonprofit Management’s Cultural Competence Initiative web page


Civil Service

• Hiring

• Job scope

• Pay ranges

• Promotions

• KSA – Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• EEO

• ADA


Succession Planning• Plan your departure the first day you begin the

job

• Identify potential candidates for your job

• Act as a mentor for subordinate leaders

• Train them to do your job and let them practice

• Don’t be afraid you can be replaced – you canbe!

• Have a departure plan for yourself.

• Go out on top and with dignity!


Promotions

• Systems vary across agencies and title

series

– Education and Experience

– Promotional Exam

• Oral exam

• Written exam

• Combination

Get to know the system and it’s quirks


Discipline

• Make sure rules are clearly understood by all• Again, early intervention – Counseling

• Retraining

• Use Progressive discipline – Verbal reprimand – written reprimand

– Suspension

– Dismissal

• Don’t ignore a problem – that affects all in theorganization!


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Consultant and Contractors• Low bid is not the same as lowest

responsible bid

• Consultants and contractors are not non-

profits

– Don’t ask for work not in their contracts

– Give clear and timely guidance

– Partner! If you create an uncertain environment

your costs will go up!

Economic viability of state depends on

profitability of businesses in the state ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C. ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

What Does It Mean to Think

Strategically?

• You have a strategy for what you do

with goals and purpose

• You work toward outcomes

• You are results-oriented

• You are future-oriented


Critical Success Factors in

Strategic Thinking

• Move Out of Your Comfort Zone

• Differentiate Between Ends (what) and Means

(how)

• Develop Audacious Objectives

• Use an Ideal Vision

• Define “Need” as a Gap in Results


Develop Audacious Objectives:

If our objectives are fuzzy, then… We allow for misinterpretation of the desired results

We create barriers to shared meaning and useful results

We make it difficult to assess progress and determine

success

We could choose costly and ineffective means and

methods

We create misunderstandings about what results are

intended

We may respond too late to be effective with new

realities

We avoid taking responsibilities for measurable results


Develop an Ideal Vision:If we proceed without this, then… We become victims of short-term thinking and

risk the future

We leave the impact in the long term to luck

We seem to not care about the next generation

We increase the risk of early failure We limit ourselves to results within the present,

without creating opportunities for the next

generation

We choose familiarity over better or more

useful options

We become reactive instead of proactive


Define Needs as Gaps in Results:

If we fail to do this, then… We increase the risk of racing for new means and

methods before agreeing on what is to be achieved

We waste resources without gaining measurable

improvement

We confuse “wants” with true needs We make it difficult to set and justify priorities for the

real needs

We define the wrong problems and waste time and

resources fixing them

We choose process over consequences.


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Ethical Issue or Challenges

• Mission Drift

• Dishonest about organizational agenda/bottomlines

• Making decisions for a partner or customer (notwith)

• Lack of financial responsibility

• Not following agreed upon roles

• Not supporting agreed upon decisions

• Collaboration on paper, only


Incident Management

• Wargame what could happen before it

does including branches and sequels• Prepare contingency plans and resource

them

• Brief your plan, conduct tabletop exercises

and if possible conduct a field exercise


Dealing with the Press

• Know the agency rules

• Review the issues before the interview

• Be accurate

• Be timely

• Be positive

• If possible be proactive


Ethics

• A General Test!

– Is it Legal

– Is it Moral

– Could you look yourself in the mirror in the

morning


Ethical Leadership

Ethics is not an option…It’s a Ground Rule.

Ethics is not about the way things are…It isabout the way they ought to be

©2006 Josephson Insti tute ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C. ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

Data

• Critical to setting goals and tracking

performance

• Know what data is available

• Realize that data is expensive

• Quality data is essential – unpopular

conclusions from data will be quickly

challenged


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“Bumper Sticker”

Personal Leadership Tips


• Recognize the existence and necessity

for Political Engineering

• Have your own professional development

plan

• Set Goals or someone else will set them

for you!

• Have a vision that you can clearly

articulate to all…and do it often


• Be clear when giving direction or

commenting to staff, vendors or for that

matter…anyone!

• Do not use unnecessary inflammatory

words

• Be a good confidant when looked to be

• Beware of e-mail, it’s forever.

• It’s still OK to use the telephone or even

have a face to face discussion!


• Be approachable

• Keep your commitments

• Expect and work with change – wisely

• Be consistent

• Loyalty works in all directions

• Have priorities but not too many

• Don’t expect what you don’t inspect!


• Your experience may equalize your skill

set reflecting older technology – use your

experience

• Beware of a sense of personal self

importance – be confident but not arrogant

• People respect your position – be awareand prepared for that when you leave

• Begin your departure when you take over

– transition & mentoring

• Have the willingness to leave


Questions?

Documents

Harry Capers 6perpage.pdf