Metamorphosis – The Story of Metamorphosis – The Story of the Houston Municipal Courts the Houston Municipal Courts

SystemSystem

Cloud-Rainosek & Associates, LPCloud-Rainosek & Associates, LP

Who We Are – Cloud-Rainosek & Associates

• Business since 1991

• Corporations, family owned business, government entities, non-profits and individuals

• Experts in habitual behaviors and emotional connection

• Online behavioral assessment

• Selected Kouzes & Posner – congruent values and views of leadership

City of Houston Municipal City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration Courts Administration DepartmentDepartment• Sahira Abdool, Director and Chief Sahira Abdool, Director and Chief

Clerk, City of Houston Municipal Clerk, City of Houston Municipal Courts AdministrationCourts Administration

• Appointed by Mayor Bill White – 2007Appointed by Mayor Bill White – 2007• Increase public confidence and Increase public confidence and

expand access to justiceexpand access to justice• Build staff confidence and court Build staff confidence and court

efficiencyefficiency• Improve fiscal accountabilityImprove fiscal accountability

City of Houston Municipal City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration Courts Administration DepartmentDepartment• Process 1.4 million violations annuallyProcess 1.4 million violations annually

• 6,000-8,000 customers daily at 19 courts6,000-8,000 customers daily at 19 courts

• Over a $13,000,000 administrative budgetOver a $13,000,000 administrative budget

• More than 300 employees of diverse More than 300 employees of diverse ethnicity, education, and experienceethnicity, education, and experience

• Approximately $13 million budgetApproximately $13 million budget

• Generates over $70 million in State & City Generates over $70 million in State & City fine payment revenuesfine payment revenues

• Open 24/7 Open 24/7

City of Houston Municipal City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration Courts Administration DepartmentDepartment• Employee surveys showed:Employee surveys showed:

Eager for improved communication Eager for improved communication to and from managementto and from management

Eager for training and career Eager for training and career developmentdevelopment

Eager for recognitionEager for recognition

Eager for effective managementEager for effective management

City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration

Video

ProcessProcess

• Sahira’s vision:Sahira’s vision:

Create an organizational culture and Create an organizational culture and environment that demonstrates environment that demonstrates progressiveness, professionalism, integrity progressiveness, professionalism, integrity and advocates a passion for service and advocates a passion for service excellence and high performance.excellence and high performance.

• Long term process Long term process

• Working with City’s budget and staff’s Working with City’s budget and staff’s timetime

ProcessProcess• Leadership Ethics Statement and PRIDE Leadership Ethics Statement and PRIDE

valuesvalues

• Communication skills program – habitual Communication skills program – habitual patterns and blocking behaviorspatterns and blocking behaviors

• One day LPI program for executivesOne day LPI program for executives

• Skill practices regarding communication Skill practices regarding communication skills, blocking behaviors and LPI skills, blocking behaviors and LPI developmentdevelopment

• Sharing with ObserversSharing with Observers

• Retest – LPIRetest – LPI

• Leadership Challenge WorkshopLeadership Challenge Workshop

ExecutivesExecutives

• Completed communication skills, habitual behaviors Completed communication skills, habitual behaviors and blocking behaviorsand blocking behaviors

• Completed the one-day LPI and sharings with Completed the one-day LPI and sharings with ObserversObservers

• Completed retest of LPI and sharings with ObserversCompleted retest of LPI and sharings with Observers

• Completed Leadership Challenge workshopCompleted Leadership Challenge workshop

• Currently working on development plan and sharing Currently working on development plan and sharing for Observersfor Observers

• Skill practices at each stageSkill practices at each stage

• Mentoring managers and supervisorsMentoring managers and supervisors

ManagersManagers and Supervisors and Supervisors

• Two groups for the managers and Two groups for the managers and supervisorssupervisors

• First group has completed communication First group has completed communication skills, habitual patterns, blocking techniques, skills, habitual patterns, blocking techniques, LPI and Observer sharingsLPI and Observer sharings

• Second group has completed communication Second group has completed communication skill, habitual patterns, blocking techniques, skill, habitual patterns, blocking techniques, LPI and is preparing their Observer sharingsLPI and is preparing their Observer sharings

• Skill practices in all areasSkill practices in all areas

Bailiffs

• Completed communication skills, habitual patterns and blocking techniques

• Daily practice clearings and review one blocking technique

• Leader has emerged and is mentoring other departments

Lead Clerks

• Have reorganized court clerk’s job descriptions

• Lead clerks have now completed an introduction to the communication skills, habitual patterns and blocking techniques

• Managers and supervisors are facilitating the clerks’ growth and change

• Leaders are emerging

Habitual Patterns

•Control

• Illusion of Politeness

•Excessive Investment in Work, Projects and Activities

•Relation to Five Practices – thirty statements

Blocking Behavior Techniques

• Rationalization/Justification• Excuses• Changing the Subject• “Pick up marbles and go home”• Void of feelings• Dependency• Focus on others• Control• Judgmental• Playing the “devil’s advocate”• Hidden agenda• Avoidance

Municipal Courts Values

• Professionalism – Striving for perfection, quality and excellence in our commitment to public service

• Respect – Respect for Human Dignity and the value of every person

• Integrity – Honest, Open and Fair in the performance of our duties

• Diversity – The strength of our Team comes from individuals with different experiences and perspectives

• Empowerment – Fostering confidence, responsibility and trust

Municipal Courts Leadership Ethics Statement

• Show respect for my peers, stakeholders, employees and citizens through acknowledgment, listening, communication and tolerance. I will make every effort to honor the feelings and perspectives of these parties.

• Practice confidentiality in all my interactions with my staff and my colleagues, thereby demonstrating respect for each individual, myself and the Organization.

• Be responsible and accountable for my actions. I recognize that my accountability includes fiscal responsibility, time and resource management, maintaining accurate court records, and compliance with all State, City and Departmental policies.

• Utilize communication as a two-way process for problem solving. If I have a concern about another individual, I will make every effort to speak directly with that person one-on-one to work toward a resolution. I will avoid using third-party communication to confront issues or resolve problems.

Municipal Courts Leadership Ethics Statement• Promote continuous improvement through assessing my

skills and my staff’s skills, enhancing the business processes, training staff and recognizing the contributions of my staff. I will reward my staff appropriately, as well as praise them publicly.

• Lead by example by demonstrating Integrity, a positive attitude, fairness and honesty. I will strive to encourage my peers and fellow employees to adopt the same commitment.

• Foster a productive, vigorous, high-spirited and fun team environment for our colleagues and external partners.

• Promote personal empowerment by providing challenging assignments, the freedom to make decisions and the opportunity to learn through growth. While encouraging empowerment I will hold myself and others to a high standard of accountability.

SkillSkill Practice Practice

• Blocking Behavior TechniquesBlocking Behavior Techniques Handout – Handout – select the behavior that fits the scenarioselect the behavior that fits the scenario

• Five Practices and CommitmentsFive Practices and Commitments Handout Handout - determine which practice the scenario - determine which practice the scenario impactsimpacts

• Municipal Courts Values and Leadership Municipal Courts Values and Leadership Ethics StatementEthics Statement Handout – apply the Handout – apply the value and ethics statement that are not value and ethics statement that are not being practiced in the scenariobeing practiced in the scenario

SkillSkill Practice Practice

11.. I will explain what prevented me from finishing a I will explain what prevented me from finishing a project on time. I will provide many pieces of project on time. I will provide many pieces of information that “substantiate” my point, and use this information that “substantiate” my point, and use this information to feel better about missing my deadline.information to feel better about missing my deadline.

SkillSkill PracticePractice

2.2. When I want to control what’s going When I want to control what’s going on around me, I hone in on on around me, I hone in on something my “adversary” ahs said. I something my “adversary” ahs said. I ridicule, question, or judge them ridicule, question, or judge them about their choice of words.about their choice of words.

Skill Practice – Answer Scenario 1

• Rationalization/Justification, ExcusesRationalization/Justification, Excuses

• Model the Way: set a personal example; Model the Way: set a personal example; follow through on promises and follow through on promises and commitments.commitments.

• Professionalism, Integrity, EmpowermentProfessionalism, Integrity, Empowerment

• (3) Be responsible and accountable for my (3) Be responsible and accountable for my actionsactions

Skill Practice Answer Scenario 2• Focuses on others, ControlFocuses on others, Control• Enable Others to Act: actively listen to diverse Enable Others to Act: actively listen to diverse

points of view and treat others with respect.points of view and treat others with respect.• Professionalism, Respect, EmpowermentProfessionalism, Respect, Empowerment• (1) Show respect for my peers, stakeholders, (1) Show respect for my peers, stakeholders,

employees and citizensemployees and citizens(4) Utilize communication as a two-way (4) Utilize communication as a two-way process for problem solvingprocess for problem solving(6) Lead by example by demonstrating (6) Lead by example by demonstrating Integrity, a positive attitude, fairness and Integrity, a positive attitude, fairness and honestyhonesty

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU!