Upload
sarai-fulmer
View
217
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Relationship Building Strategies with Locally
Elected Officials.
Joe CaseyJune 2011
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Frontline Middle Mgr Senior Mgmt
Operating System Improving System Creating Future
First Goal – Create Time, Future!
Elected Officials(“EOs”) Capacity
DelegateDown
Better Engagement and Relationship Tools
Tips and TricksPerspectives
Tell Them the Time, not How to Make a Watch
Often our macro data makes it hard for the average person to understand context of our discussions◦ $400 million budget
Micro perspectives enables the average customer to understand◦ $900 taxes per person
However, Know When Micro is Better than Macro
Their education, professional background and personality all contribute to their capacity to understand◦ Capacity to “want to” understand◦ Remember this is part-time for them
while you deal with the issue full-time Mirror your first layer of information
to lowest capacity to understand and use that as base
Escalate information both in volume and sophistication in correlation to capacity; as applicable◦ 1 to 1, 2x2, Committee, Board◦ Public information, Town Halls
Know EO Capacity to Comprehend
Escalate Info from Visual to Detailed
Detailed Schedules and Notes
Short Stories, Longer
Visual w/ Talking Points
Visual
Visuals Trump Detailed Schedules
Series1$0
$4,000
$8,000
$12,000
Visuals w/ Talking Points Enable EO to Convey Message to OthersExample - Tax Burden Per Person Talking Points
• Based on average profile of County taxpayer household•Local and state low compared to peers•If Federal reflects 50% who don’t pay taxes, then >$15,000•Local taxes focused on schools and safety•Service levels and results not shown, but also outperform peers
Federal>
$7500
State < $2100
Local < $980
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
50,000
Make it Self-ExplanatoryExample: Debt Per Person
Federal
$43,925Federal
> $45,000
Talking Points• Local/State debt for assets, low compared to peers and mostly referendum approved•Federal not asset; deficit funding•Local decreasing $1/day in last year, federal increasing $10/day in last year•Local debt >80% for schools•If local debt burden = federal, enough $ to build >100 new schools (logical???)
Local < $1800State < $2100
Finance has unique position to accumulate facts/data and EO’s will go to the info source for follow-up
Maintained by Public Information Officer Source via website for elected officials, citizens and
even challengers – brings focus and fact to debate Have data fresh, to the point and easily understandable Examples
◦ “95% rated the overall quality of life in Hanover County as “excellent” or “good”; this was the highest percentage of any locality in the South Region that participated in the survey”
◦ “The average elementary student-to-classroom teacher ratio is 20.7:1”
Good EOs like to tell stories (give speeches) and we want them to espouse facts; so make it easy for them
Become Source for Storytelling - “Positive Points” and “Quick Facts”
Use Web for Fact Source
Make a personal commitment to work with elected officials◦ They shouldn’t be on defensive alone◦ Don’t play the blame game◦ Engage them in the solution, not “part of the problem”◦ Help them deliver key messages
Create roles for elected officials◦ Keeping them busy and out of your “hair”
No surprises Recognize that some interactions may be painful
Working with Elected Officials
EO’s “Trust Capital” of finance officials can often be the highest in the organization - rightfully so
Keep high Trust Capital◦ Know your comparative peers on issue being addressed
The EOs keep in touch w/ their peers, so should you◦ Review work within office first, then with CAO office
second to perfect and achieve consensus on focus◦ CC Chief Administrator and DCA on any e-mail to EO
Remember they also need to “look good” and understand what’s going on as they may get direct follow-up question
Information to EO Should be Right - EVERYTIME
EO’s and staff should welcome meetings and not hide from them
Having a strong finance official’s perspective with them at the meetings can bring calm to chaos and focus
Don’t just attend meetings during budget time or referendum◦ Strategy of what types of meetings
take place and when w/ staggered attendance goal
◦ Offensive – bring nice stories and illustrations
◦ Defensive - just answering questions Meet with citizen contact for
meeting beforehand, develop good working relationship
Set the Tone for Community Meetings
Generally successful in opportunity to better engage and educate community
Challenge in discussing issues to unknown audience on their “home field”
Staff role varies (presentation, answer questions)◦ Board member takes lead in introducing and facilitating◦ Other supporting staff members may also be invited
Citizens comments should be heard and respected◦ No one citizen should consume meeting with questions nor
overly focus on one topic If you put on a good show and citizens like you, then
you’re more likely to be invited back w/ EO Follow meeting w/ e-mail or call to citizen contact
Overcoming Meeting Challenges for Repeat Visit with EO
Elected officials read newspapers and watch TV stories religiously when local issues◦ EOs will then follow-up w/ people creating news
Determine the monthly or staggered schedule for release of “good stuff” from your office◦ Budgets, State reports (COLG), economic data (VEC), audits, bond
ratings, debt issuances, awards, CPAs, etc. News media don’t often seek out good financial stories,
therefore you need to help them When slow news days, then opportunity for finance story
Be Source for Press Releases
Always Refocus them Towards Macro (“5,000 feet”)
Transform EOs to “New School” Budgeting
Old School Approach New School Approach Reactive One-year, start
from scratch Across the
board cuts Balance on
employee backs
Elected officials focus on the “silly stuff”
Pro-active Five-year,
evolve from plan Strategic
reduction areas Employee is the
best asset Elected official
focus on defined service levels and goals
Weeds < Interaction < Ivory Tower
Somewhere in Between -
Strategic Approach
Chief Administrator Roles to Better
Engage Finance Officials
Create Capacity Via Delegating and Initiating Ideas to Good Employees
Leaders want a person around them who: Pulls from above, but passes to below to leverage time and
talents of others while creating capacity Thinks of new things to do, how to do existing things better Is Devil’s Advocate and Brainstormer (master these
techniques) Difference between being assigned work and assigning good
work
“Right Place and Right Time” Aligning yourself in
organization poised for upper management turnover
Organization w/ history of growing employees to be promoted
Ride the coattails: Having supervisors w/ ambition
Precedence – is finance division from where upper management came from
Leadership – Sustainability
Bottom-line – “is it
sustainable”
Sustainable success –
“inspire and empower”
“Going out of business”
Good for morale, but
can you keep it going
Performance-Business Strategy
Focus “Driving results”
Purposeful Culture Focus “Inspiring commitment and reinforcing what we stand for”
Forms, Process
Complete Info
Timely Updates
Environment
StrategyMacro
Questions
Pathways from Sausage-making to Productive Meetings
Finance Chief Adm
KeyMeeting
s
Finance Director
Chair:Elec Off
Elec Off Elec OffElec Off
(Alt)
Chief Admin
Deputy Admin
Finance Committee: Empower Finance Director to Lead
The broader the name, the broader the scope◦ Many places limit scope too much w/ Audit Committee
Consider even a broader and more strategic name◦ Stewardship and Sustainability Committee◦ If too “high” maybe Finance and Management Services
Finance Director should be lead staff person◦ Set agenda, invite guests, communicate with elected
officials Committee scope should be documented Required meetings set by policy Closed sessions w/ auditors, others to discuss staff
Further Empower Finance Committee (and Finance Director)
A Great Leader’s Courage to fulfill one’s Vision comes from Passion
and not Position
Master the Organizational Triangle to Earn Seat at the Table
Value Statements
COUNTY OF HANOVER, VIRGINIAThrough this Mission to Vision illustration and accompanying tagline, the County clearly reflects focus areas, shared
goals and values that a engaged workforce and community can transform together the Mission into Vision
MISSIONProvide superior quality of life that is defined, encouraged and supported by the community itself; where
government focuses efficiently and effectively on the education, safety and human service needs of the people; where quality service delivery is based on sound stewardship practices; and where a sustainable future is pursued in
innovative ways
COMMUNITYEncourage business and
manage growth while preserving natural resources
EDUCATION Enhance educational
opportunities
SAFETY Protect and provide a safe
community
HUMAN SERVICES Promote self-sufficiency and
quality of life
ENGAGEMENTFully
engage the community
and its volunteers
WORKFORCELeverage the workforce and leaders to their best
potential
SERVICEMaximize quality, customer convenience and satisfaction
STEWARDSHIPSound
financial manageme
nt and infrastruct
ure practices
VISIONWhere a family of communities, inspired by its people, traditions, spirit and
history, is the foundation for its future
Values – Commitment, Integrity, Accountability and Responsibility
Focus Areas
Goals
Tagline: People, Tradition, Spirit, History
Hanover’s Gratuitous Plug for SPQA
Virginia’s “2x2” rule enables discussions in private with two elected officials at one time◦ All other discussions with three or established committees
requires public notice, access and minutes Purpose of 2x2
◦ Insight and frank discussions to determine pathways towards consensus
◦ Strategically selecting order and teams may enable proper recommendations to be formulated for public meeting
Know which of your peers are in the room and prompt Chief Admin
Chief Admin may want small audience who know EO so discussions are frank◦ Therefore, don’t just be audience member and know EO
Be in the Room for Private Consultations
50% of tax rate funds the public schools; therefore this warrants partnership in financial planning with School Board
Joint Board meetings for critical issues◦ Referendums for new schools and renovations◦ Program initiatives – Trades and Technology Center
“2x2” meetings expanded to “4x4” in county board representatives meeting with their school board counterparts
Enables long-term, outcome based approach to achieve agreed-upon community-oriented goals
Utilize same practice with other appointed boards
Develop Relationships w/ Other Appointed/Elected Bodies
Election Year Strategies
Current elected officials should be versed in key financial topics (budget, rates, services, debt, ratings)
Political challengers have access to same financial info◦ Finance officials can avail themselves to any citizen in
helping define and explain information◦ However, no one citizen should place any undue burden of
time upon any staff (same for EOs burden on staff) Financial plans help focus debate on service
adjustments rather than simplistic “cut the rate”◦ Healthiest debates can focus on defining, funding and
achieving goals for the community
Public Financial Products for the Campaign Trail
Staff’s challenge in meeting “promises”◦ Newly elected official’s
natural desire for action sooner than later
◦ Reduced services or higher taxes were usually not mentioned in the campaign
New official’s natural skepticism of staff, policies and practices
Newly Elected Official’s Campaign “Promises”
Change to traditional focus to maintain tax rate ◦ Live within revenues generated from same rate◦ If high assessment growth, target reduced rate◦ Declining assessment values = lower tax bills
Elected officials feedback from the campaign trail◦ “Lower my taxes” – simplistic statement, yet resonating◦ Voter’s tax angst mostly directed to federal/state taxes
Any tax rate increase should be correlated to a service enhancement wanted by the citizens◦ Something tangible and beneficial to virtually all◦ If recession, considered if long-term viability threat is
apparent and understood by average voter
Continuing Challenge – “I’ll Lower your taxes and do more”
38
Continuing Challenge - Understanding Lower Resources = Lower Services Short-term: Lower, constrained
budgets = cost efficiencies◦ More efficient not correlated to
effective Service standards impacted
◦ Cause and effect of lower resources and less services should arise in LT
◦ Challenge is that cause and effect not as apparent in short-term Perception: resources high if no impact
◦ Senior management must be aware of long-term ramifications
◦ When does the “effect” occur? Higher crime, lower school test scores
Educating elected officials and citizens on this topic is vital
Concessions made to get favorable vote (6-1 or 7-0)◦ For difficult issues, further study with resolutions during
adoption to address future goal Doesn’t altar program in Year 1 of adopted budget Long-term financial plans may illustrate implementation of
program change, but not official until subsequent year’s vote◦ Targeted small low budget impact concessions
A 4-3 vote (even 5-2) may indicate future challenge Unanimous votes may be sought for certain issues
◦ Referendums in order to garner subsequent district support Properly illustrating “resource-service correlation”
Budget Adoption Strategies in Election Year
For elected officials of magisterial districts (not “at-large”) the need to illustrate to constituents a return on their taxes
New capital investments mostly correlated to growth areas Challenge between districts may arise if growth areas correlated
to certain districts Need to illustrate continued service goal accomplishment
and infrastructure standards met amongst all districts Fire truck – public safety response times priority
Consider rotating fire trucks so that new trucks spread equally Roads – maintain existing roads, road capacity challenges similar Schools – student: teacher ratio, school performance outcomes Libraries – book accessibility
Financial “overhead” consequence in providing “new” capital equally amongst all districts annually
Mitigating District Differentiations in Budgets
Incumbent’s uncompleted plans when leaving office◦ New capital project with Year 2 debt/operating impact◦ Initiative that involved multiple phases for successful
completion and implementation◦ Some of these plans may have been unpopular, but
needed for long-term viability Funding sources and constraints may have been
agreed-to by incumbent to implement next term◦ Internal and informal consensus, not formal and public
Mitigate environment of “lame duck’s” future actions in creating greater challenges during transition
Incumbent Transitional Challenges
Critical and necessary component in ensuring newly elected official understands environment of what can and can’t be done (e.g., local vs. state law)◦ Focus on short-term actions and long-term goals
Involves 40+ hours for all facets of local government◦ Started within a few weeks after election◦ Orientation manual started sooner when incumbent retires
Campaign promises better understood and quantified with implementation constraints formulated◦ Financial (lower service or additional revenues)◦ Legal constraints may need state law change
Important that implementation paths also formulated Returning elected officials may also benefit
◦ Even senior leaders and staff may benefit
Hanover’s Newly Elected Officials Orientation Program
Questions