CCP 03-10-2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page Five . City of Arden Hills Leadership Simulation Exercises. Leadership or work simulation exercises provide a third source of information about an individual during MDA's executive assessment process. These exercises are set in the context of a fictitious library organization. Candidates are provided with background information, an organizational history, a scenario, and information about their role in the organization. From this perspective, they are asked to deal with a wide variety of common managerial problems and issues as if they were that person in MDA's fictitious organization. By "common problems," we mean those kinds of issues that most managers and professionals have familiarity with and face on a day-to-day basis. This might include dealing with a dissatisfied customer or resolving a problem with a staff member or coworker, for example. The use of work simulation exercises allows MDA to see an individual's "skills in action." This feature of our approach to assessment is unique to MDA and only a select group of other management consulting organizations. This "work simulation" approach is the distingnishing feature of "assessment center" experiences. From these tests and exercises, MDA compiles a written report describing a candidate's style, strengths, and limitations, which would be made available to the City as part of its final decision- making process. . 3. Interviews with the Mayor and Council. Simultaneous with the assessment process, MDA recommends that the Mayor and Council conduct interviews with the finalists. MDA would assist the City in designing an appropriate interview process and set of questions. If interviews are conducted at this point, the City could achieve cost savings by eliminating the need for separate return trips to Minneapolis for candidates who are not local. Step Six: Decision-Makiug and Selection ofthe City Administrator. In this step, MDA would meet with the Mayor and Council to help it select its new City Administrator. All information collected for each candidate would be reviewed and discussed in a meeting facilitated by MDA. This includes all relevant screening infonnation such as essay question responses, reference reports, background check data, assessment data and reports, and Mayor/Council interview data. Two general outcomes are possible from this meeting. One is that the City easily reaches consensns about a clear choice for the new City Administrator. The other possibility is that the City would want more information on one or more candidates before making a final selection. This might include gathering additional reference information, or a second phone or in-person interview. Should this occur, MDA will assist the City in any way they might find helpful to complete their selection process. Additional Options. The City could consider some additional options and whether or not it may want consulting assistance from MDA with any ofthe following it might choose to incorporate in its selection process. These might include: . . Assistance with constructing and offering the position to its preferred candidate. . Planning or hosting a reception or other meeting where city staff or community members could meet the Mayor/Council's final or preferred candidate(s). . Hosting the final candidate during a trip to Minneapolis to investigate housing or other aspects of the community.