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<br />�
<br />_ shop
<br />by �y{e s�,ek
<br />Success as an r,leMed or .appo�nted
<br />uificial is producing resulls for your
<br />comrnunity -� rasults Lhat you and the
<br />rommunily can lake pndc in.
<br />Success is cnntnbuting to a hri�;ht.
<br />Cuture fiiled wilh dreams 4hal are
<br />linked Lo acGot�a Sucecss iti crcalirig a
<br />climate in the community - a cummuni
<br />ty that lruiy helieves "wc" can m:iki•
<br />[hings happen. Success is sei�iny;
<br />npportunilics and lcarning frum f.ul
<br />ures. Success 6egins wilh strategic gual
<br />sct.tin�; that. works (ur cach indiviJual
<br />c�ly. (.)ver thc years in working wit.h
<br />cities, 1 hnve seen and experienced a
<br />number of "goal seLtinK' approaches
<br />Somc worked, but mi�st �verr inr.ffrcti����
<br />in prt�ducing resulls. Rarriers to effer
<br />t.ive stralegic };oal seLlin}; incJudr.
<br />• Annual RclrcaL Syndrom�: 'Phr
<br />samc 6ime cach ycar thc mayor xnd cily
<br />�•uuncil hold Lheir retrcet. It is tradi
<br />liun. [t is x time Cor discuxsing �ssucx;
<br />"renewin�' relatiunships or reinlorcinR
<br />sterci�6y�es; xnd muking lists to �;ivc ln
<br />sta(f. Bul Monday, il is back to work .�s
<br />usual, until the same Lime nexl ycar. Al
<br />t.hat Lime 6here is a scramble by st,tlt
<br />who now feel obligaled to providc a
<br />report.
<br />• Thc Complex 5ystem: Uonl sel
<br />; .w...
<br />. . �,��i�,�� � � �.
<br />; ��
<br />Tea�hes Practical Model for Si�rategic Goa�
<br />tiny sysUnns havc become ,o cnmplicaL-
<br />ed that the process has bi�rotne mure
<br />important than thc rc�sults. 'Chu sy�.
<br />lems Rwde pulicy discussion. de��elop-
<br />menl and deliberatinn. `Phe syslem�
<br />producc «poris. '1'h�• rcality �s that thr
<br />system m:ly a�in an :n5�:ird, tiut Ir.n���
<br />ciccled ofiicials �irlin�� pu�vcrlc,s in
<br />thcir abifit�: to �rn��,:ly durc�iun fur th��
<br />�'itti•
<br />= I 5:�, ��uafs. bu� . Setected offi-
<br />ci:�is dn nnt �e.int tu haci� l;uals °'1'hr�r
<br />:,;�y thc ri�;ht tfiin�+s hut whon �t comos
<br />lunc for :iction thc�:
<br />1 f do not �vant tu aprnd dollars,
<br />21 hire les:; lh�n compnlenL Gicilu:i-
<br />lors who fail,
<br />:{i arcr unwflling lo cumnullhr ncr,o;�
<br />sou-�' Limc,
<br />�U conlac4 stat7' directly �v�lh thi•v
<br />agenda wieh��ut Council discussiun ur
<br />direction and without �hc knc�wledgr. ul'
<br />rnanugc�nrenG.
<br />'I`hey make cununuai challr.nges to
<br />lhc m�jorit,y dirc�ction and dc�risions.
<br />+ hlcthod pvcr G��al: Thc desire li�r
<br />quick rrsulls Icedz many Councils to
<br />yuickly iJenlifj Che �oals and spend
<br />morc Lima dct�ating "hpµ•" ta achicve
<br />6hem. The motivc+ may ba :i lack of con-
<br />fidence in tita(is compeLencc�, Lhcir own
<br />desire to ma�nngc, or that is where lhcy
<br />fecl lhcy conlribute. As a resull, thc
<br />goals .ire ��ague: paramMers ,hiR:
<br />issues a�rc i11 defined and uotcomes .�ri�
<br />losl-
<br />* Fc:ir uf Puss�blc b:ulum: :No.st
<br />i�lccted ofTicial� .�ant lo bo ro-c�lect��d
<br />nnd wanL lo h.rvc ihcir ide��s and
<br />dr�•:ims rr�,�l7irm�•d hp lhe public. If :�
<br />gu:�l �s nut achicved, thr rommw�itv
<br />may sce a falltuc :md it ain lcad lu
<br />rcjcclion .rt the no�l olcction. 'fhc rc:�l..
<br />Yly in iife is: Wr �vill all i'ail; �ei• will
<br />iiavc ticlbacks If �ve I��:u'n: �I ���c :�djust,
<br />mori• �u:ds wi11 lir achic�•��d. Foar p;iri
<br />lyr.es :i Council and a community.
<br />• UccisSmi l!ndcrrut Goats: 11 i:
<br />c:is�• on a daily basis lo furgrl a6oul lh�•
<br />F;oals, espccisdly whcn G�cin�; pulitica)
<br />prcasurc from nur fricnds nnd political
<br />suppnricts. `I'hc decitiion may bc a"lil-
<br />Ue" v�u�iation Gum our go:�k. 'Phe I�elir.0
<br />ts d is i�nly a IiUle chan�;c and th:d lhis
<br />situation is dilTcrcnl, thc�rc will hc� no
<br />more eaa,plions. t-iowever, t.hesi� .�liltle,.
<br />decisions c:m undrrrut. our g��als and
<br />Icad lu a cii112�ri�nL Cttlurc liir Lhe cimr
<br />ntunit�•.
<br />SLrnle�,�c I:oal :ic+tluig lhaL li�.ids ta
<br />resuils i�; b:�ticd upnn Lhc fidluwint; premis-
<br />es:
<br />• Focus nn MosL Im�wrt:ant;
<br />� Kecp Yaur End in Mind;
<br />• Know Ymr "Businc:a�" . Lhc Iiirspon
<br />sibilitics of Your Cily Govcrnment;
<br />�,� s��
<br />�rrg
<br />w Use Goals in Ynttr Uaily L,ives:
<br />� Make dhe'I:�tiks and Prnce�s �iim-
<br />pli=: and
<br />� �1ake rt Workahle fnr thia (:touncil
<br />,uid ii�r fhis Community.
<br />'1'he key elements fnr :+ prbcUcai
<br />.trateknc gn:�l setting sysbem arv:
<br />1. Knaw Your CommuniUex
<br />itics, reg,�rdlc5s of si•r.e, arc ntudo
<br />up uf cnrnm�nitics cach with their
<br />own needs and desires, willintimesw ta
<br />�vurk in p:�rini�rship w•ith other.c, nnd
<br />diCfi•rinti vicws uf cily govrrnmt±nt. An
<br />rlected ollici�d nceds ta lislen, ta undrr
<br />,land lhc communilics and thcn irnns-
<br />late thc input inLo thcir vision, 4hcir
<br />�ssues and their decisions.
<br />2. Ucfine Yow' Core Businesses
<br />lities today operate many usinu5s-
<br />rs - serviccs that thc city �s rrspon�ibM
<br />for pror•iding tu thc citi�en�. M�ny
<br />cities have wamdered inlo wmc bu�i.
<br />nesses by respondin�; lo a series i�f citi•
<br />zen ca11s. 'Chcrr was nevi�r v decisiun 4a
<br />provide 1.he scrvices, �o aflucatit do119r�a
<br />or lo includc them in thc> budg�t, ye4 lh�
<br />stall found �� w;�y to prnvidc. thc• w,r..
<br />��ir,es.
<br />3. Ncxus (Jn Yaur C:itv's Visintt
<br />E;vcry cily takes pride io LheTir"yuul•
<br />ity of lifc." Thc reality is cicieq �rr com-
<br />58e E1oSE � CA� �
<br />Nation's tities Weekly Augusl 13, 2001 7
<br />1Norkshop, � � a
<br />xting with each othcr i'or husi-
<br />�csses Lo ensure econnmic via-
<br />iifity, pr.nple ta In�e in tfieir
<br />-ommunity and for resources
<br />or cnmmunity yuslainability.
<br />1'hc communities Lhat are suc-
<br />�essfu4 haee a visiem lha�
<br />Ir.scribes their desirable (uturc
<br />what kind of community in
<br />ivc-to-1Q years. A ��sion cap
<br />ures nol nnly our dreams, hut
<br />hc cily's• unique fr.ntures lhat
<br />listinguish us frum nthers.
<br />�} rt �yne O � romr-
<br />se o
<br />Thc vision ncedti to Im trans.
<br />atcd inlo four or fi��c outcomr
<br />�ased guals (hat nred tn bc th�v
<br />bL�uS for 4htt city o�•cr thc nezl
<br />ivc ye� yr4 F,ach �oal sh�iuld
<br />i:�ve: i U cic�t�rly sfaled nbjec-
<br />ives thnl r�llact iiutconies; ('?�
<br />n�anin� l�r nur cili2ens - hnw
<br />il w�ll al%ct thcir daily lifc; t;t?
<br />cnmplete analysis n( thc gaps.
<br />bnth chellengc� and ��ppc�rluni-
<br />lies; id) netions to hc taken hy�
<br />Ghe city and c�iher p�rtnrrs,
<br />:md t 5 � benchmarks for mea -
<br />suring auccess.
<br />S �L..unl.+n Strnteev
<br />Strategy provides a frame-
<br />weork Cnr linking goals tz� deci-
<br />sions and aMion.4. Strete�,+y is a
<br />aet oC guiding principles thac
<br />should intluence policy devel-
<br />npmrnt, decision making and
<br />actions 6y the, city. Strategies
<br />are difTerent than plans sincc
<br />thcy help a city idemtify and
<br />G�kr .�dvnnlage of an oppnri.u-
<br />nity
<br />Q 1)evelun Annual 1Y�rk
<br />Prnerams
<br />��WiQ�in :t city thrre :arr mul
<br />tiplc w�irk program�;. As l.hr
<br />c�ly�c '.Tinard nf L)irectnrs" thc
<br />mavnr and aruncil sho�ild
<br />dr.velnp :� palicy a�enda far an�•.
<br />ycar - thcir °7'�i 1)n" list 7'h��;
<br />agenda identifies major polic}•
<br />�ssucs that necd 4o havc public
<br />dehat�e, ana�ysis o( prohlems,
<br />determinc goals and ultimalely
<br />a decision. A second work prn-
<br />F;ram should be developed with
<br />management Lhxt indudes pol
<br />�cy implementation, project
<br />completion, managemenl and
<br />sen�ce improvements.
<br />7 Mnnitnr Perfo[tn�nce
<br />Monthly report.s (bricf, con-
<br />ciset, nat quarterly, shnuld 6e
<br />provided ta niayor and cnuncil-
<br />1'he simplest rcport cuuld
<br />include whxl has been done
<br />during the last mnnth, th�s
<br />aclions ior this month and a
<br />lonk tn thc hariz��n for fu4um
<br />rnn�id��r:�tions.
<br />� N•valuate Re� +It •
<br />Resu1L5 are not just bctter
<br />frciings, but shauld br mea-
<br />�:ured whether nr nnl nur
<br />drsired nutcncnr� arc bcing
<br />achicvud 'T'hrrr is a tendrncy
<br />to mcasurc outputs and nnt
<br />outcomes. Simple measures
<br />from ccimmunity vurvcys to
<br />uulcnme measures should bc
<br />dcrcloped Por the Corc Ausi.
<br />nesses and fnr thc Gnals.
<br />,9. Cclebrats� Successes
<br />fuiost of us gel too busy and�
<br />(orget to er.lebrate. We movr
<br />ontn thc next issue, the next
<br />task. Stop and cete6restc suc-
<br />cess and pnrvide everyoue with
<br />a p�sitivr. memary. Successfui
<br />lenders du not wurry abnut wha
<br />gets thc credil but focus an get�
<br />ting people W recognize pnd ta
<br />(eel good about the resutts.
<br />With a liltle work, ynu cttn
<br />praduce eve� better tesul4s Cor
<br />your commun'tty thmu�h n
<br />stretegic goa�J set�ing pro�s�
<br />that wnrks fur you and yaur
<br />cnmmunity. r
<br />l,jde Sumek, presid�nt l.glr
<br />N;-- ��s- .,.,..... ! �t� .,,.: ,.. .�,.}R�;
<br />Sumrk Asanriafcs. lnr..
<br />Heafhraw. F'lorida. �ocuses on
<br />strategir gtial setfittg, lradr.r-
<br />.�hep deiaelnpr�ent nnd fr.am
<br />buildeng fiu councils, and [eam
<br />building %ar esecut�ue man-
<br />nkjers. He has ceruert aa oa
<br />aduisar, raunsrtnr and coach tr�
<br />rnayors, council meMbcrx. efty
<br />mann�ers, adminisltaf»rs. nnfl
<br />kcy de/�arlment manager8.
<br />Sum¢k u+i11 prexent a Jutt�
<br />cfay l.eadership 1Y�ainf� Inst�-
<br />tute semfnar rntitttd i'rvt(uc-
<br />�ng E2tauJ.tu far Yaur Gtty. �sR
<br />Ih+cember 4('ro+r� 9.^Ikl fr:rue m
<br />5:00 /xm. drtrutg d9�'1�'lc �`On-
<br />grass of Citirs �»d 3�tpw�tutia�t
<br />r�
<br />in AfGtnta. GA> l�n` mtu� �a"�
<br />mutiOax. vifid tdtl� �n�
<br />uubuitt ar ��ti;r�fes..�tr� i�E�
<br />click on d�e' l.�ddd�crs�;p ��t° .,�
<br />ir� I�xl�xutt ffi�t#�'a a
<br />or rrctt Qlt� �s. . �{" �;
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