The New Age of Public Leadership

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• The New Age of Public Leadership
• A Legacy of Change, Challenge, Opportunity
• The Association of Washington Cities
• June 16, 2004

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• To the blind, all things are sudden.
• Old Proverb

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Sound familiar?

• We have not succeeded in solving all of our
  problems. Indeed, we often feel we have not
  completely solved any of them. The answers we
  have found only serve to raise an entirely new
  set of questions. In some ways, we feel as
  confused as ever. But, we believe we are confused
  on a much higher level and about much more
  important things.
• -- Cover note for a final summary report from
  a city finance work team with private sector
  members

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• Past, Present, and
• The Future

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Simple Truths

• Everyone is watching
• YOU set the bar
• People learn what they live
• Organizations create/promote culture
• Every pebble in the pond makes a ripple
• Were all just passin through

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The Current Situation

• The World Population Data Sheet estimates the
  global population will rise 46 percent between
  2003 and 2050, hitting 9 billion by 2050
• The U.S. population is expected to grow 45
  percent- to 422 million in that time

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The Current Situation

• Washingtons population in 2000 was 5,894,121
  projected at 6,460,127 in 2015 a 9.6 gain
• Population growth is projected to hit 6,925,750
  by 2025 a 17.5 increase
• Growth almost twice natl average
• 42 to 24

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The Current Situation

• 81 million Generation X Y boomers make up 30
  of U.S. population
• Thirty-five million people (12.1) in the U.S.
  live below the poverty leveland its growing (WA
  was 10.6 in 1999 where is it today?)

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Current Situation
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The Current Situation

• At the current pace, the physical public
  infrastructure in many areas of the United States
  is deteriorating 8-10 faster than it can be
  rebuilt. This will probably increase as
  populations grow and funds become tighter. Does
  this sound familiar?
• What will happen when Washingtons population
  grows by 17?

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The Current Situation

• According to the EPA, at least 772 communities
  serving 40 million people have inadequate waste
  water and sewage facilities
• Indianapolis- 1 billion in improvements and
  tripling of rates in next 15 years
• Providence has raised rates four times in four
  years to pay for phase one of a twenty year 700
  million update
• Atlanta needs 3 billion in improvements in the
  next five years- almost tripling sewer bills
• Where Does Washington Stand?

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In Your Communities

• Traffic congestion
• Struggling or slow economies
• Education costs growing
• Security and public safety costs escalating
• Aging population
• Land use planning a growing need and concern

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In Your Communities

• Tight budgets and slow economy causing reduced
  CIP and deferred maintenance
• Employment in natural resources industries
  forestry, fishing, lumber, mining, continue to
  decline- major shifts occurring
• Response to federal and state
• mandates more hoops regulations

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In Your Communities

• Competition for finite resources- more difficult
  to balance needs of one community or multiple
  communities
• Growing scrutiny, more demand, higher
  expectations, conflicting needs around social,
  physical financial investment
• Greater need for efficient development and land
  use planning

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In Your Departments

• Retirement loss of institutional memory/ talent
• Recruitment Retention becoming more difficult
• Mixed Messages- how do we establish priority?

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In Your Departments

• Insufficient staff more work, less funding
• Facilities equipment growing older
• Training - money and time is insufficient

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In Your Departments

• Stature are public leaders respected as in the
  past?
• Complexity, demand, and scrutiny all growing
• Regulatory requirements continued escalation

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YOUR Work is

• Vulnerable to notice

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New Roles For Public Leaders

• In times of stress people AND communities seek
  four things
• Clarity
• Direction
• The truth
• Quiet, dignified, harmonious leadership

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Leaving A Legacy

• Every task or action undertaken by a public
  employee must have its roots in a public or
  community need and must make a meaningful
  contribution, no matter how small.

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Eight Essential Legacies

• A collaborative culture
• A culture of planners
• Learning organizations
• Employees developed to their full potential

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Eight Essential Legacies

• Confident, spirited organizations
• Pride and community connectivity
• A supportive community
• A progressive community spirit

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Your Roles

• Community Builders
• Creators of Place
• Forum Providers

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Your Roles

• Planning Experts
• Analysts Scenario Builders
• Truth Tellers

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Public Leaders Cannot

• Control the pace of change
• Fail to abandon the expendable archaic
• Avoid the obvious (predictable surprise)
• Express fear of the future
• Try to eliminate uncertainty
• (embrace
  ambiguity)

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Some Practical Recommendations

• Create maintain agendas for improvement
• Seek/ use better data
• Create new forums for exchange
• Develop true strategic plans lead this effort

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Some Practical Recommendations

• Emphasize the long view
• Create maintain collaborative agendas for
  improvement
• Use scenario planning analysis

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Your Legacy

• Three Questions