1. Institute for Local Government
What’s the Future of Local Government? A Conversation with Frank Benest
Institute for Local Government
May 14, 2010
Dr. Frank Benest

2. Let’s Start With Two Questions
1. What are 2-3 major challenges that will impact local governments in California in next 5 years?
2. To effectively address these challenges, what are 2-3 indispensable competencies for local government leaders?

3. A Disruptive World
Local gov’ts are overwhelmed with accelerating and discontinuous change
Problems are complex, difficult-to-solve, emotion-laden, and
divisive
No one institution,
including gov’t, can solve
any major problem

4. A Disruptive World (cont)
Local gov’ts face era of “permanent fiscal crisis,” further depleting capacity to respond
Power is diffuse (“veto” power)
Citizens have lost confidence
in all institutions, including gov’t
Our local government agencies are structured to deal with a fairly static world
The talent required to address challenges of this disruptive world is scarce

5. The Demographic Crisis
The Numbers
80 million Baby Boomers ( ) leaving economy
50 million Gen Xers ( ) replacing them
Large “Talent Replacement Gaps”

6. Age Distribution of Gov. & Private Sector Workers – 2001

7. The Nature of the Challenges
Technical challenges
Solutions are known and can be addressed through management
Adaptive challenges
Solutions are unknown and require leadership at all levels

8. The Essence of Leadership
“Leaders do not force people to follow — they invite them on a journey.”
-Charles Lauer

9. Indispensable Competencies
Active futures orientation
Boundary-crossing and partnering skills
Ability to start conversations
and tell stories
People skills (“soft” skills
produce the hard results)
Learning agility

10. “Are we learning as fast as the world is changing?”
--Gary Hamel

11. A Sampling of Key Questions
If local govts are confronted with “permanent fiscal crisis,” what are the implications for our practice?
In our organizations, are we teaching and promoting the indispensable competencies required of our leaders?
How will our organizations be reshaped if we are forced to shed a variety of functions?

12. A Sampling of Key Questions (con’t)
How does local gov’t continue to honor our long-standing value of “home rule” yet take the lead in creating a structure to more effectively address the big challenges which are mostly regional problems?
As we downsize and further constrain compensation and benefits, will local govt be able to attract scarce talent?
How can our organizations be restructured to promote fluidity and continuous learning?

13. The Conversation Given this disruptive world of local government,
What is the role of the Institute and
How can the Institute add value?