1. The Essentials of Leadership Why Would Anyone Follow You?
MMASC Summer Event Aug 8, 2019
Dr. Frank Benest Dominic Lazzaretto

2. Why should I even care? “Soft Skills” Dominic (2 min)
Talent Initiative survey indicated that soft skills were #1 development need for emerging leaders
As one advances, it is the soft skills that produce hard results
Cal-ICMA is funding 3 soft skills modules for MMANC and MMASC

3. Big Ideas Dominic (3 min) People choose to follow you (or not)
Leadership starts with self-awareness
Leadership has many voices (there are many ways to exert positive influence)
Leadership has nothing to do with your position
Leaders create connection with followers by engaging in authentic conversations

4. My Mom Rosy Rosy’s story How did Rosy shape my life story?
Frank (20 min. for next few slides)

5. Exercise
Who has been an person or what has been an experience that has shaped your life story?
In what specific ways have they shaped your leadership behavior or practice?
What is a leadership “gift” that you are compelled to give away?
Frank (20 min – cont’d)

6. Understanding Your Life Story
Leaders need to understand their life stories to identify the “gifts” that they must give away
Leaders must be authentic
Leadership has many voices
Frank (20 min – cont’d)

7. Self-Reflection
“People can help you but leadership is one of those great journeys into your own soul.”
Frank (20 min – cont’d)
Jeff Immeldt,
former CEO of GE

8. Overview Big challenges facing local government
Technical vs. adaptive challenges
Leadership vs. management
Importance of people skills
Critique of first case study
Dominic (2 min.)

9. Overview (cont’d) Key question--“Why would anyone want to follow me?”
Expanding your portfolio of skills
Critique of second case study
Authentic conversations
Resources, questions, reactions
Dominic (2 min.)

10. The Big Challenges
What are 2-3 big challenges facing your community & local government in the next 5 years?
Dominic (10 min.)

11. The Nature of the Challenges
Technical Challenges (“Tame”)
Adaptive Challenges (“Wicked”)
Solutions are known & can be addressed through management
Solutions are unknown; issues involve value conflicts; every group has its own preferred solution; & challenges require leadership at all levels
Dominic (5 min. next slides)

12. Community Values – RV Parking
Personal Freedom
Community Aesthetics
No RV
Parking
Restrictions
Allowed
72 Hour Parking
30 Day Parking
The “right” answer depends on overall values of the specific community

13. Management vs. Leadership
Management is based on your formal authority
Leadership is based on your interpersonal attributes
Frank (10 min. next few slides)

14. The Essence of Leadership
“Leaders do not force people to follow—they invite them on a journey.”
Frank (10 min. – cont’d)
Charles Lauer

15. Results vs. Relationships?
Frank (10 min. – cont’d)

16. Are You Multiplier or Diminisher?
Multiplier is . . .
Diminisher is . . .
Someone who amplifies the smarts and capabilities of the people around them
Someone who tells & tests & thereby diminishes the capabilities of the people around them
Frank (10 min. – cont’d)

17. Catalytic Questions What does success look like? How might we. . .?
What else could we do?
What is a completely different approach to this problem?
What are we missing?
How would a community group react to this idea? 
Frank (10 min. – cont’d)
“Leadership is more about questions than answers”

18. The Importance of People Skills
Top Management
Mid-Management
Lower Management
People Skills
Analytic Skills
Technical Skills
Frank (5 min.)
80% of Management failures are
due to poor people skills

19. Case Study 1: Historic Preservation in Arcadia
Dominic (next slides 20 min.)

20. Historic Preservation in Arcadia
Early Days: Keeping My Head Down
2 Years On: “The Jerry McGuire” Memo
3 Years On: New Council Wants Change
5 Years On: Reality Sets In
Today: Ordinance Adopted
Dominic (20 min. cont’d)
Early Days (pro development, preservation not wanted, 2 previous tries, no advocates, F Grade, personal opinions hidden)
2 Years (new HOA leadership, lots of rumbling, got on my soapbox, my job threatened, most staff opposed, let issue sit there officially, we discussed constantly)
3 Years (HOA leader now on Council + 1 other new supporter, 1 CC Member ousted, demand study, do study without opposition, think it’s going to be easy, I’m now voice of caution)
5 Years (Opposition shows up, racial issue, Council wants to stop, I’m the voice of pushing ahead, staff now on board, we pause and regroup)
Today (Ordinance is modified [weakened] and adopted, Member that threatened job made motion to adopt, Denny’s Windmill and other ideas)

21. Critique What went well? What did not go so well?
What can we learn for our future leadership practice?
Frank

22. “Why would anyone want to follow me?”
Identify 2-3 reasons that people would want to follow you
Identify one trait that would cause people to be reluctant to follow you
Frank (13 min.)

23. Expanding Portfolio of Behaviors
Leverage your strengths
Flex behavior
Find a “wing-mate”
Get a coach
Announce your intent; ask for support
Try something out, practice, debrief, practice some more
Frank (7 min.)

24. Case Study 2: Day Workers in Brea
Frank (next slides 25 min.)

25. Day Workers in Brea Redeveloping downtown was #1 priority
Day workers congregating in downtown
Council wanted to use police enforcement
Organized diverse staff team
Proposed jobs program at
Community Center
Reactions?
Frank (25 min. cont’d)

26. Day Workers in Brea Team told Frank to step back
Initiated series of conversations with stakeholders
Identified issues & concerns & addressed them
Framed issue differently for different groups
Built support
Frank presented proposal to Council
Pilot Job Center was approved on 3-2 vote
Frank (25 min. cont’d)

27. Critique What went well? What did not go so well?
What can we learn for our future leadership practice?
Dominic

28. Seeking “Buy-In”
Frank (5 min.)

29. Authentic Conversations
Followers may follow if they feel connected to you
Connection & trust are created by entering into authentic conversations
Frank (10 min. next few slides)
“Leadership is the art of conversation.”
David Whyte

30. Authentic Conversations
Be open to the conversation
Listen more than you talk
Engage others with a curious mind (“tell me more”)
Listen deeply; don’t immediately seek to rebut (“yes, but. . .”)
Paraphrase so you acknowledge other ideas or concerns & ensure that you understand (“this is what I hear you saying”)
Frank (10 min. cont’d)

31. Authentic Conversations (cont’d)
Suggest ideas (“could we address your concerns by ___?” or “have you considered ___?”)
Use powerful questions
Express thanks to other person for sharing ideas & concerns
Understand that conversations are more about learning than educating
Let the other person know how your thinking has been influenced by the conversation
Frank (10 min. cont’d)

32. Authentic Conversations (cont’d)
In real conversations, you don’t have to be right
“Real listening is a willingness to let the other person change you.”
Alan Alda
Frank (10 min. cont’d)

33. What Questions Do You Have For Us?
Dominic (5 min.)
Ask us anything about today’s topics and more!

34. Resources Bill George, Discovering Your True North
Liz Wiseman, Multiplier
Dan Pink
Drive
TED Talk, “The Puzzle of Motivation”
Career Compass columns
“Taking Smart Risks”
“Why Won’t They Collaborate with Us?”
“Leadership is the Art of Conversation”
Frank (10 min., incl. next slide)

35. Resources (cont’d) ICMA Coaching Program Webinars
One-to-one coaching (“CoachConnect”)
New training videos
Career Compass advice columns
Frank (10 min. cont’d)

36. Reaction Panel What resonated with me? What did not resonate with me?
What is one take-away that I can put into practice tomorrow?
Frank (5 min.)

37. One Commitment
Starting tomorrow, what is just one thing I’m willing to do in order to become a better leader?
Frank (5 min.)

38. Ending Quote
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”
Frank
John Quincy Adams

39. Frank