Harry Capers 6perpage PDF

CIE-579 Bridge and Highway Infrastructure
Management and Public Policy
Leadership in the Context of

a Public Agency
Harry A. Capers, Jr. P.E., Vice President
(Corporate Bridge Engineer)
Arora and Associates, P.C.
Lawrenceville, New Jersey, U.S.A
April 12, 2010
ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.
Disclaimer
These are my reflections on my own
experiences
My goal is to provide observations based on
35 years of experience in about 2 hours
Im offering a buffet not a plated meal it may
not look pretty but there will be a lot of it!
What I say will certainly reflect my own bias
Any similarities to real events or people is
strictly coincidental
What Is Leadership?
Leadership
The art of getting or inspiring people to

do something.
Leadership is about vision.
Leadership is equally about creating a
climate where the truth is heard and the
brutal facts confronted.
Leadership Styles
A leader acts as a liaison between the
individual staff member and the
organization. Leaders integrate the
skills of staff members with the goals of
the organization by integrating people
with tasks. Leaders transform potential
into reality
Leadership is situational.
Different situations call for different leadership.
The behavior must be appropriate for the situation.
one style of leadership is not necessarily better than
another.
Traditional Leadership
Styles
Autocratic
Democratic
Autocratic
Tells others what to do
Limits discussion on ideas and
new ways of doing things
No feeling of teamwork
experienced by group
Laissez-faire
Democratic
Involves group members in
planning and carrying out
activities
Asks before tells
Promotes sense of teamwork
WHAT IS COLLABORATIVE
LEADERSHIP?
Bringing the appropriate people
together in constructive ways with good
information, creating authentic visions
and strategies for addressing the
shared concerns of the organization or
community.
Laissez-faire
Gives little or no direction to
group/individuals
Opinion is offered only when
requested
A person does not seem to be
in charge
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
- Looks at leadership as a service
- Incorporates the spiritual aspect
being a leader into style
- Take care of others through their
style
Servant Leadership
The best test (of servant leadership)is:
Do those served grow as persons; do they, while

being served, become healthier, wiser, freer,
more autonomous, more likely themselves to
become servants?
And what is the effect on the least privileged in
society; will they benefit, or at least, not be further
deprived?
Traditional Boss v. Servant

Leader
Motivated to achieve
Motivated to serve
Competitive
Collaborative
Independent
Interdependent
Gives orders
Listens deeply
Personal power
Power of the group
Robert Greenleaf, The Servant as Leader, 1972.
Qualities: Collaborative & Servant

Leadership
Practicing Collaborative Leadership
Leads the process; not the people

Promotes a sense of community
An attitude of service
Inspires honesty, courage, empathy, joyfulness, & love
Active listener; paying attention
Sees the whole
Caring vs. controlling (shared power)
Finding meaning
Uses personal vs. positional power
Help set norms

Ensures everyone is
heard
Encourages & model
inclusiveness
Makes real connections
Helps identify and obtain
necessary resources
Creates mechanisms to
solicit input
LEVELS OF GROUP DECISION

MAKING METHODS
Autonomous/ Unilateral
Individual acts independently without consulting others prior to making the decision
Delegation
An individual is asked or told that he or she has full authority to make the
decision and let others know what was decided
Consultive
An individual makes the decision after getting advice or information from others
Democratic
Decision making method occurs through voting and majority wins
Consensus
Decision making is made by the group and evolves from shared information and ideas.

Source Material: NCJW Institute
Mediates conflict /
disputes
Adheres to an open
process
Keeps focus on whats
best for the
community/customer vs.
individual self-interest
Maintains collaborative
problem-solving &
decision-making
CONSENSUS IS ACHIEVED
WHEN
All members have been heard, fully, frankly &
respectfully
All views have been considered without prejudice
All relevant information has been shared
Members are willing to sacrifice personal goals for
the sake of the group
Members support the decision fully and implement
as if it was their own decision
Critical Questions for Leadership

Is the Organizations Mission and Vision clear and
meaningful?
Do our members know what is expected of them?
What they can expect from us?
Are we preparing the next generation of leaders?
Does being polite prevent us from addressing
the issues that will help us grow?
Great Leaders
All of the great leaders have had one
characteristic in common:
it was the willingness to confront
unequivocally
the major anxiety of their people
in their time.
This, and not much else, is the
essence of leadership
-- John Kenneth Galbreath
Pertinent?
You dont lead by pointing and telling
people some place to go.
Managing Change
You lead by going to that place and making

a case.
-- Ken Kesey
Managing Change vs.

Leading Change
What Does a
Leader of Change Do?
the potential to consistently
1. The Leader
Establishes Direction
Aligns People
Motivates and Inspires
produce short-term results.
2. Always Evaluates
Management:
Produces a degree
of predictability and order and has
3. Creates an Action Plan

What Does a
Establishes Direction: Develops a
vision of the future and strategies
for producing the changes needed
to achieve that vision.
What Does a
Motivates and Inspires: Energizes
people to overcome barriers by
satisfying basic human needs.
What Does a
Aligns People: Communicates direction
to all those whose cooperation is needed
and influences the creation of teams
that understand and accept the validity
of the vision and strategies.
What Does a
Always Evaluates:
Am I doing the right thing? Am
I dealing with priorities
(mine or my organizations)?
Five Phases of
the Change Process
1. Communicate the change.
2. Admit that you have felt the same
way.
Five Phases of
the Change Process
4. Encourage and promote change.
5. Build skills to handle resistance.
3. Demonstrate that you have made

a change.
The Duties of Government
Safety
Security
Service
Justice
The Organization
Agency Background
Authorizing Legislation
Authorities granted organization
Mission
Vision
Objectives
The ORG Chart
History of Jurisdiction and

Agency
Origin
History
Accomplishments
Noted Leaders
Current events
Look Familiar??
Typical Hierarchy
Who's in charge?
Who are the key players?
Chain of command/authority
Organizational Relationships
Organizational Authorities/Responsibilities
Board
Executive Director
Know the organizational tempo

Organizations generally operate in a
repetitive tempo.
Planning cycle
Budget Cycle
Legislative cycle
Election cycle
Weather cycle
HR cycle
Press cycle
Examine Your Agencys

Unspoken Rules
How are decisions made?
Is the process clear to all members?
What is done to orient new members so they
feel comfortable enough to participate?
How are unwritten rules shared?
What other rituals should you know?
Organizational Relationships
Know the Rules

What Legislation governs your job
What Rules govern your position?
What are the agencies Policies and
Procedures?
What other guidance governs your work?
Are there forms?
Are there Reports?
Tips:
1. Assign a mentor to all new members to help ease
their transition into the group and to articulate
unwritten rules.
2. Reach out to individuals who may serve as
intermediaries with specific groups in the community.
These individuals may include religious leaders and
leaders of local ethnic organizations.
3. Create a feedback system that allows anyone who
perceives or experiences exclusion to make it known
to the organization; make sure the organization
responds to all feedback.
Who has the bigger desk!
Who is the leadership team in the

organization?
Who sets the agenda?
How are decisions made?
Building Relationships with

Care
Make sure you convey the

message that you respect
the other persons position
and judgment
Avoid questions that begin
with the words How do
people from your group feel
about. Use we a lot!
Everyone is a member of the
team
Check out a question by first
asking it of yourself.
Training
Provides a means of relaying all types of information
to a broad audience.
Training insures QA/QC targets are met
Training insures staff and leadership development
Forms of training:
Amplify Staff Strengths And

Reinforce Their Weaknesses
Define The unit and staff responsibilities
Identify needs and assets of each of each staff
member
Examine current performance, comfort zone and
environment of each staff member
Identify strengths - what each member brings to the
table
Identify weaknesses the pitch they cant hit!

Develop action plan for utilizing strengths and
reinforcing weaknesses where possible
Recruiting
Formal recruiting usually performed by
agency
Civil service announcements

College fairs
Promotional announcements
Temporary appointments
Informal recruiting
Opportunity training
exercises
Agency training
Contract training
Certification programs
Conferences
University programs
Project Team Management
Organize the team

Provide the vision to the team
Clearly state the expected outcomes
Provide checkpoints and milestones as
required
Resource the team
Check in and support the team
Celebrate its success
DO NOT MICRO Manage the team!
Diversity
We serve all citizens living or doing
business within our jurisdiction
How do we do that without knowing about
them?
Referrals
Inter or intradepartmental transfer requests
Personal contact by staff or yourself
The Four Layers of Diversity
Practical Action Steps
Functional Level/
Classification
Intentionally identify and address issues

relevant to the particular groups of people with
whom you are working (e.g., history, language,
learning style, communication, gender roles,
value systems)
Geographic Location
Management
Status
Marital
Status
Income
Age
Parental
Status Race
Gender
Work
Content/
Field
Personal
Habits
Personality
Appearance
Union
Affiliation
Ethnicity
Work
Experience
Sexual
Orientation
Recreational
Habits
Division/
Department
Intentionally recruit, retain, and develop diverse

staff
Physical Ability
Religion
Educational
Background
Work
Location
Seniority

2
Civil Service

Alliance for Nonprofit Managements Cultural Competence Initiative web page
Hiring
Job scope
Pay ranges
Promotions
KSA Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
EEO
ADA
Succession Planning
Plan your departure the first day you begin the
job
Identify potential candidates for your job
Act as a mentor for subordinate leaders
Train them to do your job and let them practice
Dont be afraid you can be replaced you can
be!
Have a departure plan for yourself.
Go out on top and with dignity!
Promotions
Systems vary across agencies and title
series
Education and Experience
Promotional Exam
Oral exam
Written exam
Combination
Get to know the system and its quirks

Discipline
Make sure rules are clearly understood by all
Again, early intervention Counseling
Retraining
Use Progressive discipline
Verbal reprimand
written reprimand
Suspension
Dismissal
Dont ignore a problem that affects all in the

organization!
Consultant and Contractors

Low bid is not the same as lowest
responsible bid
Consultants and contractors are not nonprofits
What Does It Mean to Think

Strategically?
You have a strategy for what you do
with goals and purpose
You work toward outcomes
You are results-oriented
You are future-oriented
Dont ask for work not in their contracts

Give clear and timely guidance
Partner! If you create an uncertain environment
your costs will go up!
Economic viability of state depends on

profitability of businesses in the state
Critical Success Factors in

Strategic Thinking
Move Out of Your Comfort Zone
Differentiate Between Ends (what) and Means
(how)
Develop Audacious Objectives
Use an Ideal Vision
Define Need as a Gap in Results
Develop Audacious Objectives:

If our objectives are fuzzy, then
We allow for misinterpretation of the desired results

We create barriers to shared meaning and useful results
We make it difficult to assess progress and determine
success
We could choose costly and ineffective means and
methods
We create misunderstandings about what results are
intended
We may respond too late to be effective with new
realities
We avoid taking responsibilities for measurable results
Develop an Ideal Vision:
Define Needs as Gaps in Results:

If we fail to do this, then
If we proceed without this, then
We become victims of short-term thinking and

risk the future
We leave the impact in the long term to luck
We seem to not care about the next generation
We increase the risk of early failure
We limit ourselves to results within the present,
without creating opportunities for the next
generation
We choose familiarity over better or more
useful options
We become reactive instead of proactive
We increase the risk of racing for new means and

methods before agreeing on what is to be achieved
We waste resources without gaining measurable
improvement
We confuse wants with true needs
We make it difficult to set and justify priorities for the
real needs
We define the wrong problems and waste time and
resources fixing them
We choose process over consequences.
Ethical Issue or Challenges

Mission Drift
Dishonest about organizational agenda/bottom
lines
Making decisions for a partner or customer (not
with)
Lack of financial responsibility
Not following agreed upon roles
Not supporting agreed upon decisions
Collaboration on paper, only
Incident Management
Wargame what could happen before it
does including branches and sequels
Prepare contingency plans and resource
them
Brief your plan, conduct tabletop exercises
and if possible conduct a field exercise
Dealing with the Press
Know the agency rules

Review the issues before the interview
Be accurate
Be timely
Be positive
If possible be proactive
Ethical Leadership
Ethics is not an optionIts a Ground Rule.
Ethics is not about the way things areIt is
about the way they ought to be
2006
Josephson
Institute
ARORA
and ASSOCIATES.
P.C.
Ethics
A General Test!
Is it Legal
Is it Moral
Could you look yourself in the mirror in the
morning
Data
Critical to setting goals and tracking
performance
Know what data is available
Realize that data is expensive
Quality data is essential unpopular
conclusions from data will be quickly
challenged
Bumper Sticker
Personal Leadership Tips
Recognize the existence and necessity

for Political Engineering
Have your own professional development
plan
Set Goals or someone else will set them
for you!
Have a vision that you can clearly
articulate to alland do it often
Be clear when giving direction or

commenting to staff, vendors or for that
matteranyone!
Do not use unnecessary inflammatory
words
Be a good confidant when looked to be
Beware of e-mail, its forever.
Its still OK to use the telephone or even
have a face to face discussion!
Your experience may equalize your skill

set reflecting older technology use your
experience
Beware of a sense of personal self
importance be confident but not arrogant
People respect your position be aware
and prepared for that when you leave
Begin your departure when you take over
transition & mentoring
Have the willingness to leave
Be approachable
Keep your commitments
Expect and work with change wisely
Be consistent
Loyalty works in all directions
Have priorities but not too many
Dont expect what you dont inspect!
Questions?

Harry Capers 6perpage PDF

Transféré par

Informations du document

Description originale:

Titre original

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Harry Capers 6perpage PDF

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

CIE-579 Bridge and Highway Infrastructure

Management and Public Policy

Leadership in the Context of

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

The art of getting or inspiring people to

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

Do those served grow as persons; do they, while

Traditional Boss v. Servant

Power of the group

Robert Greenleaf, The Servant as Leader, 1972.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

Qualities: Collaborative & Servant

Practicing Collaborative Leadership

Leads the process; not the people

Help set norms

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

LEVELS OF GROUP DECISION

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

Critical Questions for Leadership

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

You lead by going to that place and making

Managing Change vs.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

the potential to consistently

produce short-term results.

of predictability and order and has

3. Creates an Action Plan

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

3. Demonstrate that you have made

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

The Duties of Government

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

The ORG Chart

History of Jurisdiction and

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

Know the organizational tempo

Examine Your Agencys

Know the Rules

Who has the bigger desk!

Who is the leadership team in the

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

Building Relationships with

Make sure you convey the

ARORA and ASSOCIATES. P.C.

Amplify Staff Strengths And

Identify weaknesses the pitch they cant hit!

Civil service announcements

Project Team Management

Organize the team