[Vision2020] city staff

[Donovan Arnold]

Mr. Hansen,
 
The Mayor already has an open door policy as do most employers. Nancy has always been an open, kind and honest person. The problem is that the people that come and complain to the head boss are usually called the "trouble makers' and are the first to be let go. Even if untrue about the Mayor and city council, people may feel that way in fear of getting into trouble with their employer or co-workers. That is why the survey is anonymous in the first place. Otherwise, it wouldn't need be. 
 
It has been my experience that managers that know and understand their workers well are more respected, make better delegation decisions, and are more efficient leaders than ones that are clueless about who they are and what they do. Employees are also often resentful being bossed around by faceless bureaucrats that don't know them or what they do. 
 
 I think if the Mayor spent a day or even half a day with a person in every department she might understand them better and they her. People that don't understand that the boss does a better job when understanding the company employees won't be pleased by anything she does anyway. And it would save her time in the long run with better relationships and understanding the day-to-day demands and challenges of their jobs. And even if she already does understand everything they do and who they are, this would give her a chance to prove this to them. That is just MHO-take it or leave it, your equally welcome to either. 
 
 
Donovan Arnold

From: Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com>
To: Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> 
Cc: Bill London <london at moscow.com>; vision2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 2:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] city staff


Donovan Arnold suggested:

"My one suggestion to the Mayor would be to spend a shift with several of the city employees in different departments. I know it sounds like a time muncher, but really in the long run it would save time because she would have a better understanding of the day-to-day operations of the city, the lives of the employees, and would get less push back when trying to make changes."

Yep.  That'll work . . . until people start complaining, and rightfully so, about the mayor spending way too much time out of the office instead of performing those duties she gets paid to perform.

My suggestion:  Perhaps the mayor should enact an open-door policy for city employees.  The mayor can schedule a regular one- or two-hour period each week when her door is "open" to city employees?  This way, if a city employee has a complaint, (s)he can take it directly to the mayor.  As a platoon sergeant in the Army, I set aside an hour before morning formation and an hour before "lights out" for gripe sessions.  It took care of a lot of problems and potential problems.


Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown



On Apr 13, 2012, at 13:04, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:


My one suggestion to the Mayor would be to spend a shift with several of the city employees in different departments. I know it sounds like a time muncher, but really in the long run it would save time because she would have a better understanding of the day-to-day operations of the city, the lives of the employees, and would get less push back when trying to make changes.
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