Metamorphosis – The Story of the Houston Municipal Courts System

1. Metamorphosis – The Story of the Houston Municipal Courts System Cloud-Rainosek & Associates, LP

2. Who We Are – Cloud-Rainosek & Associates • Business since 1991 • Corporations, family owned business, government entities, non-profits and individuals • Experts in habitual behaviors and emotional connection • Online behavioral assessment • Selected Kouzes & Posner – congruent values and views of leadership

3. City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration Department • Sahira Abdool, Director and Chief Clerk, City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration • Appointed by Mayor Bill White – 2007 • Increase public confidence and expand access to justice • Build staff confidence and court efficiency • Improve fiscal accountability

4. City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration Department • Process 1.4 million violations annually • 6,000-8,000 customers daily at 19 courts • Over a $13,000,000 administrative budget • More than 300 employees of diverse ethnicity, education, and experience • Approximately $13 million budget • Generates over $70 million in State & City fine payment revenues • Open 24/7

5. City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration Department • Employee surveys showed: Eager for improved communication to and from management Eager for training and career development Eager for recognition Eager for effective management

6. City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration Video

7. Process • Sahira’s vision: Create an organizational culture and environment that demonstrates progressiveness, professionalism, integrity and advocates a passion for service excellence and high performance. • Long term process • Working with City’s budget and staff’s time

8. Process • Leadership Ethics Statement and PRIDE values • Communication skills program – habitual patterns and blocking behaviors • One day LPI program for executives • Skill practices regarding communication skills, blocking behaviors and LPI development • Sharing with Observers • Retest – LPI • Leadership Challenge Workshop

9. Executives • Completed communication skills, habitual behaviors and blocking behaviors • Completed the one-day LPI and sharings with Observers • Completed retest of LPI and sharings with Observers • Completed Leadership Challenge workshop • Currently working on development plan and sharing for Observers • Skill practices at each stage • Mentoring managers and supervisors

10. Managers and Supervisors • Two groups for the managers and supervisors • First group has completed communication skills, habitual patterns, blocking techniques, LPI and Observer sharings • Second group has completed communication skill, habitual patterns, blocking techniques, LPI and is preparing their Observer sharings • Skill practices in all areas

11. Bailiffs • Completed communication skills, habitual patterns and blocking techniques • Daily practice clearings and review one blocking technique • Leader has emerged and is mentoring other departments

12. Lead Clerks • Have reorganized court clerk’s job descriptions • Lead clerks have now completed an introduction to the communication skills, habitual patterns and blocking techniques • Managers and supervisors are facilitating the clerks’ growth and change • Leaders are emerging

13. Habitual Patterns • Control • Illusion of Politeness • Excessive Investment in Work, Projects and Activities • Relation to Five Practices – thirty statements

14. Blocking Behavior Techniques • Rationalization/Justification • Excuses • Changing the Subject • “Pick up marbles and go home” • Void of feelings • Dependency • Focus on others • Control • Judgmental • Playing the “devil’s advocate” • Hidden agenda • Avoidance

15. Municipal Courts Values • Professionalism – Striving for perfection, quality and excellence in our commitment to public service • Respect – Respect for Human Dignity and the value of every person • Integrity – Honest, Open and Fair in the performance of our duties • Diversity – The strength of our Team comes from individuals with different experiences and perspectives • Empowerment – Fostering confidence, responsibility and trust

16. Municipal Courts Leadership Ethics Statement • Show respect for my peers, stakeholders, employees and citizens through acknowledgment, listening, communication and tolerance. I will make every effort to honor the feelings and perspectives of these parties. • Practice confidentiality in all my interactions with my staff and my colleagues, thereby demonstrating respect for each individual, myself and the Organization. • Be responsible and accountable for my actions. I recognize that my accountability includes fiscal responsibility, time and resource management, maintaining accurate court records, and compliance with all State, City and Departmental policies. • Utilize communication as a two-way process for problem solving. If I have a concern about another individual, I will make every effort to speak directly with that person one-on-one to work toward a resolution. I will avoid using third-party communication to confront issues or resolve problems.

17. Municipal Courts Leadership Ethics Statement • Promote continuous improvement through assessing my skills and my staff’s skills, enhancing the business processes, training staff and recognizing the contributions of my staff. I will reward my staff appropriately, as well as praise them publicly. • Lead by example by demonstrating Integrity, a positive attitude, fairness and honesty. I will strive to encourage my peers and fellow employees to adopt the same commitment. • Foster a productive, vigorous, high-spirited and fun team environment for our colleagues and external partners. • Promote personal empowerment by providing challenging assignments, the freedom to make decisions and the opportunity to learn through growth. While encouraging empowerment I will hold myself and others to a high standard of accountability.

18. Skill Practice • Blocking Behavior Techniques Handout – select the behavior that fits the scenario • Five Practices and Commitments Handout - determine which practice the scenario impacts • Municipal Courts Values and Leadership Ethics Statement Handout – apply the value and ethics statement that are not being practiced in the scenario

19. Skill Practice 1. I will explain what prevented me from finishing a project on time. I will provide many pieces of information that “substantiate” my point, and use this information to feel better about missing my deadline.

20. SkillPractice 2. When I want to control what’s going on around me, I hone in on something my “adversary” ahs said. I ridicule, question, or judge them about their choice of words.

21. Skill Practice – Answer Scenario 1 • Rationalization/Justification, Excuses • Model the Way: set a personal example; follow through on promises and commitments. • Professionalism, Integrity, Empowerment • (3) Be responsible and accountable for my actions

22. Skill Practice Answer Scenario 2 • Focuses on others, Control • Enable Others to Act: actively listen to diverse points of view and treat others with respect. • Professionalism, Respect, Empowerment • (1) Show respect for my peers, stakeholders, employees and citizens (4) Utilize communication as a two-way process for problem solving (6) Lead by example by demonstrating Integrity, a positive attitude, fairness and honesty

23. QUESTIONS?

24. THANK YOU!