Effective Elected Official and Professional Staff Relationships

1. Effective Elected Official and Professional Staff Relationships

2. Flavors of Elected Officials • A mandate from the people • Want to serve the community • An axe to grind; an agenda • Have knowledge, experience or familiarity with the city • Distrust the city clerk or manager

3. Municipal Professional’s Responsibility • Community Building – getting things done • Enable democracy – collectively build a sense of inclusion • Strategic Thinking Goal – Policy – Destination Strategy – Plan – Route Tactic – Program – Means/Actions

4. Municipal Professional’s Responsibility • Image • Represent • Guiding Hand

5. Maintaining a GoodWorking Relationship • Meet Individually with them • No Surprises – keep them in the loop and well-informed • Orient new members and current ones • Annual evaluation

6. Building Confidence • Avoid Peaks & Valleys • Prepare Good Agendas and Information • Make Recommendations, but give alternatives- Pro’s and Con’s • Withdraw from final decision

7. Building Confidence – Con’t 5. Respect their decision 6. Lose gracefully 7. Be generous with credit 8. Take the heat 9. Pay attention to timing