effective leadership through tough economic times charlie meyer
TRANSCRIPT
EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP THROUGH TOUGH
ECONOMICTIMES
Charlie Meyer
What Is The Core Essence Of An Effective Leader?
How is leadership defined?
Leadership Definitions
Leader = person
Leadership = process
Leadership Definitions
Leadership is defined as top executive(s)
who displayed high levels of persistence,
overcame significant obstacles, attracted
dedicated people, influenced groups of
people toward the achievement of goals,
and played key roles in guiding their
companies through crucial episodes in
their history.
(Collins & Porras, 1994) Built to Last
Leadership Definitions
Leadership is the process of persuasion
or example by which an individual (or
leadership team) induces a group to
pursue objectives held by the leader or
shared by leader and his or her followers.
(Gardner, 1990, p.1) On Leadership
Leadership Definitions
Principle-centered leadership is cultivating
security, guidance, wisdom and power.
(Covey, 1991) Principal-Centered Leadership
Leadership Definitions
Leadership is that process in which one
person sets the purpose or direction for
one or more other persons, and gets them
to move along together with him or her
and with each other in that direction with
competence and full commitment.
Jaques & Clement (1994, p.4) Executive Leadership: A. Practical Guide
to Managing Complexity
Leadership Definitions
The first responsibility of a leader is to
define reality. The last is to say thank
you. In between the two, the leader must
become a servant and a debtor. That
sums up the progress of an artful leader.
DePree (1987, p.9) Leadership is an Art
Leadership Definitions
Being in Charge
Dunlap (1996) Mean Business:
How I save Bad Companies and Make Good Companies Great
Leadership Definitions
You have to look at leadership through the
eyes of the followers and you have to live
the message. What I have learned is that
people become motivated when you guide
them to the source of their own power and
when you make heroes out of employees
and personify what you want to see in the
organization.
Roddick (1991, p. 214) Body and Soul
Leadership Definitions
Leadership is an intangible quality with no
clear definition. That’s probably a good
thing, because if people knew the definition,
they would hunt down their leaders and kill
them.
Adams (1996, p. 287) The Dilbert Principle
Leadership Definitions
Leaders don’t matter. The idea that we
should keep looking for better and better
leaders is to me a statement of the problem .
. . strong leadership absolves people of their
responsibility.
Block (1997, p.7)
Key Factors in Tough Situations:
“Being In Charge”
Define Reality
Communicate Objectives
Communicate Process
Being in Charge
Make every decision
Tell people what to do
Tell people how to do it
Control systems
Put out fires
Provide “carrot and stick” rewards
Being in Charge
Develop people to make their own decisions and manage themselves
Unleash talent toward highest priorities
Create empowered aligned systems
Provide disciplined focus and execution systems
Define Reality
“Budget deficit of unprecedented proportion”
Too soft?
Too hard?
Lay it all out
Communicate Objectives
PURPOSE STATEMENTTo be a high
performing, and financially sustainable
organization that is providing superior levels of service to
ensure that Tempe is the best place to live,
work, and play.
Communication Process (WIGS) Freeze increase to compensation and
benefits Reduce staffing by 179 Cut non-personnel budgets by 18% Increase revenue by $1 Million Fund OPEB Use fund balance to create a “soft
landing” Develop a policy for a balanced five-
year plan
Communicate Process
Charlie,
Click here….. Microsoft
Excel Worksheet
Communicate Process: Budget Balancing Worksheet
2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
Number of FT permanent positions eliminated first half of the FY 30 -
Number of FT permanent positions eliminated last half of the FY 74
75 - -
Changes to salary/benefit policies (annualized reductions -- recurring) - 8,000,000 6,000,000 4,000,000
Reductions of PT positions, contracted svcs. and non-personnel costs
14.0% 4.0% 4.0%
Revenue increases (annualized estimate -- recurring) 1,000,000 1,000,000 500,000
Annual Appropriations to fund the OPEB liability 6,600,000 6,600,000 6,600,000 6,600,000
Non-recurring (one-time) additions to revenue -
Non-recurring (one-time) expenditure reductions - -
Unreserve the $10 million OPEB funds? (Y or N) N
2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
Communicate Process: Projected Revenues and Expenses
Projected Revenues and Expenditures
150,000,000
160,000,000
170,000,000
180,000,000
190,000,000
2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13Revenues
Expenditures
Communicate Process: Unfunded Fund Balance
Unreserved Fund Balance as a Percentage of Revenues
15%
17%
19%
21%
23%
25%
2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
Targeted Unreserved Fund Balance Range Outside of Targeted Range Unreserved Fund Balance as a Percentage of Revenues
“Political Savvy”
How does “political” differ from “political savvy”?
How do you develop it?
How do you use it to effectively accomplish things?
What Are The Expectations Of Financial Staff?
Solely provide information?
Level of assertiveness if decisions being made are not wise from a financial perspective
Whose role is it? CFO City Manager
Conclusion
“Quando omni
flunkus
moritati!”
