Start with the newly elected members.
Of all the challenges a governing body faces, assimilating newly elected members into the culture of a successful organization can be one of the toughest. After all, the new member has been out campaigning across the community and has heard from residents on a variety of issues that need fixing. The perception of many new council members is that local government is broken and they were elected to fix it.
Of course, these new members may or may not have any experience or knowledge of public sector finance, budgeting, operations, etc., and while well intentioned and enthusiastic, there is a learning curve that must take place. It is incumbent on the existing members to welcome the newly seated folks with an opportunity to learn from experience. Many liken the first year to trying to get a drink of water from a fire hose, as the information flow can be overwhelming.
A good place to start is by providing a new member packet with pertinent information, especially including the Board governing policies, current strategic agendas, the current Strategic Plan, and any agreed upon mission, vision, and values statements. While each governing body will need to determine for themselves whether any of these documents, policies and plans need updating, providing a starting point for your newest colleagues is mission critical.
During your next annual Board Retreat, a review of all the agreed upon values and policies of how you will conduct business and hold each other accountable will be first on the list. Making sure everyone understands the expectations and shares the burden of holding the Council accountable will go along way toward developing your unique Value-Based leadership style. All governing body’s must speak with one voice, and a solid commitment to upholding agreed upon ethics, policies, decorum and respectful discourse will increase the public trust in their elected leaders. It also sends a clear message to the appointed staff that this is a Board that matters!