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GENERAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND
MANAGEMENT
STANDARDS: SMALL MUNICIPALITIES
FACTOR:
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS
Standards
1. All members of municipal governing bodies, upon initial election, complete a training
course for Anewly@ elected officials. All officials, during their terms of office, regularly
participate in continuing education courses and conferences directed to enhancing the
knowledge, skills and abilities associated with the responsibilities of public office.
Commentary
ACompetence@ emerges as the second-most important characteristic of an effective leader (Ahonesty@
being first) in many studies that have been done on the subject. The most telling mistake that any
elected official can make is to assume that he/she is fully equipped to responsibly handle the scope
and depth of the many policy questions and decisions that will find their way to the public agenda.
The training activities regularly available to elected officials not only offer knowledge and
understanding; they provide an invaluable opportunity to network with other officials. Perhaps most
important, when elected officials can respond to problems and questions on the basis of knowledge
and facts, public confidence follows. Public officials who rely on political instincts to do their jobs
fail the leadership test.
2. Elected officials assume as part of their role responsibility for educating the public (and
municipal employees) about the issues and choices facing the government--of helping
people to see the community as a total enterprise, not as a series of separate factors to be
separately accommodated. This effort is assisted through providing periodic newsletters
and annual reports which discuss and explain issues, and by distributing comprehensive
meeting agendas to the public.
Commentary
There is an axiom which reminds us that "All excellent teachers are leaders, and all excellent leaders
are teachers. "Teaching-bringing along/persuading--is perhaps the most important role of the elected
officials. This is particularly true and relevant as we move from an era of "telling" or "ordering" to
one of "consensus building." And, it is obvious that elected officials cannot fulfill this
teaching/leadership role unless they have gained mastery of their job and responsibilities through
education, careful study, and listening and learning with an open mind. Competent elected officials
should be able to explain and justify a course of action that reasonable people will understand and
accept, even if they disagree.
3. The reputation of the municipal government is that of a "well-run local government.
This reputation is confirmed by periodically surveying citizen attitudes about their local
government, through positive media coverage and other citizen contact.
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