Marin Voice: Important to celebrate good values in local elected leaders

In the madness of the national political scene, one party defines leadership as blocking any action of the other party. It’s a relief to see Marin leaders showing healthier values such as collaboration and community.

Novato Councilmember Rachel Farac initiated a community forum, bringing residents together with staff and elected leaders to discuss city issues. In Mill Valley, Mayor Urban Carmel enjoys strengthening collaboration and community in all the city’s work. County Supervisor Katie Rice and staff are masters at involving people affected by a decision in that decision.

There’s a long list of local public officials who show good community values, building effective decisions, and a happy Marin.

For some context: Formal public meetings of city councils and our county Board of Supervisors are governed by “Roberts Rules of Order,” an adversarial decision process first published in 1876 by Gen. Henry Martyn Roberts. But you get what you ask for. If you use an adversarial decision process, expect a battle.

Sadly and predictably, that’s often what we get, where proposals may degrade into conflict, dividing people into “for” or “against” groups. In contrast, more modern decision processes, such as consensus, build inclusion, discussion, understanding, trust and agreement – values we are proud to show our children.

There is no event in a vacuum (as long as we ignore the comings and goings of quantum particles). To best understand any event, look at the situation that creates it. For example, to better understand local events, look at the national situation. Politically that’s a war zone, reinforced by social media that skillfully monetizes and escalates our anxiety. We are battered by mass shootings, record suicides, overseas wars and a potential president who promises a retreat from democracy while building vast immigrant detention camps. It doesn’t help that local schools conduct regular active-shooter lockdown drills, normalizing fear and anxiety in our children.

That’s the leadership stage that followers follow, many acting out their national leaders’ uncaring values. Based on reports in the news and on social media platforms, it’s happening all the time right here in Marin.

It’s no surprise people reflect what’s in Washington – no care and no empathy, just fights, domination and winning. These aren’t the community values I want, but I understand it’s hard to paddle against the national tide, being thoughtful and kind when leaders play Whac-A-Mole.

I spent 35 years working with company leadership teams building more satisfying and productive workplaces. The first step, deciding what values you want to live by, applies to any human situation, at home and outside.

We asked each member of the leadership team to remember a task situation where they felt excited to start their day. Then we asked what it was about the situation that made them feel so excited. Large or small, public or private, everyone in every organization likes similar things – trust, good relationships, teamwork and cooperation, clear and listening leaders, safety to speak openly, personal responsibility and support.

It’s how we do what we do, the values we show in daily actions, that makes all the difference, to ourselves and others.

So, let’s recognize and encourage local elected and appointed leaders who deliberately show good values, building more satisfying and enjoyable communities, where people feel safe, included, valued, and valuable.

Here is a helpful guide. Some years ago, I had the pleasure of conducting many seminars/workshops through the University of California, Irvine. I worked with thousands of elected and appointed local government officials. They came looking for better ways to do their jobs. The suggestions they shared, and the ideas we developed in these workshops, are collected in the book, “Conflict, Meetings, and Difficult People.” It’s full of concrete suggestions to make your job easier, while building more cooperative and satisfied communities. I invite any government official to send me their name and address for a free copy, or a PDF link, no strings attached.

Barry Phegan, of Greenbrae, can be found online at CompanyCulture.com. He is the retired managing partner of a consulting company that specialized in company culture.