HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 02-27 SpecialMeridian City Council Special Meeting February 27,
2003
The Special Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 8:00
A.M. on Thursday, February 27, 2003, by Mayor Robert Corrie.
Members Present: Robert Corrie, Bill Nary, Tammy de Weerd, Keith Bird and
Cherie McCandless.
Others Present: Gary Smith, John Shawcroft, Kenny Bowers, Brad Hawkins-
Clark, Rick Clinton, Anita Overlin, Pauline Skeggs, Mike Worley, Stacy
Kilchenmann and Will Berg
Item 1. Roll-call Attendance:
X Tammy de Weerd X Bill Nary
X Cherie McCandless X Keith Bird
X Mayor Robert Corrie
Corrie: I will open the Special Meeting Workshop of the Meridian City Council.
February 27, 2003 at 8:00. Let the record show that all the City Council
members are here and the department heads as well as superintendents.
Item 3. Discussion and Review of the Strategic Planning, Missions,
Visions, Goals, Objectives, Challenges and Action Issues for
the City of Meridian with John Luthy:
Corrie: Okay that I will thank John for being here this morning and giving us our
class and we are all bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to go and the chief is
here and we are all protected now. All right John.
Luthy: Thank you Mayor. Thank you very much. (Inaudible). It’s great to see
you all again and I look forward to a fun day. Let me – one of the things we
promised today is we go quickly and try to get you out of here early. We won’t –
we’re not going to extend this any longer than we have to. It will probably take
us a little bit into the afternoon perhaps mid-afternoon but it really depends on
this time which we have to report, how much we have to think and talk about
when we get to the major challenge areas and some of the major decision points
that you all have to make. Let me very quickly say something really, that kind of
excites me. I was just telling Bill that my work has continued to expand
throughout Idaho and around the United States. I’m very tickled to say some of
the work I’ve done recently in Idaho has really showcased your plan. You’re
going to get more and more calls from around the State on your plan by
showcasing a couple of meetings that I’ve had. People have looked at it other
cities, counties have looked at it, and they really like it. I’m tickled for that
because a lot of the work that I’ve done is showcased in here in terms of the
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 2 of 11
guidance. Folks really like it so I think you’re going to see that more and more.
People will call you for guidance and perhaps assistance to do their plans. The
guide that we’ve built the Mayor has a copy of this. The International City
County Map Association did put out the national guide for strategic planning
which I offered. This came out officially in August. It actually came out in
October this past year and the work that you all did the very good work you all
did your plan is really reflected – this guidance reflected and there’s more and
more organizations around the country right now are actually asking for some
copies of some recent plans. Yours is one of the more recent plans though. My
guess is there will be work that I’ll be doing in Lincoln and then some work in
Orlando here later in May. Don’t be surprised if people call you and ask you for a
copy of the plan and that’s (inaudible) so I encourage you to get it. It continues
to grow and the work that you did last year even though as we predicted it was
kind of bumpy at times because that first year is always so crazy. This is really
an outstanding plan and those who have looked at it at various venues and
conferences have said this is one of the nicer plans that they’ve seen. The work
that you did last year is really being celebrated by the venues and you should be
very proud of that. I certainly appreciate the hard work last year. Today, we’re
going to go through several different things. One thing I would like to do if I could
is to give a brief refresher just so as we get into this years’ planning usually the
second year is just probably 50 to 70 percent easier than the first year. We were
going to have a refresher program in January the time schedules just did not
allow it. We laid out a time schedule in fact in probably September we had
planned a refresher for all the departments. What I would like to do for just a
short time this morning is go through a very quick refresher so that all of you can
hear some reminders I suppose as you go into this years’ planning process.
Some of you are probably already done with your plans because those are due
fairly soon. I would guess that most of you or some of you are already done with
the plans for this year. If I could, I would like to just do a quick refresher and take
what you can use for this year. If you remember last time, we talked about last
year it’s been a year ago we talked about these words on versus in. I want to
remind you of these words again today because which most of the work that you
do as an organization and as (inaudible) organization have to – where your
learning to work on your organization as opposed to just kind of (inaudible).
Whenever we get together whenever I meet with anyone individually one of the
things we giggle about is how busy everybody is. The pace of work right now
and the volume of work right now is enormous. Meridian really is kind of the lead
of the pack around the State in terms of pace, growth, demand, and probably
expectations of the community. I don’t see it all of a sudden slowing down in the
next year. I think it’s going to continue to accelerate. This is the team that has to
really take time to work on your organization as opposed to (inaudible). Last
year I encouraged you to meet at least every year and I would hope you would
more often as a team to look and make challenges. To look at potential
strategies and the strategic initiative to determine what you plan to do to address
some of these problems and some of your expectations. I want you to
remember the word because these can help guide you in terms of how you think
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 3 of 11
and plan. The two words that are kind of (inaudible) are the what’s versus the
hows. Don’t forget that the what’s are strategic. The how’s are tactical or
operational. What we are looking at and as a group of grown ups we tend to
focus on the hows. We tend to focus on operations activities within our
organizations. That’s normal uses between (inaudible) but as we go through
more planning as you plan (inaudible) one of the things that you’ll have to
encourage each other to do is kind of get on your tip toes and look over
(inaudible) and say what is we are really trying to accomplish long term or even
short term. What are we trying to get it at (inaudible)? Where are the pastel
goals at the end of the day? What we tend to do is focus on how we’re going to
get there in our strategies and activities were going to do. Now you remember
last year we talked quite a bit about how we tend to just lay out the activities and
say those are our objectives. Our objective isn’t to put it in a sprinkler system in
a park that’s the (inaudible) strategy or activity. What we’re really trying to do
from the other end is whether you try to preserve something or try to increase
usage of a park or something like that. Probably maybe decrease problems
within the park. We have to recognize there’s a real difference between what it is
we’re trying to accomplish ultimately and how we’re going to do it. Remember
there’s a real difference between strategies and tactics or operationalizing things.
That’s going to be something that we’ll continue to oh I imagine challenges for a
long time. The design or the little diagram that last year I used I’ll use it again
today is the major questions that you all have to ask yourselves within the city is
what is too high that needs to be reduced and what is too low that you need to
increase. Of all the little silly diagrams, that I’ve (inaudible) probably for the past
15 years this one’s probably (inaudible) what strategic planning and thinking is all
about more than any other. What is just right that you want to maintain is the
third part. Everything you do in planning has to be based on an issue. Don’t
forget this. As a public sector planning is issue driven. What’s going to on in the
community that you consider is just too much. It’s too high congestion,
particulate matter in water, bacterial count in water, not enough water it’s too low.
Crime breaks, drug traffic, meth houses it doesn’t matter what it – each one of
you has to look at what is probably another one states this. What is
unsatisfactory in otherwards what is something you do not accept? What is
unacceptable because it’s just too low you need to get it up or it’s just too high
and you need to get it down? That’s why everything relates to an issue in this
area so the ultimate objective or the goal is to increase or to reduce. If you
remember one of the things, we always bump into in organizations all over the
country the ones I’ve talked with here in the past years since we started this they
forget that goals and objectives always increasing or decreasing. They are not
(inaudible) something. They are not to install something (inaudible) strategies
and activities. They are not to promote or to (inaudible) me or develop a new
methodology. It’s really to say what has been acceptable in your higher level and
how are we going to increase or decrease (inaudible). It’s time to do it it’s tactful
that’s operation. As a team, each year and what we’ll do a little bit later today or
this morning is what’s going on in this community start with major challenges.
We’ll start – we’ll go back to those again today. What is unacceptable to you as
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 4 of 11
a leadership team? Each year the departments will come to you and (inaudible)
to say these are the things that we really have to address in this community.
You’ll have to have cuts all upon the table and poke at them a little bit and decide
which ones are priorities because you only have certain (inaudible). If you can
always focus on these questions what’s too high, what’s too low, what’s just right
that we want to maintain that (inaudible) to maintain such, and such and such.
It’s as simple as that and everything will always boil down to that. If you keep
this as kind of your central thing, you really can’t go, very far and when you get
together as a team, you always stay very focused on what (inaudible). What so
many (inaudible) do is they get caught up in all of this so they’ll spend enormous
amounts of time talking about how we’re going to do it as opposed to what needs
to be done. It’s a simple thing perhaps but the (inaudible) focus on this stuff
because that’s how we’ve been raised. As you get together each year and as
you department directors meet in your normal meetings keep these things in
your mind. I tend to be redundant on these because it seems like you always,
and I do it too we tend to rubber band back to old habits start focusing on this
stuff. Any thoughts on that any questions? Does that make sense to everybody
still? I’m going to jump to another little diagram. Because everything you do
(inaudible) day but as department directors as a Council and certainly as a
Mayor has to be broken into two fundamental dimensions. All of these issues
are either external issues out in the community or it will be internal issues that
relate to things that inhibit you from doing (inaudible) best work anything that
keeps you from doing your very best that’s more of a possession. If this is
(inaudible) delivering for the public it should be dealt with within each one of
these major dimensions would be better. You have to (inaudible) of things
(inaudible). Some of you remember this very well so I’ll go fairly quickly. I also
want to mention Mayor, I’m not sure when we’ll have – the AIC is publishing a
whole bunch of these they’re sending them out I think we took part in that in a
meeting a week or so ago. I think they’re publishing thousands of these coming
out I think to all cities and I know Meridian is on the list of a certain size. I think
all the Council and maybe department directors so this guide a map of all this
stuff is going to grow hopefully (inaudible). These things (inaudible) thinking of a
mission or a department – these things relate to your mission why you’re here in
the first place. You’re here a Police Department your mission is to deal with
what’s going on out here in the community (inaudible) crime prevention and other
types of prevention. Mike’s going to be looking outward outside of the
department to identify (inaudible) internally it basically has to do more with public
trust but that department -- and each of your departments is going to be
managing to your highest and best level. Mission effective, cost effective,
productive all those words that have to do with a good operation all of the things
that all of you I know each one of you (inaudible) the following expects to do a
super job while we’re here. Only us, only need to look at our own departments
so I tend to get on the soap box a lot and say hold up a mirror to yourselves and
say how are we doing as a team. Each one of your departments has to have
meetings they (inaudible) a little bit. When we’re looking let’s, go back to
(inaudible). If you recall what we’re looking at from potential things are things
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 5 of 11
you can count, and you got touch, feel, and measure. If we’re using if you don’t
mind if I can use you as an example we’re looking at the police and law
enforcement we’re really looking at crime, incidents, we’re looking at anything
that has to do with public safety (inaudible) public works as well as water and
wastewater. Anything that you can actually put numbers to or percentages to
and actually count so that you can actually say maybe you can say can we have
certain types of crime that’s too high or saying team we have to get that done.
(Inaudible) we just if we say as a team that’s just too high we have to get those
down so resources (inaudible) something you can count, you can measure and
come back to the team and say these are things that we’re going to address.
They’re already in your plans (inaudible). We also have to look at as planners
remember you can look externally now. The chief has to look external and he
has to raise questions remember what those questions are externally. Do you
guys remember?
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council Members)
Luthy: What’s a good – may I refer (inaudible) images or of the Police
Department or of law enforcement in general. What about the image they have.
What about trust? What about communication within the community. Is it open
is it forthright. Do people call the police do they feel comfortable? There’s a
comfort level that (inaudible). There’s collaboration are we getting collaboration
within the community that we really want? Certainly, cooperation is an issue.
We really have to look at our public communities. What about our reputation? If
we as a partner don’t look at that and we are (inaudible) that little part it actually
can be a very big part of strategic thinking. Yet, as I told you last year, so many
public agencies don’t look at that because it’s too scratchy. It’s a little scary to go
out in the community and say how are we doing how can we do a better job and
start to get a feel for these things yet, realize what sinks your ship. In a public
world private organization, it’s not this (inaudible). You can be doing a really
great job over here and no (inaudible) they can use (inaudible) you know that
because you live in that world and I have too. You can do a great job in terms of
your professional work then over here just be (inaudible). We need to know this
yet again as I said last year I don’t want any five – three percent for possession.
In the public sector, they spend (inaudible) looking at this stuff. What I’ve heard
and again today is to look, starting as a team and as each department director
take time because rather your chance and say gee over the course of the year
(inaudible) gathering information on (inaudible) in terms of how we can do a
better job. That’s also part of our mission at this time. Certainly, rely on what our
mission was on this step. We did great here understanding the world we tend to
not do quite so well. It’s real easy to force yourself (inaudible) quick. Internally
we are great at budgeting for (inaudible) budget work that you do facing
(inaudible) just basically money in the banks is why. Thinking back in my years
and years ago, I’ve worked for the city government, the county government, and
the state government. Most of my work budgeting on a (inaudible) basis would
all even in this stuff. I was working basically in the organization. I was basically
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 6 of 11
trying to each year figure out what I needed to do my job and look back to my
mission so I would spend most of my time internally on this real gargantuous
stuff. I didn’t spend very much time on this. Again, what sinks your ship in an
organization? Is it slowly the number of cars, or number of people that you know
necessarily or (inaudible) system? We ask the same question as planners that
the group, really thoughtful professional people how much time do we spend
each year and each month at work looking (inaudible) within our organization
(inaudible) how are we doing in areas of moral, loyalty? The big 3 C word
always communication, cooperation, and collaboration how well do we actually
collaborate as a team. Will was just telling me that with this baby boom going on
in his department people had to really help each other. It hasn’t really
collaborating cross-pollination help each other with work.
De Weerd: That’s why it happened.
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council Members)
Luthy: But see we have to look at these things do we do a good job and what is
the level of trust within our department. What about among the departments?
Who can answer that question other than you? Oh sure you can have someone
from the outside do a study on (inaudible). What about collaboration among the
departments? Do we plan as a team? Are we courageous enough to put our
issues and challenges up on the wall internally and say let’s work on this? Talk a
little bit more just a little bit so (inaudible) see when the organization (inaudible).
When you start looking at internal commitment of people all the things that relate
there’s a whole list of them that really had to do with how well this organization
as a city government operates. Every part of it (inaudible) groups and your staffs
all of you have an opinion on this. I think you all agree on it. You all have an
opinion and all understand. Not only (inaudible) coincide so that’s an interesting
thing. Now if you don’t look at that stuff on a regular basis who’s going to do it.
A lot of the work I do is going and help cities go through that but again as a team
and this is a good team you can look at me saying but it takes a little bit of
courage and sometimes it takes a little bit of the process. I want to encourage
you to be looking at these things and you have. Remember you have a lot of
them in here and a lot of them were taken out and put in the organization
improvement plan, which is what the OIC (inaudible). As you identify areas of –
things are bumping a little bit a little changing (inaudible) then first of all
recognize that it’s normal. Not just some weird anomaly that you know we
(inaudible). The questions are whether we can do them all. Don’t let them fester
just say that’s the way we are we’re bumping on some things that’s okay. Let’s
make sure we push it back to some organization like an organization
improvement council that will actually work on those things and then you go back
to the Mayor come back to the Council and come back to each other as
teammates and say let’s do this for (inaudible). It also makes a process again
because years will just go by time is ripping by and if we don’t address in as an
oxymoron then we would address it (inaudible). Other cities some (inaudible)
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 7 of 11
close by (inaudible) similar things that people in an organization they’re kind of
new with more going on but it can fester (inaudible). Remember as we look at
issues and challenges a lot of work that we deal with is part of our mission and
servants that the public will focus externally because that’s why we’re here that’s
what we do regards to the parks, water, wastewater, human resources it doesn’t
really matter. The other ones are in it so each year you won’t even have to look
at this. I’m going to encourage you from the mayor’s office working with the
directors and the City Council to raise questions about how the communities
(inaudible). Any thoughts on that any questions on that? Do you all think you’ve
done a pretty good job addressing those things in the past few years since we’ve
(inaudible)? Any progress?
Corrie: I think there has been – I know there has been with the staff meetings
that we’ve been doing some more of. We also said we’re going to probably have
30 minutes more in our staff meetings and we’re going to put this part of the – as
part of an essay or task that we have that we know that they’re looking at the
issues and challenges. It’s going to be added to the staff meeting.
Luthy: This little diagram has got a lot of mileage wherever it’s been so we keep
it – and I like the simplicity. It’s kind of like an old (inaudible) it works better if
(inaudible). I think that one and this one (inaudible) two fundamental (inaudible)
they pretty much cover the one. (Inaudible) you don’t need to get much more
and there’s lots of (inaudible) knowledge on every book on strategic planning
every written. I’ve just I’ve had a whole library of books. Some of them go so far
(inaudible) and statistical analysis and all kinds of stuff. You know no matter how
you can (inaudible) all this stuff it always comes back to the same place it was
stuck. If you start there, I guess you really can’t go wrong. I encourage you to
do that. How many of you are familiar – you all have had personality
assessments of some sort haven’t you? I mean you all had the great pleasure of
finding all about yourself.
Corrie: We’re in the process of it right now.
Skeggs: We’re doing it now.
Luthy: Oh is that right?
Corrie: It’s not a pretty picture.
Luthy: It is a scary thing.
Corrie: It’s scary.
Luthy: It’s been fun (inaudible) those for years and they’re great fun. I tend to
run those even on myself every year to see if those have anything, better, you
know or worse I suppose. There’s – how many of you are familiar with Johari
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 8 of 11
window do you understand what the Johari window is? I want to share with you
even though it’s basically it’s a thing I do in leadership training. I want to share it
with you because I want you to see it not only for yourselves as people but also
see it as an application for an entire organization. The Johari window how do
you spell that. Now a true story the guys that developed this were psychologists
and basically their names were Joe (inaudible) Hari and they just – they had to
make it sound really eastern (inaudible) you know so they made it the Johari
window. Every person in and by application for the overall organization and also
every organization has four fundamental dimensions. All of us have a side that
is very open. When I met with each one of you, some of you were just open
chat, go up and tell stories and share stuff back and forth. There’s also a part of
you here that we all kind of hold back a little. This is the part that we keep
hidden. There’s a part of us over here that is blind. It’s known to others, which
we call the blind spot (inaudible) spot. People see it about us and they say boy
you know that Tammy she sure is blah blah blah but yet the part may be a part of
her that she doesn’t ever see. Then there’s a part over here for all of us that it is
unknown. In (inaudible) work I do I explain that this little diagram will help you
more in relationships in the workplace or at home more than anything else.
There are two on (inaudible) second. Now every personality has a certain
dimension that (inaudible). It’s just like another personality – you know if you do
personalities, it’s all different shades of yellow, green, red, and blue. Some of us
are very open we’re way over here our open boxes. We’ll tell you (inaudible)
likes and dislikes then there are some of us that we you know are very close to
that (inaudible). You’ve met people who you know you sit and get to know them
and you’re like you know they don’t give you very much. Then you meet other
people and they’re like you know my (inaudible) kind of people. (Inaudible) that
really keep things pretty (inaudible). They just don’t share very much with you.
Now what happens over time in an organization and just among people as we
get to know each other we get more and more open. You all know each other
pretty dog gone well so more and more this grows. You know you talk about
stress – the more and more you learn you know you have the blind spot to get
over (inaudible). One of the things that the only way we can learn about these,
well we (inaudible) hidden the way we feel will go as (inaudible). We have to be
willing, brave enough and trusting enough oh that’s a word that I didn’t put on
that intangible. Trust is critical for disclosure. If I had some issues with Rick I
have to trust Rick, enough (inaudible) say Rick (inaudible).
(Inaudible discussion amongst Council Members)
Luthy: If I could go into Rick or Jon and say to them would you help me with
something I really need your help. Rick’s a good person with a good person he’ll
say yes Jon come on. It might be something that he said or did (inaudible) I can
find trust. I know that he’s not going to beat me up he’s not going to work or
abuse me and he’s certainly not going to fire me for my honesty because we
trust each other. He knows that I’m a marble and I’m not going to go on just a
bad feeling. I really have an issue (inaudible) let’s sit down let’s talk about it. It
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 9 of 11
happened like this. Remember there’s only one (inaudible) on trust. You know it
is trustworthy. (Inaudible) he talks about that in one part of the book what it took.
In order to disclose among a team like this in an organization we have to really
trust each other enough to know that we might not agree. If Bill and I disagree
on something, we have to know that we’re going to disagree with honesty. We’re
not going to scratch and bite because we realize that hey we’re just big kids
doing the best we can do and we might come from different backgrounds and
perspectives but we trust each other enough to know that we belong. Among a
team like this, it’s critical that you have a level of trust that it’s okay to disagree.
It’s okay to have different perspectives that’s what makes you so happy and so
powerful. In order for me to disclose something to Bill, Rick, Jon, Kenny to any
of you on your work your team I have to know that there’s (inaudible). I have to
trust you so we have to access some level (inaudible) this is where we start –
you can always feel (inaudible) because if it gets closer to the edge of where
most of us live we like to stay away from that edge. Here’s the big one over
here. The only way we can learn about our blind spots is how? That’s right
feedback the old feedback. I need feedback. Now, same old story. The only
way I can really learn about (inaudible) about how I’ve impacted other people is
to go and ask. How can I do a better job? If I had to go to Kenny and say
Kenny, I’m having trouble with someone at the station what’s going on? Well
again, before he can really answer me honestly what has to be present for him to
do that? Trust. He has to know he has to trust that my intent for asking is
honorable and that I really will take the feedback where at least (inaudible). You
see I’m not going to ask Kenny for feedback unless I know that he’s the kind of
guy that’s not going to just beat the hell out of me. He’ll probably say well I’m
glad you came in here we need (inaudible) you’re screwing everything up. Oh,
well thank you I’m glad I asked you know. See, when you talk to staff’s when you
go out and actually talk to folks don’t ever ever think about every single person
(inaudible) does not have an opinion of whether or not they ask those questions.
You know all of you just put a great big exclamation mark right there. Everybody
works within each one of you already asked that question and answered it. They
have a belief system within the staff of whether or not they can go and say Rick
(inaudible). Blind spots only go away if we help people. What happens if we
don’t open the door and it has to be done? What happens if you see something
that one of your peers or your team or in an employee. See that’s why
performance (inaudible) so different. That’s why I don’t like (inaudible). If
somebody just asked me what dilemma this (inaudible).
Corrie: It’s still closed you don’t know.
Luthy: What?
Corrie: It’s still closed and you don’t know.
Luthy: You don’t know or if it’s your job to do something about it because you’re
a development person then you know we’ve all been through this. A lot of
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 10 of 11
(inaudible) children we’re all just a bunch of big kids. (Inaudible) just a bunch of
kids too of course older kids (inaudible). If somebody doesn’t ask if I don’t know
(inaudible) help me out then he is going to (inaudible) issue. Do you see why
because they have to have – in order to get me to see this wide spot we have
ahead they would have to basically try to open that door. Where does that put
them in the middle because (inaudible) a personality to not bring over the
change. Yet, they have to sit me down and talk about my style with other
employees or about my style with the public. You have some people in the city
that do not have really good styles with the public did you know that? Yet, in
order to deal with that you know that puts you in a dilemma because if they came
into your office and said Mayor you know I just get the feeling that I’m not real
(inaudible). I don’t have the skills I really need to deal with the public and you’re
going the doors open now for a nice discussion. If they never convince soliciting
your advice, yet, everybody around them sees the blind spot and everybody
around them is going (inaudible). Well (inaudible). you see if people trust
enough and if we have an open (inaudible) organization we throw through and
it’s okay to say I’m not great at everything so Jon help me out. you say yes,
come on it let’s (inaudible). That’s a nice feeling that I have that I have my boss
for a team mate that I can go ahead and say I’m buffing on some stuff can you
give me some feedback. You’re going sure come on in. I trust that you’re not
going to just take me out and put me in a headlock. Maybe I need it but I’m
going to trust that you’re not going to do that. This had to be here but if we don’t
have that type of environment people will not ask for feedback. The unknown
part of each one of us there are parts of us that we don’t know why we’re that
way. We haven’t discovered yet (inaudible). Other people don’t see it, we don’t
see it and these are things and I can tell some stories that are kind of (inaudible).
I’ve met people that when in their 30’s, 40’s or 50’s and you have too you have
found they were abused you know as children who had seen traumatic events in
their neighborhood (inaudible) and it’s scarred and changed them. We’ve all
known – we’ve read stories we know this happens. There are things that happen
in our lives that tend to channel us, move us, or make us be quiet or we’re
mistrusting that are just aprt of who we are unless we actively seek to figure out
why we’re the way we are maybe no one knows. Hopefully as we grow as
people we become more and more like this. We’re real, we’re very trusting, we
have very little that’s hidden because we don’t need to hide it any more. We
have very little that’s (inaudible) because we’re actively trying to get better all the
time. As we grow there is very little (inaudible) since I’ve known. This is help
when you have open windows like this. Now, what I want you to do is realize that
we’re talking also about an organization. (Inaudible) hard for an entire city
government and a management team. If this management team can be
extremely open, honest, and honorable then basically the stuff that goes on over
here there’s very little you need to discover as bad stuff that’s unknown to
anybody. This organization does not have big blind spots. The planning process
will do most of this for you. It really will. They all I see will really help as well by
keeping agendas up on the wall of things that meet internal approval. Through it
all though, the challenge and we talked about this when we started to get all
Meridian City Council Special Meeting
February 27, 2003
Pg. 11 of 11
(inaudible) organization through the Council is that occasionally they will bring up
some topics that are a little scratchy that are a little difficult. Occasionally they’re
going to bring those to the Mayor and maybe even the Mayor will have them
bring it to the City Council and just sit back and talk about it and say what do I do
about this. There’s (inaudible) and there’s no easy answer. The organization of
Council their job is to keep those things on the wall because they would have to
be addressed. Remember that the (inaudible) as well because their job is to
keep control (inaudible). on two different levels the Johari one that impacts all of
us every day and ever person has one everybody on your staff. What I want you
to do is think about (inaudible) hope you’ve made some notes. Think about your
staff, your team and ask a question at least (inaudible) how open are we? How
trusting are we? Do we have any blind spots as an organization? Are w