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Choosing forms of Local cooperation

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 18:50:08 GMT

Figuring Out How Local Governments Work Together. We often think of our municipalities as distinct, self-governing entities. We see the name on the welcome sign, pay our taxes to the municipal office, and maybe even harbor a friendly rivalry with the next town over. This image of fierce independence is a cornerstone of local identity. But behind the scenes, a more complex and cooperative reality is often at play.

This collaboration frequently takes the form of a Council of Governments, or COG. While the name might sound like just another layer of bureaucracy, COGs are a powerful and surprisingly nuanced tool for inter-municipal partnership. Let's explore some of the most impactful and counter-intuitive realities of how these organizations function, revealing the hidden trade-offs and unexpected benefits of local government cooperation.

COGs are Powerful Partners, Not a New Layer of Government. A common fear among local officials is that any form of regional cooperation is a slippery slope toward consolidation—a new, larger government that erodes local control. However, the fundamental structure of a COG is designed to prevent this very outcome. COGs are voluntary associations of municipalities; no community is ever required to join. Crucially, participating municipalities retain their local autonomy and independent identity. A COG is not a super-government. It has no taxing power of its own and cannot exercise any power that has not been specifically granted to it by its member communities. The entire framework reinforces local control; even the COG's internal organizational structure, including voting representation, is a matter of local choice. This structure ensures that decision-making authority remains firmly in the hands of the local elected officials accountable to their residents, directly addressing the public’s fear of a "loss of local autonomy" and making the entire model of cooperation politically feasible.

COG’s Greatest Strength is Also the Greatest Weakness. The voluntary nature that makes COGs acceptable to independent-minded communities is also the source of their greatest operational challenges. This central paradox defines the delicate balance they must strike. Because a COG is a voluntary association and lacks its own independent legal authority, it cannot compel municipal commitment to regional policies. If a town decides a specific program isn't in its best interest, it can simply decline to participate, which can lead to uneven participation and weaken the effectiveness of a regional initiative. This reliance on consensus is made even more difficult because COGs often manage a broad patchwork of interests, policy goals, and regional expectations among their diverse members. Progress can be fragile and easily derailed if not managed carefully. This paradox is important because it highlights the immense difficulty of achieving meaningful, region-wide results. COG leaders must constantly work to build and maintain trust among diverse members without the authority to mandate action.

A COG Can Lower Costs for Local Businesses as well as Government. COGs are well-known for creating government efficiencies, like saving taxpayer money by jointly bidding for refuse collection or sharing expensive public works equipment. What is less obvious is how these partnerships can deliver tangible benefits to the local private sector. One of the most powerful examples is the development of model ordinances. A COG can bring its members together to draft a single, uniform ordinance for complex issues like stormwater management or false alarm reduction. When member municipalities adopt this model ordinance, they create a consistent regulatory environment across the entire region. This has a direct and positive impact on local businesses by eliminating the confusion and expense of navigating conflicting municipal codes, making it simpler and cheaper for contractors and developers to operate across multiple jurisdictions. This is just one of many surprising roles; COGs also add value by coordinating shared GIS mapping services or even forming land banks to acquire and repurpose blighted properties.

COG Meetings are not an Extra Meeting for Elected Officials. It's easy to dismiss government meetings as bureaucratic formalities, but for a COG, the meeting itself is a core function. Beyond voting on joint purchasing contracts or service agreements, a COG’s primary value often lies in its role as a communication hub. A COG offers a neutral arena where elected officials and managers can build professional relationships, discuss mutual problems, and learn about regional, state, and national issues that affect them all. This regular, structured dialogue is invaluable. Over time, it allows municipalities to develop common positions on major issues and present a united front to county or state government. Sending this "clear and strong message" does more than just enhance the probability of a positive policy outcome; it is a strategic tool for avoiding legislative stalemate caused by conflicting recommendations from individual municipalities. The downside, however, is that this group deliberative process can be slow, sometimes frustrating officials who feel "it takes too long" to reach a decision.

COG Alternatives Have Hidden Costs. When municipalities need to cooperate on a single issue, like running a joint police force, they can use a simple Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). This direct, contractual approach often seems faster and easier than forming or joining a multipurpose COG. However, choosing the simpler path comes with a significant opportunity cost. By opting for a series of single-purpose agreements instead of a broader COG, municipalities lose several key strategic advantages: an organizational framework for future shared programs, a neutral forum for ongoing dialogue, and a unified regional voice. Over time, this choice can lead to more than just missed opportunities; it can create tangible administrative problems. Relying on multiple, separate IGAs can result in administrative fragmentation where programs evolve in different directions, creating hidden costs and operational chaos such as unequal pay for similar positions or inconsistent and divergent features and practices across various joint ventures. The "simpler" choice in the short term may lead to greater fragmentation and less strategic coordination over the long term.

Intermunicipal cooperation through Councils of Governments is a complex but powerful tool for modern governance. Far from being a simple administrative arrangement, it is a dynamic system full of non-obvious trade-offs. COGs must balance the need for voluntary participation with the goal of meaningful action, and their greatest strengths are often intertwined with their most significant weaknesses. They are not another layer of government, but a platform that preserves local autonomy while enabling regional strength.

Considering these hidden complexities and powerful benefits, how should your own community strike the right balance between fierce independence and strategic regional partnership? Is it forming a Council of Government? If so, how and when and for what purpose? Navigating the path among the various choices is our distinct honor when working with clients. Let us know how we can help.

meeting vitality

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 19:54:02 GMT

Are your meetings a mash-up of discussions, question and answers, recommendations, inquiries, individual opinions, speeches for the audience? Are there frequent calls to stop talking something to death? Do some board members dominate the meeting? Or alternatively do individuals shy away from expressing themselves? Do your meetings feel like you are going through the motions?

Meeting management is often recommended as the response to many of these situations. And meeting management is important, especially as it relates to preparation, structure, roles, and procedures that help meetings run smoothly.

Meeting vitality, is another thing all together. Meeting vitality asks, "is this meeting giving strength and energy (life!) to all its participants?" Each organization has the ability to develop meetings with vitality. Broadly speaking, vital meetings allow for both thinking and doing. Inquiry and deciding. Taking care of business and expressing opinions and emotions. The 2-part formula for meeting vitality is allowing space and time for both productivity and vulnerability.

Productivity doesn't appear to be too difficult for most boards--it is often a point of pride of "how much we got done." However those same boards are often surprised that their activity is not always appreciated. What happened? What was likely missing was the life force brought to groups by allowing for vulnerability.

Thinking, inquiry, and self-expression can leave us vulnerable. And making time for this vulnerability is just what may make our meetings more vital. I suggest this is the purpose of the workshop meeting. This doesn't take away from the action, decision-making and the taking care of business. This is the purpose of the business meeting.

Are you separating your meeting into workshops and business meetings? Do those meetings hold true to the purpose described here? The proof of this will be in the vulnerability--did you experience a space and time to be vulnerable? It won't be in the the efficiency of getting things done. Both parts are needed for meeting vitality. Its measurement, though, is in vulnerability allowed by the workshop.

Unfortunately there is not one simple formula for creating space and time for vulnerability. Each board must come to their approach on their own. As a coach, I can help. Please contact me for further assistance.

confidential organizational assessment tool (COAT)

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 17:55:08 GMT

Allegheny League of Municipalities (ALOM) is a place-based association of municipalities in Pennsylvania. Organized more by geography than by particular type of government (cities, boroughs, authorities, etc.), ALOM brings municipalities together each Spring. The potential of the these local governments to act collectively is unlimited!

To celebrate and congratulate ALOM on successfully pulling together another conference, still a challenge in post-pandemic 2023, the following ad was placed in the conference book to inform local leaders of our services and to offer a free online confidential organizational assessment tool (COAT). This tool has been developed to help local government boards and staff identify needs in forming a development plan. Assess your organization's focus, culture and actions today. Submit a service request here or text or call 412.353.3997 to get started.

getting through it: elections, politics, & social media

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

It's a new year. It is also the start of something else: campaign season. Lately, elections seem to be bringing about more unease than they used to. There is no escaping them! In reality, elections haven't changed--there has always been an election every year (even year and odd year elections). These days, though, we are experiencing campaigns in the era of social media. Since the arrival of social media, tensions around politics have heightened in ways we couldn’t have imagined a generation ago (and no, the irony of a blog post that will disseminate through social media isn’t lost on me).

When working with individuals and teams in the civic and governmental sector, social media often comes up as a sore subject. The most common complaints: trolls, assumptions, and rumors. It is not only that monitoring and correcting information takes a lot of time (which it does). It is also the self-consciousness that we may experience ourselves and in others. Reacting to social media can sometimes be a stand-in for dialog or execution.

All of this drama fiddles with emotions, begs for policy-making and happens in real-time. “Just staying out of it” doesn’t work anymore (and allows the jerks to tell the story). Politics as usual is amped up for now and the foreseeable future.

How will you handle the tension of the next election(s)? What is your relationship with social media and the content you experience there? What will you discover about yourself during hard times (or the just icky ones)? When our future selves look back, we will understand how these times shaped our spirit, commitments and institutions. Institutions like elections which are fundamental to governance. But first we go through it.

The work you do supports the public good. When you thrive, we all benefit. Please let me know if you are interested in confidential coaching and consulting to help bring forth your great potential.

PA election schedule

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

better budgets build better decisions

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Tis the Budget season and many executive directors, municipal managers and other public administrators in small organizations aspire for better budgets that facilitate policy making, particularly for volunteer boards or part-time elected officials.

Budgeting is an expression of values. But in a small organization, how do find time to do more than a basic spreadsheet? Instead of carrying around that frustration, why not set an intention to improve your budget little by little over a series of years? This smaller, incremental approach, if done with a clear vision of where you are going, will bring about lasting gains and won't require dropping everything else while you valiantly try to raise the bar .

To do this, take inspiration from the free criteria of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Awards program. That may seem counter intuitive as the Award is a significant accomplishment. But with the right "baby steps" approach you will begin to see real gains in the quality of information available for making decisions.

Start by being aware of the mandatory criteria of this program (see table below). This baby step allows the weaving-in of budgeting activities into the day-to-day management of your organization (instead of waiting until "budget season"). For example, has a strategic, comprehensive or other planning process recently taken place? Great! Rely on the mission, goals and objectives in that to kick of the goals of your budget. Participating in a certification programs such as Sustainable Pennsylvania? Awesome! A good place to start for performance measures.

Once you know the components of a "good" budget, you can begin to plug much of your existing work into each of the following major categories of the GFOA Criteria. This table presents the budget questions to be answered by each category (table best viewed in desktop browser). Make incremental gains over a few years and you are well on your way. It makes me think of what my dad always said, "Inch by inch, life's a cinch...Yard by yard, life is hard."

Category	Questions
Goals	Are strategic goals included?
	Is the process for creating the strategic goals explained?
	Are action plans and/or strategies included to show how these goals will be accomplished?
Budget Message	Are action plans and/or strategies included to show how these goals will be accomplished?
	Does the message highlight the principal issues facing the governing body in developing the budget (e.g., policy issues, economic factors, regulatory, and legislative challenges)?
	Does the message describe the actions to be taken to address these issues?
	Does the message explain how the priorities for the budget year differ from the priorities of the current year?
Significant issues and Overview	Are major changes in service levels, fees, and/or taxes presented?
	Is an overview contained in the budget message/transmittal letter, executive summary, or in a separate budget-in-brief?
	Is summary information on significant budgetary items conveyed in an easy to consume format?
	Is summary information on budgetary trends provided?
	Is a summary of changes presented between the proposed to adopted budget?
Entity Wide Policies	Is there a summary of financial policies?
	Do the financial policies include the definition of a balanced budget?
	Does the budget comply with relevant financial policies?
Consolidated Summaries of Major Revenues & Expenditures	Is an overview of revenues and other financing sources and expenditures and other financing uses of all appropriated funds included?
	Are revenues and other financing sources and expenditures and other financing uses presented either (1) together in a single schedule or (2) in separate but adjacent/sequential schedules or (3) in a matrix?
	Are revenues presented by major type in this schedule (e.g., property taxes, intergovernmental, sales taxes, fees and charges)?
	Are expenditures presented by function, program, or spending component in this schedule?
3 Year Histories - Prior/Current/Proposed	Are revenues and other financing sources and expenditures and other financing uses for the prior year, the current year, and the budget year presented together on the same schedule(s) or on schedules presented on adjacent/sequential pages?
	Is this information presented for the appropriated funds in total?
	Is this information also presented at a minimum for each major fund and for other (i.e. nonmajor) funds in the aggregate (or for each significant fund and other funds in the aggregate if no appropriated funds are included)?
	Are revenues presented by major type in this schedule (e.g., property taxes, intergovernmental, sales taxes, fees and charges)?
	Are expenditures presented by function, program, or spending component in this schedule?
Fund Balance Changes	Is the definition of fund balance (net position if no governmental funds) included?
	Is the fund balance /net position information presented for the budget year?
	Is there a schedule showing (1) beginning fund balances, (2) increases or decreases in total fund balances, and (3) ending fund balances for appropriated governmental funds?
	Is this information presented at a minimum for each major fund and for nonmajor governmental funds in the aggregate?
	If fund balances of any major fund or the nonmajor funds in the aggregate are anticipated to increase or decline by more than 10%, does the document include a discussion of the causes and/or consequences of these changes in fund balance?
	Are individual revenue sources described?
Revenues	Do the revenue sources that are described represent at least 75 percent of the total revenues of all appropriated funds?
	Are the methods used to estimate revenues for the budget year described (e.g., trend analysis, estimates from another government or consulting firm)?
	If revenues are projected based on trend information, are both those trends and the underlying assumptions adequately described?
Capital Expenditures	Are capital expenditures defined?
	Do the materials indicate the total dollar amount (for both sources and uses) of the capital program for the budget year(s) and/or multiyear capital plan?
	Are significant nonrecurring capital expenditures described along with dollar amounts?
	Are significant nonrecurring capital expenditures described along with dollar amounts?
	What is the process to identify funded projects?
	Is there a description and quantification of how specific nonrecurring capital projects will affect the current and future operating budget?
Debt Service	Are debt limits and coverage requirements described and calculated?
	Is the amount of principal and interest payments presented through maturity for each fund?
	Are bond ratings shown?
Department Goals	Are departmental/program goals and objectives described?
	Are departmental/program goals clearly linked to the strategic goals of the entity?
	Are objectives quantifiable?
	Are timeframes on objectives noted?
Performance Measures	Are performance data for individual departments or programs included in the document?
	Are performance data directly related to the stated goals and objectives of the department or program?
	Do performance measures focus on results and accomplishments (e.g., output measures, efficiency and effectiveness measures) rather than inputs (e.g., dollars spent)?
Charts and Graphs	Are charts and graphs used in the document to convey essential information (e.g., key policies, trends, choices and impacts)?
Charts and Graphs	Are graphics explained?
Source: Government Finance Officers Association, Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Criteria (not a complete list)

embodying presence

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 16:37:54 GMT

Brendan Sullivan owned the day back in 1987 when he uttered this line as part of the Iran Contra Hearings. It is Sullivan's competency and confidence that stand out (the proceedings and their significance is for a different discussion). If he had been competent with out being confident, his purpose that day may have been overlooked. Had he been confident without being competent, he may have lacked credibility. Humor gave his asserting of himself a light touch. As he brought it all together, he embodied presence. Unforgettable!

identifying democratic principles

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 12:08:03 GMT

The world is roiling from stress on many fronts, felt deeply by public servants. Prompted by a friend's question, "What are we all about anymore," I was inspired by a recent article to put democratic principles into a venn diagram. The challenge of "government of the people and by the people" to create a government for the people is coaxed along through important institutional supports. Public servants are a huge part of this dynamic relationship and I am honored to support them. Creating this helped me, and I hope it can be helpful for others, as well (with apologies to the graphic artists of the world).

As articulated so well by Podger, a comprehensive list of democratic principles might comprise the following:

Government of the people, by the people:

Regular elections, majority rule, consent of the governed
All (adult) citizens have equal right (and ability) to vote
One vote, one value
Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly
Constraints on untoward influence (financial, foreign)

Government for the people:

Checks and balances to avoid “tyranny of the majority” and “rule of the mob”
Limits on government power, subject to human rights
Separation of powers, particular the independence of the judiciary
Fair and just administration, capable and professional civil service
Public accountability, freedom of information
Responsiveness to different communities, inclusiveness

Associated environmental support:

Well-informed, well-educated populace
Freedom of the press, responsible media
Open political party processes, wide public participation
Trust in government and its institutions.

Heading into July 4th, this is time for civic mindfulness. Wishing all a peaceful long weekend.

being delegated

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT

In Pennsylvania, municipal elections occur in odd numbered years and the governing boards formed by those elections swear-in new members at a meeting that following January. At that same meeting the board will reorganize, including making various appointments or assignments. If participating, one of those appointments is Delegate to the Council of Governments (COG). In a wholly unscientific anecdotal survey, it has been observed that this duty is often assigned to the newest member(s) of the board; i.e. an individual just elected in November. This results in that newly elected official having to learn the ropes of their office and what it takes to be a member of the board of an organization intended for regional action. Challenging!

To help, here is a handy top-ten list of ways COG Delegates can make a difference.

A COG is a government council. It serves the governments that comprise it. Help it work with your municipality, not against it.
Be positive and constructive in your role as delegate and as conduit between two organizations. Sometimes in working out compromises and collaborations the path isn’t clear and this can be frustrating. This is your opportunity to shine as someone who believes in your town and in your neighbors.
Have a “COG presence.” Attend other meetings of your local government or with other local governments with an eye for how the COG can help make good decisions, programs or outcomes occur in your area.
Share the information you gain at COG with your home governing board. Make sure you make a report on the workings of the COG at all your regular meetings, including COG agendas and minutes.
Honor the commitment. Come to meetings, and share the work with your fellow municipal officials.
With your fellow COG Delegates and COG staff, research, analyze, and come to consensus as a board. Be in a position to explain and support decisions and programs of the COG.
Respect differing viewpoints. This may sound obvious but the membership of the COG may include many different communities and experiences. Avoid making assumptions and instead offer listening, respect, and suspension of judgment a bit longer than you may in situations where you have more complete information.
Invite others to attend COG meetings. They are open to the public.
Scan the environment regularly for regional opportunities. If your town is going through it, it is likely that someone else’s town is too.
Share ideas with your fellow Delegates and support COGs across the state. This includes getting to know the variety and specialties of COGs. Network with other COG officials. Every one of them has a unique and creative story of how their COG came to be! Share and learn.

Do you serve on an intergovernmental board? How's it going, fostering collaboration? If you serve on a COG Board, thank you! Intergovernmental cooperation and collaboration is truly important in striking a balance between local control and regional success. How do you hone your abilities and succeed?

inclusion and government finance

Wed, 05 May 2021 12:22:03 GMT

The Government Finance Officers (GFOA) of US and Canada has issued an "End the Acronym" policy statement urging all stakeholders to refer to the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report as just that or as the "Annual Report" or even say each letter of the former acronym individually "C. A. F. R." As the premiere professional organization of government finance officials, GFOA is challenging a population that loves acronyms to discontinue one of the most widely used.

It is about upholding the profession's ethics. The acronym sounds like a slur to a more international audience and GFOA has placed a high value on Diversity and Inclusion in its new Code of Ethics. This got me to thinking about how the Code has changed. I had been using the old code in teaching and training for years, so I pull out my synopsis of it a lined it up with the top level statements of the new code (in a spreadsheet, of course!):

What was most striking in this comparison was the use of "I" statements in the new code. That and broad statements of principles. It is simultaneously more expansive and more succinct. Overall, a very impressive change. When I dug a little deeper I found the YouTube video GFOA produced for the new code. At time of writing it has 3 likes (one of which is mine!) Give it some kudos if you too are impressed by GFOA's more holistic approach to ethics and how government finance strives to make the world a better place. After all, what we budget and what we measure is ultimately a statement of values.

And speaking of values, GFOA has also come out with a publication to take inclusion up a notch and address directly issues of racial justice and the concept of defunding the police. Whether that phrase inspires or exasperates you, one thing for sure is that local governments and finance officers will sit at the cross roads of divergent views. GFOA has taken the topic head on and produced various resources.

Coaching and facilitation helps organizations and individuals address important topics in a proactive and forward-focused way. I feel honored to be in this space and to do work imbued with peace and accountability. If you are tackling issues of ethics as an individual or in your organization, finance or otherwise, please let me know if my services can help.

getting through, not out of

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMT

My grandma used to say "it's not what happens to you, it's how you happen back." Wise words in an easy to remember catch phrase. But right now, we are really experiencing pressure on our ability to "happen back."

The stress of the global pandemic, the tension of the current political climate, the overdue reckoning on race and America --it can all feel overwhelming. These are serious and challenging realities. To respond, I'd like to make the serious case for optimism.

How can optimism help? Lets start with what optimism isn't. Optimism isn't all pep talks and cheerfulness. And it is not the same as confidence. Optimism is also not the absence of criticism. In fact, criticism is, in its own way, an expression of optimism.

While optimism can be expressed with an upbeat attitude, confidence, and even criticism, what it comes down to is more than way of behaving. It is a way of being. A personal belief in better days to come. Ultimately that belief is grounded in an internal dialog, not an external expression. What are you saying to yourself about how you respond, adjust, adapt and make a difference?

In coaching, that dialog is facilitated. I like to put it this way: this partnership approach looks like a conversation between you, the coach, and you again. That's not the same as talking to yourself or even your friends. It is instead an intentional and creative process to expand possibilities.

We're going to get through these tough times, but not out of tough times. To forge a better future, we commit to doing the work. Optimism can fuel the work. I think grandma would approve.

women's rights are human rights

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Twenty-five years ago today, a remarkable speech was given. So much as happened since Hillary Clinton's speech to the 1995 UN Conference on Women in Beijing on September 5, 1995. It is important to harken back to what a moment in history it was. Read the full text of the speech to appreciate its full measure without editorial.

happy pi day

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Happy Pi Day ! Pi. 3.14159265359. And so on. The number representing the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter is fondly celebrated by math lovers every year on March 14 has come again. Seemingly infinite and also constant, pi inspires lots of math-y fun and the baking of pies.

A few years ago a local leader suggested the formation of a regional committee to produce ideas for intergovernmental cooperation projects (we will get to Pi here in a moment). While discussing it, the concept of ideation was landed upon as the description of what the committee will do .

What separates ideation from brainstorming is that it is structured process. There are likely a lot of definitions, and the one we landed on was project ideation, and that project ideation is

Deliberate- Intentional, by design
Civically engaged- Works directly with the community
Creative- Ideas, consensus building, entrepreneurial

Being government and all it was time for an acronym. Project Ideation became PI, and the PI Team was formed. And then a non-governmental type read the letters P and I sandwiched next to each other and saw, oh my goodness, an actual word! Then it all clicked. The "Pi Team" was born.

I love this story. Pi as a metaphor is so relevant to the creative process and creative shared in ideation. Like Pi, creativity is infinite and ideation is a structured and known process--a constant. The story also tells about perspective--I saw an acronym, someone else saw a word, and not just any word. The perfect word for what the acronym was trying to embody-a testament to the intelligence of teams. This came about not just because of an additional person being added to the discussion but the inclusion of the outsider's voice (nongovernmental in this case). And then there was the circle. The very shape of the ideal committee. And let none of this overshadow the purpose of the team -- intergovernmental cooperation which requires all of these things: creativity, structure, diversity of perspective, and the circle way.

So Happy Pi Day. May you celebrate it as a science and an art. As the infinite and the constant. As the user of the circle and the consumer of pie. Please contact me if I may help your ideation and team intelligence to flourish.

connected conversations

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 19:17:09 GMT

Have you ever been asked if you “believe” in climate change? I have and it caught me off guard. Believe? Is this a theology exam? Or what about this one: do you think climate change is real? Real? Is the reality of this something I can assess? Isn’t there someone more qualified? (increasing my streak of insights from comedians to 2). As an initial reaction, this kind of question bugs me.

However, I really do appreciate the interest. So, letting go of my reactions, what do situations like this teach that can allow me bring my authentic self to conversations about important things? Thinking about what I would have liked to have been asked helps me to think about how to have important conversations.

What stands out is that a focus on my experiences with changes in climate would make a difference. "Have you experienced climate change in your life?" There I have something that I can share. “Yes, I have had experiences with changes in climate. The dog got lyme disease and a travelling suitcase brought home some hitchhiking bed bugs. Yuck! And I have noticed we get more extremely heavy rain storms, landslides and flooding...” The interest in my story allows me avoid a perceived test or having to defend a position on a topic that feels complex and difficult. It also creates space for me to ask, “How about you?” Regardless of your answer we are conversing, not declaring positions.

Sometimes direct questions in search of a "yes" or a "no" don’t serve us. They are extractive, and when we’re being extracted, we aren’t connected. Yet connection is what we need to create solutions for group problems: like invasive pests and landslides. And climate change. Connectedness leads to creativity when a conversation includes perspective taking:  How about you? When we tell our own story and also listen to the perspectives of others we get into a more constructive group problem solving space. We can be much more positive and effective.

As humans, we organize our thoughts and experiences into a set of beliefs and judgments, especially about complex or important subjects. It helps us remember things and handle a lot of information. At the same time, it is our humanity that allows us to work together. Next time you find yourself being asked about your beliefs and that generates an internal dilemma, try this experiment. (1) Smile and take a breath to disarm those totalizing words (“believe”, “real”) and (2) shift to your experiences. (3) Follow up with a question about the questioner’s experience.

And when you are the questioner, and it's a situation where you want to work with someone, lead with questions about experiences and not beliefs. See if that helps to build connection, creativity and problem-solving. Let me know!

humor and the inner critic

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 01:35:49 GMT

Recently, in supportive conversations, colleagues and I have related about situations in which we feel like ”Chris Farley interviewing Paul McCartney.” In the comedy classic from Saturday Night Live, McCartney is a guest on The Chris Farley, a skit portraying Farley as a talk show host.

Chris asks Sir Paul a variety of questions that inspire basically one-word answers. Throughout the interview Chris fidgets, plays with his notes, runs on with his thoughts and seems to squander the opportunity, and then beats himself up about it. His anxiety is visible and the performance is an outward display of his character’s, and maybe Farley's own, inner tumult. Who of us hasn’t been Chris Farley interviewing Paul McCartney at least once in our life? This sketch captures the experience of self-doubt through Farley’s comedic genius and McCartney’s good humor.

What is the consequence of listening to our doubts? One of them is to think more about what we are putting out than what we are taking in. To focus more on what we are saying than what is being said to us. We miss the chance to connect, even to our dreams and those we adore. Then we doubt ourselves even more when we later realize what we have have lost.

How do we listen to our internal dialog without letting it take over? How do we hang with our conscience and not be self-conscious? It is not so much about shutting those voices out, but clarifying and appreciating what they express to us and being able to project our full, conscious, selves.

It is fun to imagine how, if we were in Chris’s shoes, we would rephrase his interview. Of course, it wouldn’t be a comedy classic, but it would be a good exercise. It might also be a nice tribute to a talent lost too soon. So you know how Chris Farley gave us a funny, emotional, pop-culture touchstone that promotes self-awareness? Is that true?

alignment: co-creation and coaching

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 07:00:00 GMT

Innovation in the public sector is not an oxymoron! In fact, government is a fertile environment for innovation because of the dedication to service, deep reserves of expertise, and competition for resources found there. Traditionally, bureaucratic thinking constrains innovation because of its general nature to be rule-oriented with an emphasis on equality towards all actors.

A 2015 article from Stanford Social Innovation Review gives the idea of co-creation in government, a popular method of organizational change and innovation in the private sector, a thorough exploration. One of its authors, Francis Gouillart, is also an author of the seminal work on the topic, The Power of Co-Creation (2010). Co-Creation was also a topic for 2018 webinar by Alliance for Innovation, and featured a case study from Hennepin County, MI.

I took some time to compare the steps of Co-Creation with the Arc of Coaching as developed by Duquesne University Professional Coach Certification Program. The table below explains the alignment in a simplified way. Within each step resides many tools deployed by the professional coach. If your organization is adopting a Co-Creation approach to change, professional coaching techniques and practices can help. Please contact me for further info or assistance.

mindfulness as less mindlessness

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 18:09:25 GMT

'In coaching we often ask for a "mindful moment" for the individual client or group, and the coach as well, to center themselves and be present. It seems that many folks are introduced to the concept of mindfulness through images or narratives evoking eastern religious traditions. Where to start in such vast and rich expanse of tradition, information and experience can be overwhelming. I often wonder if that this is the reason I have gotten a few side-eyes upon the suggestion for a mindful moment. It is fascinating, then, to share what has been learned by the work of Ellen Langer who approached her study of mindfulness from a western researchers perspective. Originally looking at "mindlessness...a state of mind characterized by an over reliance on categories and distinctions drawn in the past and in which the individual is context-dependent and, as such, is oblivious to novel (or simply alternative) aspects of the situation," Langer's research honed in on mindfulness as the simple act of noticing. In doing so, she uncovers why mindfulness contributes so powerfully to creativity and problem solving. "Less is More," the saying goes. So less mindlessness is more mindfulness! May we all tap into this deep wellspring of capability, and be confident in our potential for mindfulness.

peace and accountability

Sat, 04 May 2019 07:00:00 GMT

For a generation, one of the most influential ideas to impact public service has been the landmark publication Reinventing Government: How the Entrepreneurial Spirit is Transforming the Public Sector, by David Osborne and Ted Gaebler. A rallying cry to "revolt against bureaucratic malaise" and "build something better," it has inspired many public officials seeking to promote initiative and a sense of ownership in public organizations. Costs have been reduced and programs have been reformed because of the performance management programs inspired by Reinventing Government. However, a recent column in Governing magazine outlined the unintended consequence of performance management: some public officials felt diminished by the performance management process, which shut down creativity needed to solve problems. For reinvention to deliver its high ideal, how can the technical changes such as performance management programs be built upon to allow people and groups to adapt and improve? We offer our help with this through an approach of peace and accountability. This is particularly useful when elected officials struggle with the efficiency and effectiveness of the organizations they have been tasked to lead or when staff feels politicized. This matrix shows the top level "action words" used to describe our assistance:

An approach imbued with peace and accountability doesn't avoid tough issues or assure certain outcome. It does, however, add integrity to an improvement process by building support across the spectrum of opinions on how effective workers and organizations perform. The result: increased creativity, critical thinking, and shared responsibility.

big and small at the same time

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 07:00:00 GMT

Spring cleaning brings about an opportunity to re-familiarize yourself with your items and make some decisions. Books are especially challenging. Do I keep this or pass along for someone else's learning? My process is to randomly open the book and read a passage. If it still resonates, keep. So it was that I came across the Pocket Pema Chodron in my collection. My random selection produced the following story/passage:

I was once invited to teach with the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, my teacher's eldest son, in a situation where it wasn't exactly clear what my status was. Sometimes I was treated as a big deal who should come in though a special door and sit in a special seat. Then I'd think, "Okay, I 'm a big deal." I'd start running with that idea and come up with big-deal notions about how things should be.

Then, I'd get the message, "Oh, no, no, no. You should just sit on the floor and mix with everybody and be one of the crowd." Okay. So now the message was that I should just be ordinary, not set myself up or be the teacher. But as soon as I was getting comfortable with being humble, I would be asked to do something special that only big deals did.

This was a painful experience because I was always being insulted and humiliated by my own expectations. As soon as I was sure how it should be, so I could feel secure, I would get the message that it should be the other way. Finally, I said to the Sakyong, "This is really hurting. I just don't know who I am supposed to be," and he said, "Well, you have to learn to be big and small at the same time."

Big and small at the same time. This helped me to reflect the challenge facing community leaders, and on my coaching role as they draw on their abilities from within. Inspires me! And I am keeping this book, as well as passing it along here.

3rd monday of january

Sat, 19 Jan 2019 13:10:31 GMT

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the third Monday of January. "A day on, not a day off." The Corporation for National and Community Service serves as a resource for developing community service programs large and small. The commemoration of King's legacy occurs each year determined by the day of the month of January, not on a specific date. It has that in common with local meetings and US Thanksgiving. Reflecting on this commonality, isn't that a great way to remember the links between our gratitude and week-in, week-out opportunities to promote justice and be a force of good? Some additional quotes for "a little inspiration."