Falling Short, Failing Long
A bit of advice from my late mentor, Roger: great leaders overcommunicate.
Communication is the key duty of all leaders elected, hired, or appointed. We listen and read to absorb new information, and then we distribute a vision for the future via speaking and writing. We explain our thinking, seek feedback, and give encouragement. Great leaders are in constant communication, even when it feels like too much information.
Why? In the absence of regular interactions, relationships break down. People love status updates. We want to know what’s happening, what has changed, and if we are still headed in the same direction. But when communication is insufficient, people start to wonder and worry. We don’t understand why decisions were made. We lose trust. Problems fester. Blame starts swirling. Morale plummets, and eventually, people withdraw. Low communication is a clear failure of leadership.
When we fall short once, it’s a temporary failure. People understand, especially when we own the situation and correct the issue. The damage is limited.
When we fall short over time, we fail long. Temporary effects pile up and solidify into barriers. Repeated failures develop self-sabotaging systems that cause long term damage. Things fall apart.
If great leaders overcommunicate, the City of Omaha is failing long.
When it comes to sharing information, explaining decisions, and creating trust, public outreach seems to be the last item on the agenda. The City of Omaha has no email newsletter, no Facebook page, and no Twitter account. How can people stay informed if the City will not meet us where we are? While the mayor has social media accounts, they are not official City accounts.
Think about the last public meeting held by any City Department. Can you remember when it was? Did the director attend and explain why things are happening? Were you invited to get involved in important issues?
Have you tried to find performance data on the City’s activities? Strategies for improvement? Insight into how we manage assets and debts? Where does that information exist?
The City’s limited attempts at communication mean that residents can feel uninformed, untrusting, and uninvolved. Here are three strategies the City of Omaha can implement to improve communications with residents:
- Social Media and Email Communications Program
The City needs to inform residents using the tools and channels that will reach people directly. Information should include upcoming public meetings, plans and strategies from Department directors, and access to contact the people who work for us. People should be able to opt in to news from all 14 City Departments and the Mayor’s Office, including social media accounts for all. - Office of Innovation and Improvement
About 75% of the top 40 US cities have a Chief Innovation Officer to help city departments move from “operational” to “aspirational.” That is, instead of maintaining the status quo, city departments work proactively to solve our biggest problems. Omaha is a black box when it comes to data. When information is shared, it’s often in an unsearchable PDF. This office would include a Chief Data Officer to implement an Open Data program so residents have access to our community’s performance. S/He would provide statistical support to city departments and elected officials for better decision making. - Resident Engagement Program
A formal resident engagement program gives everyone in our city the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to decision-making. It means we the people are consulted in how our city is built and run. We want a government that works for us but also works with us. One example is participatory budgeting, in which residents decide on a portion of the City’s annual budget allocation.
As a community, we are responsible to and for each other. The residents of our city are more than taxpayers. More than voters. More than riders on the journey we share. We deserve full partnership in ensuring our government works properly, improves, and makes Omaha a better city. If we really value transparency and accountability, we should build a transparent and accountable city government.
“People are crying out for a government they can trust. The citizens who are showing up in droves at town hall meetings and demanding to be heard are an encouraging sign that the will of the people is there. It’s up to officials at every level of government to listen to — and work with — them to solve the challenges in front of us. This isn’t a mystery; we know what steps to take. All that is left to do is to begin.” — Myung Lee, Executive Director of Cities of Service [quote from Governing.com]
“Great leaders overcommunicate.” In action, this element of leadership takes effort because it requires leaders to exercise empathy, to express concepts clearly, and to commit to partnership with the people they serve. “We know what steps to take.” Does Omaha have the sort of leadership that will begin?
