Effective communications is so often identified as a missing element between organizations and employees, between public leaders and its constituents. It’s so important because it’s what builds a shared vision of the future. It builds understanding across the community and is what is so key to building that shared vision.
With the loss of local newspapers this issue is exacerbated. How can up-to-date information be disseminated today given the loss of local papers?
We are seeing less time spent on talking about the future of our communities and our collective vision of the future and how to achieve that vision.
When communication occurs today, too often we hear just about projects and their status. Although that’s important, it often doesn’t come with an explanation of how it supports that vision of the future. It then represents a project report.
In private industry, the role of senior leadership is to define this vision and communicate it often to build that shared vision across its population. In public governance, it’s the responsibility of elected leaders to share that vision often, again to build that shared vision.
PLANNING AND ALIGNMENT
This represents a critical success factor in building that shared vision of the future across the organization or community. Much of the detail that is shared comes out of the planning process. It is what represents the priorities for the organization/community and how do they support the vision of the future? How do the priorities align to the vision? It’s important for people in the organization/communities to understand that alignment in order to share the vision. With that approach comes an empowerment of the organization. This can provide future potential and possibility for any organization because of the unity provided by that shared vision.
HUMAN COMPONENT
My hope for the future of any organization/community plan is that it would include a priority on its human infrastructure. What that demonstrates is a heightened priority reflecting the growing importance of addressing the issues of mental health – hunger and homelessness, as examples. These issues are growing and need a coordinated response.
There is an awful lot of good and needed work done by Carver County addressing human issues and needs but they can’t do it alone. There is also a lot of good work being done by nonprofits across our area. The coordination of their work, the collaboration that is possible, and the united voice that results, can only be helpful in messaging to community leadership about the growing issues and needs of our human infrastructure.
Today, you can recognize a lot of priorities on plans that address the physical infrastructure of a community. Although important, a strong case can be made about including the health of our human infrastructure in the plan for the future of any of our communities. Organizations simply give themselves a better chance for a healthy result by collaborating and working together with other units of government and nonprofits, in support of a shared vision and plans that address the building of a healthy human infrastructure.
COMMUNITY VALUES
What also seems important is for organizations that are accountable back to stakeholders should be guided by a set of values. What are the vision and values of the organization? What is the belief system that guides decision making and community development into the future?
Almost 38 years ago, eight community values were adopted by the School District, Carver County and the four cities to guide future decision making and community development.
Are these being used or have they been replaced or refreshed? Values typically are pretty deep rooted and not easily changed, rather as change occurs can they be refreshed or updated to reflect the change that has occurred?
So, if we ask about what’s the vision, maybe it should be followed up with what are the values that are in place to guide your future decision making and planning? Again, this will reflect a well-planned and thoughtful approach to community and organizational planning.
PUBLIC FINANCE
Finally, what also needs to be addressed at the same level of detail and transparency are the dollars needed to support the plan. What is required and what is the impact? We are seeing across many communities a growth in taxes that are significant and brings with it the reality that some people may not be able to live in a community because they can’t find housing. Those with entry-level jobs or fixed income seniors feel the pinch the most.
How is that addressed in the plan so that people can understand the response. Seems like a reasonable expectation of residents is to understand how tax impacts have been trending, and as a community looks to the future and what is being projected. This transparency will only build trust and confidence by the electorate. When done, If it’s an important component of the plan for the future then this information will be addressed. If not, then questions will only follow. When millions of dollars are involved, they will be asked.
An important aspect of managing the financial side of a public entity – whether city, county or school district – is to conduct some level of joint planning. Planning that will avoid property tax spikes when local units of government do major capital projects in the same time frame. This coordination could help avoid that possibility and frankly should build trust among citizens when they know such collaborative planning is addressing overall community impact. This should be an expectation of the public that collaborative planning across local units of government is a reality.
