Exploring the Remote Work Model Has Amazing Possibilities From my perspective, remote work is still a relatively new model in local government but, the concept is one with great possibilities both for permanent and temporary jobs. When I was with the City of Santa Cruz, I participated in the telework pilot in 2013-14, working at […]
Career Compass No. 50: Storytelling–A Powerful Way to Lead and Communicate
June 1, 2016 I’m a traffic engineer in a small midwestern city. I just had a difficult experience presenting a mobility safety plan to my city council. I did a lot of research on best practices to better protect pedestrians and bicyclists along a fairly busy street, while still maintaining reasonable traffic flow. As part […]
MMANC Podcast: Joanne Bond on Emotional Intelligence
Eric Zetz, Program Manager for the City of Clovis and Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) Board Member, meets with Joanne Bond to discuss her presentation on emotional intelligence. The interview was conducted in person on February 24, 2016 at the Winter Forum in Foster City, California.
The Value of MMANC: An Interview with Community Development Director Ryan DeVore
Ryan has over 15 years of experience in both private practice and local government. His experience includes designing large structures, roads, and custom homes as a licensed professional engineer. He’s also managed his own small business, preparing plans for projects throughout Northern California. Ryan started with the City of Sacramento in 2004 as an Associate […]
Fiscal Literacy for Everyone on the Government Ladder
Imagine a small child tugging on his mother’s arm in a department store. The child is asking if he can buy the toy clutched in his hand. When the mother denies the child’s request, the child questions why. If the mother chooses to provide a response, she will likely say the toy is priced too […]
Beyond Raising the Rainbow Flag: Opportunities for Municipalities to Build Capacity Around Diversity and Inclusion
Rainbow flags flew high in front of city halls across California for the month of June in honor of pride month. This act of acknowledgment and solidarity is comforting to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ) community and particularly welcoming for LGBTQ municipal employees. However, year-round acceptance and support for employees within the […]
Navigating Through the Fog: A Naval Officer’s Lessons on Leading Teams
A viscous fog engulfed us as the ship slowly settled on its course into San Diego Harbor. As the Navigator, it was my duty to ensure the safe navigation of our ship by giving the Officer of the Deck (OOD) course and speed recommendations. The visual landmarks on which we usually depended were completely […]
Sometimes “The Happiest Place on Earth” Can Get “Grumpy”: A Reflection on Customer Service
ORIGINAL CONTENT Last month my family and I spent a few days at “The Happiest Place on Earth.” By nearly every account, Disneyland was just that. Our time was filled with cheerful celebration, wild imagination, and endless entertainment. My parents traveled with my husband and me, along with our two daughters. My eldest daughter, […]
Career Compass No. 38: Your Staff Meetings Don’t Have To Be Dreary
CAREER COMPASS I supervise an operations group in a community services special district. Our district has a lot of responsibilities and is always trying to address the demands of our service recipients. Because we try to move fast, I hold a weekly staff meeting to keep the 15 operations staff people informed and, hopefully, engaged. […]