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Communication Climate Study page 5 <br /> • City of Mounds View <br /> and the external professional experiences of the City Administrator should be drawn more <br /> closely together. The Council should present a united front in their collective commitment <br /> to support internal improvement, but clearly-define and inform their policies and strategies <br /> for change. <br /> 2. Communication. Names,roles, and employment histories need to be better understood by <br /> the City Council and new employees. While the City is not an extended family, the culture <br /> of the City workplace is family centered in behavior, especially communication. A <br /> friendlier environment is needed, initiated by communication modeling at the administrative <br /> level, internally, and by the Council, externally. Employee recognition, project <br /> presentations by City personnel to the Council, and open flow of pertinent information by <br /> the City Administrator and Department Heads to employees is strongly encouraged. <br /> 3. Organizational Structure. A formal organizational structure needs to be developed with <br /> immediacy. A well defined chart should define who is in charge when the City <br /> Administrator is absent, a Department Head needs to know his or her domain for making <br /> decisions,and to curtail crisis management. Job functions and cross training need to be <br /> indicated in assessing how business is done in different work units defined in the <br /> organizational chart. <br /> • 4. Administrative Team. Potentially, the Department Heads and City Administration <br /> meeting practices needs a drastic overhaul. The group needs training in problem solving, <br /> decision making, time management,leadership, and how to effectively and efficiently <br /> conduct a productive meeting. Future meetings should have agendm,revolving facilitator <br /> assignments, a moratorium on venting, and a checklist for desirable outcomes. This group <br /> should be collectively working closely together as the professional leadership team of this <br /> City. The human resources are in place,they need to be developed into a better leadership <br /> model. <br /> 5. Decision Making. Decisions should be made more openly and quickly. Further, <br /> administrators including Department Heads need to better define their range of making <br /> decisions on what items and procedures. While cost effectiveness is important, it should not <br /> surface as the only valid reason in weighing a decision. An organization perception is <br /> taking hold that all decisions are tied to cost in dollars. While there are exceptions to this <br /> perception, if balance is not provided in the City decision making process between cost and <br /> the potential value to people, then a reluctance to contribute to decision making will occur. <br /> This, predictably, is usually followed by a sense of cynicism toward those who are <br /> perceived to have authority by those lacking it. <br /> 6. Trust Building. Organizational climate studies reveal that trust is developed when working <br /> relationships are cultivated over time. When persons are not perceived as trustworthy, or <br /> their professional contributions are challenged, then trust is lost. The element of trust is lost <br /> in a short timeframe. The decision making process will need to welcome contributions from <br /> administrators and employees alike, with action quickly taken <br /> • <br />