Planning for Reginal Growth Notes: Session 7 Notes

The Challenge of Big Steps - George Cuff

Another terrific presentation by George Cuff. I spoke with him during a break and it was excellent. George is a prolific author whose books and articles are widely read including by myself and some members of Council.

·         Role clarity is primary problem

·         Questions are not with managers but with one another

·         Managers think what is best apolitically

·         Management is to be worked with collaboratively

·         Lloyd George: “The most dangerous thing in the world is to try to leap a chasm in two jumps.”

·         Start off with one or two services

·         Need a mentality of embracing regional collaboration

·         Develop wins for both sides

·         Regional cooperation is not an extension of local Councils

·         Identify obstacles before they appear through a well-defined and thought out vision

·         Leadership is vision: where to from here?

·         Focus on the Principles (7)

·         Clear expectations

·         Clear governance model

·         Trust and respect between partners

·         Failure of partnerships is usually due to trust

·         Lack of respect for officials and management

·         Is there integrity at the table

·         One employee

·         Concurrent information

·         Primacy of the body

·         Monitor

·         Development of a Covenant (MOU)

·         Respect for the mandate and authority of each other

·         Understand that each has a difficult and unique position

·         What is fair

·         A desire t help Board achieve its mandate

·         A wiliness to implement decision of Board even when decisions do not reflect the advice of the administration

·         Trust and confidence in commitments made including ability to handle confidential information appropriately

·         Recognition by Council of professionalism of staff; non-interference in allowing the staff to get the job done

·         Full disclosure of necessary information

·         Do Not for Regionalism!

·         Allow a minority of voices to stop you

·         5 people at a Council meeting is not the public

·         1 letter to the editor is not the community speaking

·         Allow a setback to stop you

·         Allow an over-indulgence in parochialism to stop you

·         Believe every rumour you hear

·         Gang up on the large or the small

·         Miss big opportunities because of small thinking

·         We must be more than ourselves

·         One does what one can

·         Are you remembered because you can lead