The art of continuous improvement.
The demands of local government leadership keep changing, and city managers and county administrators face the challenge of staying effective and relevant in their roles. Thriving in that landscape means embracing the principle of sharpening the saw, popularized by Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: continuous self-improvement and personal development. For a city manager or county administrator it also means supporting the continued leadership growth of the key executives in the organization.
What the principle means
At its core, sharpening the saw is a metaphor for ongoing self-renewal and growth. It goes beyond individual development to the responsibility leaders carry to share what they know and to support the professional growth of the people they lead. As the leaders of their organizations, city managers and county administrators set the conditions for continuous learning and development.
Effective leaders understand that their success rests not only on their own growth but on the growth of the leaders within their teams. By putting the sharing of knowledge first and supporting the professional growth of the people who report to them, they build a culture of learning and empowerment.
Covey’s line about “preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have, you” is about self-improvement, and it implies investment in others. Leaders who sharpen their own saw are better equipped to guide the growth of their team members, and by sharing their knowledge, skills and experience they help others reach their potential and contribute more to the organization.
Continuous improvement for department heads
By promoting professional growth among the leaders on their teams, city managers and county administrators create an environment that encourages continuous learning, innovation and collaboration. Resources such as executive coaching support the development of those leaders, and open an exchange of ideas in which team members feel free to contribute their own perspectives.
Supporting the growth of the leaders below the top also strengthens the whole organization’s leadership capacity. As leaders at every level sharpen their saws, they become more effective in their own roles and better prepared for the complexity that arrives unannounced.
Beyond individual development, leaders have to invest in the development of the team itself. That investment lets the team take on greater responsibility, make informed decisions and contribute to the organization’s success, and it builds a strong leadership pipeline for the future.
The four components of sharpening the saw
1. Physical fitness. Care of one’s physical wellbeing comes first. As Steve Jobs said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Good physical health gives a city manager or county administrator the energy, stamina and resilience the role demands.
2. Emotional wellbeing. The second component is emotional wellbeing and self-awareness. Peter Drucker put it plainly: “You cannot manage other people unless you manage yourself first.” Emotional intelligence and self-awareness let leaders understand their own emotions, manage stress, empathize with others and build meaningful relationships. From that base they create a positive work environment, inspire their teams and make better decisions.
3. Intellectual growth. Patrick Lencioni, on organizational health, holds that “the only way to get to the next level is to surround yourself with people who will challenge you.” City managers and county administrators can seek out continuous learning: books, conferences, workshops. Many have turned to peer Think Tanks to expand their knowledge and hear about emerging trends directly from peers. Leaders keep adapting to a changing landscape so that the decisions they make for their communities are the best-informed ones available.
4. Professional development. Adam Grant, the organizational psychologist, writes that “The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most because they’re the ones who try the most.” Executive coaching and leadership team development are two of the resources that support a city manager’s or county administrator’s own professional development.
Sharpening the saw in local government leadership
The expectations placed on city managers and county administrators keep rising, so local government leadership has to keep adapting. One approach is an independent assessment of the leadership team, benchmarked against other organizations, which removes political bias and variability from the evaluation. Simon Sinek advocates a leadership style built on inspiring others and building strong connections, and that can be measured independent of any political priority or historical challenge. Sinek’s line is that “leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” By continuously improving leadership skills at the executive level, city managers and county administrators create an environment of collaboration, innovation and shared purpose, and inspire their teams to exceed expectations and make a difference in the community.
Covey also noted that “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.” Leaders who schedule self-renewal and personal development sharpen the saw and become catalysts for positive change in local government.
References
- Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
- Jobs, S. (2005). Stanford Commencement Address.
- Drucker, P. F. (2008). Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices.
- Lencioni, P. (2012). The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business.
- Grant, A. (2016). Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World.
- Sinek, S. (2014). Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t.
