As a local government professional, I see my block through a lens that (unfortunately) is not easily switched off:
- Is there a unique funding source for these custom street lights?
- Who administers the program for these fading neighborhood banners?
- Why are the street signs different in this part of town?
- Whose responsibility is it to replace these broken sidewalks – the City or property owners?
Thankfully, I also have the skills and knowledge to answer these questions. Often, the people in charge of all these things aren’t career-professionals in the Public Works department or lifelong politicians. They’re regular people serving on neighborhood boards and City committees, or employees of major companies or institutions assigned to “community development” roles.
I love these people. Either willingly or begrudgingly, they’ve been thrust into a position focused on collective good – almost always without any training or experience dealing with public issues. And while their efforts are commendable, they often struggle to make progress. Even groups with combined expertise in finance, engineering, and technology often flounder because the skills required for public leadership aren’t technical – they’re relational. They’re “democracy skills.”
Like many, I’ve found it increasingly difficult to engage in conversations about national politics and the federal government. But as I’ve pulled away from those conversations, I’ve inadvertently discovered a fascination with hyperlocal politics. I’m not talking about state governments or even municipalities – but groups like neighborhood or homeowners’ associations.
These groups often serve as the training ground for leaders that will take on larger roles like City Council Member or State Representative. They are also one of the few places that regular people participate in democracy outside of voting in elections. In all their glory and drudgery, these committees, associations, and non-profits are “Tiny Democracies.”
Because I’m some combination of a nerd and a sadist, I agreed to serve as the Treasurer of my own neighborhood association. I see it as a kind of laboratory for better understanding these “tiny democracies,” why they work, and why they don’t.
Over the next several days, I’ll be sharing some of the key skills that anyone in a public role should be working to cultivate, based on my experience in these groups. These continue to jump out to me as I work with hyperlocal organizations, but they’re just as applicable for leaders at the City or State level. I hope you’ll come back to learn more about:
- Vision,
- Humility,
- Deliberation,
- Community-Building, and
- Perspective.