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Do what you can, mayor, not what you can't
Published Sunday, July 13, 2008
Have you ever noticed the tiny distance between polar opposites?
We’ve all heard a few of the clichés.
There’s a fine line between:
Love and hate;
Genius and madness;
Peace and war.
And, lots of struggling school students will confirm the example applies between passing and failing, too.
Sports stars will tell you the same thing, too. The difference between success and failure on the field of play is often measured in fractions of an inch or blinks of an eye.
A few years ago author Jim Collins managed to get this lesson down on paper and published a wonderful business book, “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … And Others Don’t.”
Collins detailed several companies that went from being moderately successful to greatly successful and attempted to explain the concepts at play.
While his book focused on businesses, the same concepts apply to virtually any organization — including cities or counties.
The trip from mediocre to great isn’t long; it just takes lots of persistence and communication — and that starts at the top.
Apparently, new Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton understands this concept and he seems to be headed in the right direction.
This was evident last week as Middleton rallied the city’s department heads for their first meeting under his watch.
“We’re a team here and that’s how we operate, as a team,” the mayor told his players. “If you’re not a team player, you’re going to have a hard time working under my administration.”
Middleton seems to be doing a much, much better job of rallying the troops. Allegedly, the previous administration rarely had meetings with department leaders. Middleton promises to have them at least monthly.
The mayor would be wise to take some clues from author Collins’ book as he begins to take the next steps in organizing his team.
One of the first things Collins identifies in the organizations that went from good to great is the kind of leaders each had.
Despite what you might think, the most effective leaders are not the ones like New York real estate magnate Donald Trump or former General Electric CEO Jack Welch — both of whom are known for having overly large personal egos.
Collins says the most effective leaders are the ones who can turn their own egos away from their own personal need for credit into the larger goal of building the team up.
Collins refers to it as “Level 5 Leadership.”
People who aren’t really that well known, and who don’t have larger-than-life personalities, often run great organizations.
Middleton has the potential to be a great Level 5 leader.
His next challenges will be in figuring out if he has the right players on the team — and chances are there need to be a few changes here and there on the roster.
Once that team is in place, then — and only then — can Middleton truly figure out where he’s driving the city’s “bus.”
Another principle that author Collins touts is what he deems the “Hedgehog Concept,” which focuses on the hedgehog’s ability to see the world — and its place in it very simply.
In applying the concept to organizations, the concept is an understanding of what you can be best at, and not focusing on the things that you cannot.
Imagine what would happen if the City of Natchez’s team started focusing completely and passionately on making the city the best place to live in the world, focusing on quality of life issues for residents. If that happened, our good city would truly become great and Middleton’s team would go down in history as the one who got things moving.
Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.
Comments
Posted by lindasmith (anonymous) on July 13, 2008 at 7:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some years ago, in the Natchez Democrat "Heroes" issue, a number of distinguished citizens (one, if I remember correctly, was Andrew Calvit) mentioned the sources of their success. In almost every case, these were family, faith, and community. In almost every case, some allusion was made to early material deprivation, but this was just not the point of their lives nor that of their parents and grandparents. These people possessed inner freedom and an intrinsic dignity which cannot be taken or lost. Natchez' potential for greatness rests, I believe, on voices like these being heard and heeded.
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on July 13, 2008 at 12:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The first item on our new mayor's list:
Mr. Middleton attack the education issues head first and head long. Stand your ground for our kids to have the best education possible. That should begin with reverting back to the neighborhood schooling. There are many, many reasons to do so. In just 15 minutes I listed 14 good reasons it should happen and I am sure there are many more.
This should take top priority over all else. They are our future. They will take us to places we have only dreamed of.
It only took one loud mouth to get us in this chaos so a multitude of voices should revert the system.
If you need signatures on a petition in your office, I'm quite sure your office would be inundated with a myriad of signers. It's past time for this to take place. Next year the kids should be able to look forward to returning to schools in their own neighborhood.
Posted by speakeasy (anonymous) on July 13, 2008 at 10:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Please don't hold the Mayor accountable for the school situation. He can encourage, advocate for good schools, choose worthy school board members but he can do little else, legally. City government does not control the school system, it's policies. That "one loud mouth" who caused "chaos" as you point out, destiny, was not then mayor.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 14, 2008 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
But as destiny said, many voices should be heard to put the system to rights. Neighborhood schools, parental involvement, quality EDUCATORS (not someone holding a job for a paycheck).
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on July 15, 2008 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)
speakeasy, I do not hold our mayor accountable for the school system. It was in place long before he took office. As his children attend private school, the chaos of the public school should be brought to his attention more so. As a parent, his foremost thought is good education for his children, the poor voters wish the same for their children. Mr. Middleton was elected by the poor voters in hopes he would hear their voice and answer they pleas. The mayor's office is the most important in any community. It should be the focal point of any major decision to be made in any community. Changes, if disputed, should begin there. I know it is 'RUN' by the school board. But now our school system has been 'run' to the ground. Our children can not even speak English, most have no respect for the teachers that are trying to teach them. Drop out rate is esculating. Buses clog our throughways. A child who lives 1 block from his neighborhood school (who could easily walk to school) is bussed to the other side of town. Does this make any sense at the price of gasoline today? The rising cost of maintenance for these buses? The useless hours spent busing these children to and fro? If you would take some time and think of all the really major things that are wrong with this system you would come to the same conclusion as I. Something is desperately wrong with the Natchez-Adams school system that will produce their future leaders. How can they lead when they have not had the education they need to know how to lead? A child born and raised in Natchez who cannot afford private schooling has no chance to succeed. The privately schooled child will always win. Think on that for awhile. A child raised in the public school system deserves that chance to succeed as well as the child sent to private school. It should be their God given right, as we are all Americans. I urge you and all others who are concerned about the future of our children to stand up and shout.
Posted by jdmcbth (anonymous) on July 15, 2008 at 6:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The author's comments seem to be bias, this mayor is not all that you think , how can you assess him as a level 5 leader when he has only been in office for two weeks. Your comments sound a lot like mud slinging. The mayor can't affect any decisions that the school board makes. He can only offer his opinions, if he has concerns regarding public education why are his children in private school? Talk is one thing, the main objective for the mayor should be obtaining opportunities for jobs and industries to a city that is slowly dieing because tourism is the only focus of many. When are you going to realize that the old south is dead, move on to the high tech age of electronics.
Stop and think about who and what you have elected.Think first of how the mayor was elected, did he play an earnest game or did he buy his votes. Time will tell if he is all that Mr. Cooper thinks he is. Does this new mayor reside in Natchez, Adams County or does he reside in Madison County? A good man is measured by his character, his faith in God, how he treats his fellow man as well as his deeds, how will you measure this man?
Posted by Inquirer (anonymous) on July 15, 2008 at 9:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Middleton is great guy. He will prove to be an approachable leader. I'm sure his door will always be open to the people of Natchez. Good Luck Mayor Middleton!
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