Local governments face numerous challenges each day in serving their communities. Residents expect the leadership of their city/town/county to respond in a timely and cost-effective manner. These expectations can be daunting, even for the most dedicated and talented employees. 

Here are some strategies on how assistant chief administrative officers (ACAOs) can seek innovative approaches to meeting these challenges.

Be a Champion for Curiosity

Many local government professionals are curious by nature. They like asking questions, exploring new approaches, and learning in general. But it’s important to pair curiosity with a commitment to trying out new ideas in your organization and learning from these experiments.

How can you be a champion for curiosity? It can be as simple as taking the time to learn more about your community and organization and being on the lookout for new ideas. Invest time in meeting with residents and employees to learn about what’s working and what isn’t. Explore what other cities or counties in your region or state are doing and call a colleague for their insights.

Once you come across a new idea or approach, dedicate the time to dig deeper to see if it’s a good fit. Share this desire to explore new ideas with your CAO and hear their perspective on trying out a new approach. Use colleagues and coworkers as a sounding board to see if trying a new idea is warranted.

Encourage New Ideas

Innovation does not have to originate just from managers and directors, great ideas come from employees across all levels. As an ACAO, one of your key responsibilities is ensuring these great ideas are heard and evaluated.

Creating an environment in which innovation is encouraged requires work. In particular, it requires creating a culture in which every employee is inspired to think critically about how services are provided and ask key questions to see if other ideas should be considered.

But it doesn’t stop with just encouraging new ideas. An effective local government professional also helps create an environment where new ideas can be explored. This is not for the faint of heart because it requires the courage to take a risk. Risk-taking is a key attribute for high-performing organizations and in many ways is a learned skill. Employees should understand that calculated risk-taking is not something to be punished for, but instead something to be celebrated. The willingness to take appropriate risks often starts with leaders who encourage new ways of thinking across all levels of the organization. Ask yourself:

• When was the last time you championed trying a new approach to city/county services?
• When was the last time you personally proposed a different policy or program for your organization?
• How can you help facilitate new ideas with the departments you work with?
• When faced with challenging circumstances, how can you look to new approaches to help find solutions?

Local government managers must lead the way in creating an environment where new ideas are regularly welcomed and evaluated.

Seek Out Best Practices

Tenet 8 of ICMA’s Code of Ethics states that members will “continually improve professional capabilities and those of others while fostering growth and development through ethical leadership and effective management practices.” Local government professionals can commit to professional development through attending conferences, participating in training programs, and reading articles and books to enhance their skills. These same professional development opportunities are great ways to seek out new ideas.

Commit to learning about how other municipalities and counties are finding creative ways to provide services that are also challenging your organization. Make connections with colleagues and learn about what is working for them. Great ideas are all around us if we actively look and listen.

Recognize Innovation

Proposing new approaches can be tough work. As an ACAO, you can help create an environment where new ideas are encouraged. It can be as simple as taking the time to thank fellow employees who share their ideas, or as formal as creating an innovation council to identify best practices and to help stimulate inventive ways to serve residents or employees.

What matters the most is consistency in your efforts to encourage and implement innovative approaches that improve both your community and your organization. An agile ACAO can provide this encouragement in everything from daily hallway conversations to presenting service options in city council meetings.

Conclusion

ACAO’s often don’t have all the answers when it comes to tackling hard problems. But they can often be resourceful when it comes to working on tough issues. Accept the challenge to create an environment in your organization in which new ideas are not only welcomed, but encouraged.

SHANNA SIMS-BRADISH, ICMA-CM, is assistant city manager of University Park, Texas, USA.