June 2003 · Volume 85 · Number 5 

Remembering Your Mentors

Les White
Some 20 years ago, I started focusing on assessing really capable managers and noting the values and skills that make them successful. Two years ago, I formalized these values and skills into a list of 31 “traits,” which are set forth later in this article. I continue to use them as a basis for coaching managers and young professionals, as criteria for formal job performance reviews, and as a foundation for screening new hires. These traits, in effect, are the values I espouse for managing both local governments and nonprofit organizations.
After reading them, you may conclude that they are fairly obvious and simple. This is true, yet I believe that this is their value because sometimes we get lost in the rhetoric of systems management and of overly complex, bureaucratic statements, instead of remembering the fundamental values and skills we need to possess to perform effectively as local government managers. 
Underlying Themes
In reviewing the traits, I have noted four underlying themes that Dr. Peter Koestenbaum describes in his book Leadership: The Inner Side of Greatness. In his “Leadership Diamond,” Koestenbaum describes four ingredients of greatness. They are: vision (“thinking big and new”), reality (“being in touch with the facts, with the truth”), ethics (“people matter to you . . . integrity and morality are important to you”), and courage (“the willingness to take risks”). 
When you observe effective leaders, you will see these four dimensions in their leadership skills. They also will clearly embody most, if not all, of the 31 traits.
So, I want to thank my own mentors for being the inspiration that has allowed me to identify virtually all of the principles, values, and skills it takes to be effective in the management profession. To the extent that any of us has had mentors, we need to thank them and remind ourselves of their contributions to us.
And when I thank my mentors, I need to reach across a broad spectrum of contributors who have ranged from bosses to peers and subordinates, to elected officials, to family and friends, and even to some people who have served me as bad examples. For me, mentors are not one or two “influencers” but many. 
Some of My Exemplars
Bosses
I have been blessed with an unusually talented succession of bosses, including John Wentz, former manager of Riverside and Stockton, California; John Taylor, former manager of Fresno, California, and Kansas City, Missouri; and Ralph Hanley, former manager of Fresno, California, and Salem, Oregon, to name a few.
What set these managers apart was their ethical core, intellect, and courage to act in tough, political situations without regard for their careers. They were shining examples as I was starting my career and even much later in life because I never forgot the lessons they taught me.
John Wentz was a master at customer service, through his practice of “wandering around.” John Taylor and Ralph Hanley taught me how to speak and write in what I describe as “straight talk.” Ralph Hanley used to say that you need three things to be a successful manager: guts, intellect, and integrity. Although I used to think this was just another one of those pat, simplistic formulas, after 40 years of working in managerial positions in the public and nonprofit sectors, I found that he was right on the mark because sometimes the simplest statements of principles are those that continue to ring true throughout one’s career.
For me, mentors are not one or two “influencers” but many.
By the way, all three of these managers met Ralph Hanley’s three-pronged test of guts, intellect, and integrity.
Peers and Subordinates
A number of peers have served me as “beacons in the night” by helping guide me in this profession. Three recent examples are George Caravalho, manager, Riverside, California; Kevin Duggan, manager, Mountain View, California; and David Mora, manager, Salinas, California.
These individuals have been consistently superior managers with respect to intellect and integrity, and David Mora and George Caravalho have markedly advanced the local government management profession. Kevin Duggan’s recent handling of a politically sensitive situation with an elected official, as profiled in this magazine last year, was a potent reminder of the integrity and courage it takes to be an effective city manager.
But it has not just been peers who have helped guide my career. Two people I hired in San Jose were the epitome of courage, integrity, and consistent professionalism. These two always were up to doing the difficult assignments: Lou Garcia, currently city manager of Redondo Beach, and Darrell Dearborn, retired deputy city manager of San Jose.
Good managers should remember that their effectiveness is determined by the quality of the people around them and that there is much to be learned from all employees in their organizations.
Elected Officials
Most of us who have been in this business of local government have had the pleasure at one time or another of serving with elected officials or board members who have been dedicated to doing a first rate job for their constituencies. They have cared about customers, valued professional staff and their opinions, and conducted themselves with the utmost dignity and integrity.
I am reminded of two women who were the first to serve on the councils in Fresno and Fullerton respectively: Linda Mack and Frances Wood. They had to withstand criticism from their peers because they took the time and had the interest to do their homework on difficult issues before making decisions. I admired the courage they brought to the council chambers each week, and the strength of their convictions in doing a good job under occasionally adverse circumstances. 
Family and Friends
People should never underestimate the importance of family members as mentors. Family and friends can help set in place your core values and be effective reminders in your day-to-day work of what it takes to succeed. My father was a self-educated man of integrity and intellect, my mother is a person of great perseverance, and my wife, Marilyn, is blessed with extremely good judgment and has always been an effective barometer in helping guide my decision-making skills in difficult political situations. 
Bad Examples
A person can and does learn from “bad examples,” who regularly remind us that the values and qualities needed to be exemplary as a professional in our business often are just the opposite of what they are doing—what we observe as the wrong way to do business will often confirm for us the right way.
What I have noted in particular about these poor role models is their penchant for trying to survive at all costs. This is regardless of the price paid in terms of compromising personal and management values and principles.
I recall, in particular, one city manager who changed policy positions and processes to accommodate individual councilmembers out of concern to not do so would lead to losing his job. Ultimately, he lost the respect of the entire council and his job too.
A Few Reflections
While some of the individual names mentioned above may mean little to the reader, there are qualities that all of these “pros” in life represent. They are smart and courageous, and above all they set high ethical standards. If you have not found that one, lasting adviser, then take heart and remember that you have probably been fortunate, as I have, to have been surrounded by many wonderful human influences throughout your career. Thoughts of these people also are reminders to all of us of the importance of being good mentors ourselves.
Traits of Successful Managers, as Learned From My Own Mentors
In my opinion, successful managers share these characteristics, as demonstrated by those who were for me embodiments of one ideal or another:
Strong sense of personal integrity. Ethical leaders are significant definers of character and conduct in an organization. There is constant scrutiny of their values. The integrity of leaders must be beyond reproach, particularly if they are to set an example for individuals and groups in the organization.
Sense of fairness. Compassionate leaders deal with people fairly and equally. They treat any subordinate employee with the same respect and values as they would afford someone at a higher level.
Good balance. Secure managers are well balanced emotionally and professionally, with a well-developed sense of personal values. They promote the development of “corporate” values, to ensure that the organization is well balanced, too. Because they understand that the worst disease that can afflict a leader is egotism, they know how to manage their own egos and know that leading is about sharing the credit for the organization’s successes.
Sense of humor. Pleasant leaders set a tone for the organization that makes work enjoyable and establish a work environment that encourages happy, relaxed, and productive people.
True concern for people. Supportive managers and department heads understand that nurturing and motivating employees lies at the heart of making an organization effective. They are always thinking about how to make working in the organization a fulfilling experience. 
Knowledge of how to cope with difficult people. Good leaders do not shy away from handling troublesome difficult personality types and personnel matters. They understand the necessity of acting in a timely fashion to address people who are not coping well in the organization—for their own good and for the good of those who are performing well. 
Encouragement of open communications. High-quality leaders ensure that channels of communication are always open, engaging in dialogue throughout the organization to encourage all managers to practice open communications with their employees. Top managers listen to good and bad news.
Straight talk. Clearly understood managers are straightforward in their communication skills. People do not have to guess what they are talking about. They communicate effectively in writing as well as in speaking and know when to give and ask for feedback. They communicate in a fashion that is simple, direct, and timely.
Good listening ability. Attentive leaders are, first and foremost, good listeners who understand what is on the minds of the people they work with.
Visibility in the organization. Astute managers and department heads are at ease with employees, taking the time to be seen in the organization and to understand what employees do and what they are concerned about. They remember to thank people for a job well done. 
Capacity to build trust. Those with leadership skills establish a work environment where people trust each other.
Capacity to build teams. Good managers understand the inherent value of teamwork and that generally the best performance in an organization is the result of individuals working together. 
Courage to act. Courageous leaders set the tone by making hard decisions and moving an organization forward; they set a good example by showing the courage of their own convictions.
Mental toughness. Exemplary managers learn from mistakes and are brutally honest about their own performance. They do not practice self-deception and do not do a Houdini act when the going gets tough.
Political astuteness. Wise leaders understand the political environment and the needs and positions of special interests and policymakers but are careful not to be too political. 
Flexibility, innovation, and adaptiveness. Real leaders are willing to try new ideas, tolerate opinions that are different from theirs, take risks, and embrace change. Creative managers encourage employees to try new ideas and accept the risk of failure; they have a high level of tolerance of uncertainty.
Skill at being movers and catalysts. Change-oriented people in authority move an organization forward. They are movers and catalysts for improving the organization, not blockers and hindrances. Good managers make it easier for employees to change with the times and to develop streamlined ways of doing business.
Ability to learn from the past. Regularly, leaders will make the organization more effective by evaluating services and programs and altering, if necessary, the course upon which the organization is embarked. 
Mindfulness of the big picture. Visionary leaders engage stakeholders in the organization to help define its mission and goals. Because they see the big picture, they help the organization understand what it stands for and what it is all about. 
Willingness to do the small tasks well. Good managers ensure that organizations have an eye for detail and do the small projects and routine tasks as effectively and efficiently as the major programs.
Skill at evaluating performance. Caring managers and supervisors do timely and thorough performance evaluations. Employees never have to guess how well they are doing. These leaders establish approaches to correct poor performance and reward good performance in a variety of ways.
Effective delegation. High-quality administrators afford employees the opportunity to do meaningful work that is personally rewarding and challenging.
An eye to deadlines. Whenever possible, effective leaders negotiate deadlines among employees and hold them accountable for meeting these deadlines. Of course, they set a good example by meeting their own deadlines and commitments. 
Former manager Ralph Hanley used to say that you need three things to be a successful manager: guts, intellect, and integrity.
Thoughts about the customer. Effective managers understand that virtually anyone inside or outside the organization is a customer. Always trying to maximize the performance of the organization for the good of the customer, they regularly seek feedback from users and clients on how the organization is performing. 
Skill in promoting a diverse workforce. Knowledgeable leaders understand the value of a diverse workforce that reflects the customers it serves. They know that this diversity helps the local government better understand and serve its clientele by reflecting the values that exist in the community.
Will to improve organizational effectiveness. Well-organized managers are always looking for ways to streamline processes and procedures, to make the organization more user-friendly and productive. They seek means of producing more with less, or with the same resources. 
Analytical ability and decisiveness. These administrators know how to analyze problems by getting the facts, assessing the alternatives, then acting in a prudent and timely fashion to select or recommend a course of action. 
Competency. Capable managers and department heads are respected for their knowledge and understanding and for how hard, effectively, and efficiently they work.
Commitment to staff development. Leaders of tomorrow set a tone in the organization by promoting staff development programs that enhance an individual’s self-worth and that allow employees sufficient time away from the job so that their skills are constantly updated. And these leaders actively participate in their own continuing education programs.
Good negotiation. Skilled administrators know how to effectively and fairly negotiate among groups and individuals to resolve problems and conflicts. 
Knowledge of the organization’s finances. Competent managers know the overall financial status of their organizations and communicate it in a straightforward, regular way to their policymakers. Reports clearly explain the revenues, expenditures, reserves, and budget status of an organization. These leaders encourage the preparation and routine review of audit reports and other indices that promote a better understanding of the fiscal condition of the organization. 
Les White, Aptos, California (mailto:whitelm@%20pacbell.net), is the former city manager of San Jose and Fullerton, California, and has managed several nonprofit organizations. He is currently semiretired and does interim assignments and consulting for local governments.