Meeting the Challenges of Talent Management

We’re getting ready for our “strategic planning” session in July. I produced some preliminary data about the City which we can use (Click Here) and we’ve been discussing some of the changes in the City which suggest we are entering a new and exciting era (Click Here). These were

• New City Manager
• New General Plan
• New Civic Center
• New Mobile App
• New Approach to Traffic/Parking
• Better Communication
• Better Animal Care

Last week I began the first in a series about how we can meet these challenges. We discussed the need for better quality control and the need for improved research capabilities, then turned our attention to public safety.

Today I want to talk about talent management.

PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE

The most valuable commodity any business has is its people. Real estate gurus talk about “location, location, location” and management consultants, especially in the HR area talk about “people, people, people”. The latest trends in this area refer to the people as “talent” and it’s probably a good name change because it brings with it a set of expectations and aspirations.

As we enter a new era for the City, we are going to do well if our talent pool responds to the challenges. I’m including in this pool not only the staff, but the volunteers who serve on the Commissions and Committees and clubs, and the hundreds of residents who are active in one way or another. Our job, on the Council, is to set the conditions in which the talent can flourish.

CHALLENGE OUR STAFF TO EXCEL AND INNOVATE

It’s long been known that money will only get you so far. Our staff compensation is more than adequate to attract and keep talent, so there must be something else happening to explain why so many of our high performing staff members move on to other cities. A while ago someone remarked that it was a good sign that Lake Forest produced so many good staff members that they went on to better jobs in other cities. I wondered – “Wouldn’t it be even better if they stayed here and went on to better jobs?” For a long time, Lake Forest has been static. Ten years ago the City decided to increase the number of homes, build a sports park, and a civic center. We’ve been focused on those objectives for the past 10 years. Now we need to expand beyond this vision and move forward in ways that allow our staff to move forward with us.

Let's become leaders in a host of areas.

• Let's move forward on the mobile app, solve the problems, and make Lake Forest a model for every city in the nation. This will not merely improve services it will provide an exciting and stimulating environment for our staff.
• Let's create the model animal adoption center that works with the county on animal control, but then handles the other elements (education, adoption) locally. This is a model that will be cost effective and adopted by cities all around the nation, especially those that are saddled with a poorly functioning County system yet unable to move out on their own. There are many elements here that need to be developed more fully, and this will be a great challenge to our staff and everyone else involved.
• Let's see what we can do with a modern performing arts center. How can we mobilize the arts community in South Orange County. Can we create new businesses for our hotels and restaurants? Can we expand the economic reach for our local artisans?
• Let's take a hard look at our retail centers. We are late to this party, and almost every other city around us is busy building or planning new retail centers that will challenge our tax revenue and job creation. Can we leap frog them? Can we tease out what works and what doesn't? Can we re-vitalize our retail centers and create an exciting and meaningful challenge for our staff?
• Let's re-envision the Sports Park, which is a great addition to the City, but is it being used to the optimal impact. Are we fully taking care of the needs of our residents or can we do a better job scheduling events? Can the Sports Park be used to attract tournaments that will bring visitors and business to the City, enriching our restaurants and hotels.

We will need to take some risks, endure some failures along the way, and generate a little anxiety when you enter heretofore unexplored ventures. Some people will be nervous when we try to do things in a different way, but that's the price of innovation. Think of the benefits to the city and to the staff.

We can't do everything at once so we'll need to choose what areas to spend our time and energies. Innovation can overcome an agency and we need to keep the focus on our quality of life. so with this new attitude we'll need the quality control and the enhanced research capabilities I discussed last week (Click Here).

Next time I want to discuss engaging the general public.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jim Gardner is on the City Council for Lake Forest. You can check him out on LinkedIn and/or Facebook and you can share your thoughts about the City at Lake Forest Town Square on Facebook. His comments are not meant to reflect official City Policy.

Dr. Gardner has office hours every Tuesday from 3 pm to 5 pm at the City Hall. In addition, he holds a mini town meeting every month. The next meeting will be on June 10 at 2 pm at the Foothill Ranch Public Library.