LGMA (SA) Blogs

Winner profile - Kim Ritter

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:48:39 GMT

Kim Ritter from the City of Salisbury recently won the 2012 Emerging Leader of the year award. We chat with her about her role at Salisbury, and the award...

Firstly, some background…

What’s your current role, how long have you been doing it?
My current role is Manager Salisbury Recreation Precinct, I’ve been in this role for just over 1 year now. Prior to this I was the Manager of the Gardens and St Jays Recreation Centres and have been with the City of Salisbury for 5 years now. Currently I’ve got approximately 40 staff members.

Now, about the Emerging Leader of the year award…

How did your entry come about?
My entry came about through my direct line Manager, Adrian George – Manager Recreation Services.

How did you feel when first nominated, and when your video was played?
I felt very honoured that I was nominated in the first place, realizing the nomination process was quite a lengthy one and very in depth! When the video played at the awards night I was nervous, excited, embarrassed and humbled all at once. Viewing all of the other award nominees I felt they were very worthy of the win compared to myself.

Were you nervous when the nominations were read out?
I was very nervous when the award was being announced – but didn’t think that I would win this award!

Did you prepare a speech?
I didn’t actually prepare an acceptance speech! That was how much I thought I wouldn’t win this award. I remember when I was walking up to the podium and it dawned on me that I was about to give a thank you speech and I thought – “oh no, I don’t have a speech prepared!”. I gave myself 2-3 seconds to prepare and then went straight into an off-the-cuff speech! I thought my speech was OK, would’ve been better had I prepared although I tend to ad lib a lot with speeches I prepare usually, so don’t think it would’ve changed a whole lot had I prepared one earlier.

I do wish I’d thanked the people I currently work with in my team, for allowing my crazy ideas to come to fruition and for their on-going encouragement and support!

They make my job so much easier and such a happy place to be!

We have a fantastic high-performing team at the Salisbury Recreation Precinct, filling our days with laughter as well as productive work!

How did you feel about winning? What do you think that does for your motivation, your standing in the industry, your future career?

I feel very honoured to have taken out this award. It was certainly very unexpected as I feel I just do my job, nothing special about it. It’s really nice to be recognized at such a high level amongst my peers and other local government representatives. It cements my motivation in driving forward, continuing to identify gaps in program service delivery and to build a great working relationship with my fellow team mates whilst building their skill sets for their own improvement.

As far as my future career goes, this award is a great achievement and will assist me in developing my skills and qualifications further! Who knows what the future holds for me, but I’m excited to find out!

How have your colleagues/staff reacted to the win?
My staff and colleagues have reacted very positively towards my win. They’ve all been so supportive of me, not only after this win, but for the past 5 years I’ve been lucky enough to be employed by the City of Salisbury.

Staff in other departments have also been very congratulatory towards me and have made comments such as ‘well deserved’, which makes me feel very special and lucky to be thought of so highly by other people.

What would you say to other potential nominees for next year?
To other potential nominees for future years: strive for your goals, develop yourself personally, understand your customers and colleagues, follow your dreams, try to see the positive side in everything and above all, establish how to make work and life ‘work’ for you.

What’s next for you in your plan?
What’s next for me??? Ummmm…..personally to finish the house my husband and I are building ourselves.

Professionally – to continue to strive for excellence in everything my team does, continuously improve and to continue to move up the professional ladder – whatever that opportunity may be!

Country Spotlight - Andrew Cameron

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:14:44 GMT

Andrew Cameron, District Council of Yorke Peninsula

This month we chat to Andrew Cameron, Chief Executive Officer at the District Council of Yorke Peninsula.

Hi Andrew - What do you enjoy most?
Watching the mighty Pies marching to another flag, although someone should have told me that Buckley was taking a gap year.

Ok - What do you enjoy least?
Collingwood losing and bad red wine.

What would your staff say is your “trademark” saying?
I will buy anyone a free drink who can beat me in the footy tips and I frequently ask my staff “are you grumpy?”.

Did you think you would be doing this 5 years ago?
No but I aspired to progressing my career within Local Government.

What would you be doing if it wasn’t working in Local Government?
I just love working at DCYP and have a fantastic Team, so can’t really think of anywhere else I would rather be – at the moment!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Having led the DCYP well and truly toward financial sustainability.

What’s a typical day?
I arrive, my EA makes me coffee, I read the paper and overnight emails that have come in, and she reminds me that I am the CEO and then I get onto whatever challenge awaits! I have some really good strategic projects I am working on at the moment, usually a meeting or two on most days and networking with the wider community. DCYP is a very large Council area demographically so I also spend a lot of time driving my car!

What keeps you busy outside of LG?
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, a good red wine and fishing.

What’s your desk look like? (don't say brown!)
Neat and tidy. I have a large green tub that all my work goes into for my EA to deal with later.

Member profile - Diane Adamo

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:44:23 GMT

This month we talk to Diane Adamo, Senior Consultant – Culture & Leadership at Adelaide City Council

Hi Diane - What do you enjoy most about working for Adelaide City Council?
I enjoy working with staff from all levels across the organisation to determine, build and deliver initiatives and strategies that build Organisational transformation programmes, identifying opportunities for cultural change and alignment, employee engagement, performance/leadership Development and implementation of key OD initiatives that support and reinforce the culture that both meet the needs of the business and objectives set.

What do you enjoy least?
The administrative aspects of the role.

What would your staff say is your “trademark” saying?
I’m a ‘Team Leader’ and I think my team would say my trademark saying is “look at things from staff at all levels perspective, engage and collaborate with the business and apply the KISS principle”.

Did you think you would be doing this 5 years ago?
Yes – I’ve worked in the Strategic HR space (Organisational Development) for over ten years – I love the challenge, opportunities and satisfaction it provides

What would you be doing if it wasn’t working in Local Government?
Working in a similar capacity in the corporate environment.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I’d like to work in a ‘Consulting Capacity’ working with various businesses on determining and building effective strategic HR initiatives that both add value to the business and deliver a return on investment.

What’s a typical day?
It’s filled with ‘people’ – meetings, coaching, developing, engaging and collaborating with the team and staff across the business to determine, build and deliver initiatives. Writing lots of papers that ‘introduce and sell’ these initiatives and seek endorsement from our Executive Group.

What’s keeps you busy outside of LG?
My family and friends – socialising and eating, my puppy, my yoga, my writing.

What’s your desk look like?
It has pictures of my family; several used coffee cups, a few fun objects – like a wooden massager and bumble bee paper holder and lots of files/papers strategically placed in piles surrounded by loads of resource materials and books.

Member profile - Rob Gagetti

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:48:10 GMT

This month we profile Rob Gagetti from the City of Tea Tree Gully - who is certainly a busy man!

Hi Rob - thanks for talking to us.

What's your current role?
Manager, Development Assessment

How did you get into that role?
I secured my position following an organisational restructure. Prior to my appointment, there was one manager covering 4 different teams. The organisation identified a need for one manager for the development assessment section (building, planning and development compliance). The position was advertised internally and my application was successful.

What do you like best about the current position?
I enjoy working with less experienced staff members and watching them develop and grow into their positions. I also enjoy implementing system improvements designed to make the department operate in a more efficient manner.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into a similar role?
I would suggest that this person carefully examines their passion for working with people before they take on a similar position. To be a competent manager, excellent interpersonal skills are essential and a passion for working in a team environment is also critical. Furthermore, the person must also be capable of working within a highly political environment.

What’s next for you?
I have only been in this role for approximately 2 years. Long term, I would like to become a senior manager (director/general manager). I also have an interest in one day working for a rural Council.

I am also currently completing a Masters in Business Administration and I will use my learning’s to further develop my managerial skills, to assist with future career advancement.

Why did you join the LGMA(SA) and their Network/s?
It’s a great way to network with other people in similar roles. Effective networking is an essential tool required to facilitate professional development and unlock career opportunities.

Describe a typical day for us…
The interesting thing about a manager’s role in local government is that each day is very unique. However, generally speaking I would ordinarily arrive at work between 7:45am and 8:15am. At the moment we have been backfilling new positions within our team and so I have been preoccupied with completing the recruitment process. This process has involved a lot interviews, performing reference checks and completing a lot of paperwork.

Between interviews, I have been attending various internal steering committees for various software upgrades that will impact on the organisation together with various department meetings.

Media, rate payer and elected member enquiries are also regularly received and some of my time is occupied with responding to such enquiries. However, I will often delegate this work to other employees so that my time can be spent completing other work.

When I am not completing the work discussed above, I usually try to work on at least one project designed to improve the efficiency of the department, or the customer service that my team provides. At the moment I am working with other staff on performing a number of improvements to our website

Country Spotlight - Helen Christie

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:40:29 GMT

This month, we speak to Helen Christie from the Town of Gawler.

Hi Helen - What is your professional background?
I have over sixteen years of experience working in the Community Care sector. I worked for two not-for-profit organisations, then eight years ago moved into local government.

Community Care targets older residents, the younger disabled and their carers, with the majority of funding from the State and Commonwealth government. Most councils have a Home Assist program and many have social support programs and centres.

My roles at council have allowed me both the satisfaction of making a difference in people’s lives at a face to face level, and more holistically, coordinating programs, events and funding submissions, using my administrative background.

What Council are you currently working at, and how long have you been there?
I have been working at the Town of Gawler for just over eighteen months.

Why did you decide to work for a country council?
I previously enjoyed working for one of the largest metropolitan councils who is in a position to recruit people with specialist skills and even have teams for areas where Gawler may have one (or sometimes part of a) position dedicated to. While these are excellent resources for an organisation, on a personal level I had broader interests.

I am grateful for the opportunity provided by the metro council of a small stint of exposure to the governance section and an organisational communication project, however both left me wanting to learn more about council outside of Community Care. Gawler has allowed me to broaden my horizons, while I still primarily look after the Home Assist Team, I am also presently looking after the Immunisation and Graffiti teams.

What are the key differences between a country council and metro?
What I first noticed moving to Gawler was the community itself, the age of the town and the number of residents with a family history in Gawler, perhaps all these contribute to the community ownership and participation. Elected members are well known and very active in the community. More staff reside locally (or in a bordering council), with a higher personal stake and awareness in council activities.

The main difference between the two is the infrastructure. Larger councils have access to the finances and specialist resources to undertake some truly amazing projects.   The level of expertise, professionalism and of course sheer volume larger councils deliver, support the demands made of metro councils.

In meeting country council objectives, smaller councils have particular advantages as staff tend to know more about other council departments and the local community.

I have found staff quickly connect to the best person to assist and a familiarity fostering an environment of helping each other out.

What do you like most about your role?
The diversity of my position keeps me engaged and challenged on a regular basis. I enjoy working with staff across council, supporting each other and knowing we make a real contribution. My belief in the community programs we provide is amplified by level of support we have from residents and the valuable contribution made by volunteers.

How would you describe working for a country council as a career development step?
Metro and country councils have different demands placed upon them, something I now have a greater understanding of. It is also fascinating to observe the same problem handled two different ways due to the size and culture of an organisation.

It has been a rewarding experience for me to see the best of both worlds and worthwhile for anyone looking to challenge their thinking.

What other involvement do you have in Local Government?
In 2010 I undertook the Emerging Leaders program.   Sharing a career and personal development journey with participants from a range of councils, I really enjoyed this local government specific leadership program. I have made some great friends and gained an appreciation of different positions within council, and some insight into the differences in process and expectations between councils.

I am the Vice Chair of the Emerging Leaders Alumni. This group provides quarterly professional development sessions and of course the opportunity to maintain and further develop networks with other Emerging Leaders.

Why are you a member of LGMA SA?
After being involved in the 2009 LGMA challenge and the 2010 Emerging Leaders Program, I became more aware of the opportunities for professional development.

Membership keeps me linked with relevant forums and the opportunity to network with a diverse range of people who all appreciate the complexities of working in local government.

Country Spotlight - Bobbi Atherton

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:13:36 GMT

The range of skills shown by staff in country councils continues to impress.....this month we look at Bobbi Atherton, Manager, Organisational Development from the District Council of Yorke Peninsula.

Hi Bobbi - What is your professional background?
I have over fifteen years of experience working for the State Government. I started my career with an administration background and worked with many different authorities including TAFE, Liquor Licensing Commission, Corporate Initiatives Unit and Services SA. My most rewarding roles have included Project Officer and Office Coordination roles within the Government Businesses Group (responsible for outsourcing various Government Assets); Office for Government Enterprises (responsible for monitoring and reporting on various statutory authorities); and the Office of the Employee Ombudsman (providing an employee advocacy role – advice, rights and resolution processes). The last two years have been in Local Government with a role in Risk Administration/ Occupational Health and Safety and earlier this year I have moved back into industrial relations field, with a role as HR Advisor.

What Council are you currently working at, and how long have you been there?
I have been working with the District Council of Yorke Peninsula for two years.

Why did you decide to work for a country council?
I made a lifestyle change ten years ago and moved from Adelaide into a regional seaside town on the Yorke Peninsula. I transferred with State Government and worked with them for eight years. Whilst on maternity leave with my second child, a part time position within Council became available. I was extremely lucky to have won the position and have really relished in the opportunities that are available.

What are the key differences between a country council and metro?
I have never worked for a metropolitan Council, so really can’t compare.

What do you like most about your role?
At the moment I really like my job, enjoy going to work and I am being challenged on a regular basis. Having the ability to make a real contribution to my Council is very rewarding, assisting in improving our Organisational Development processes and Workforce Culture.

How would you describe working for a country council as a career development step?
There are many opportunities within a regional area to further develop your career along with the added benefit for Council in being able to create some great leaders. Many regional areas are experiencing an aging workforce and skills shortages, so for the right candidate armed with a good training plan and a succession plan, there are many career development opportunities available.

What other involvement do you have in Local Government?
I'm a member of the HR Network and the LGMA (SA) Emerging Leaders Alumni.

Why did you join the LGMA (SA) and their Network/s?
I am currently participating in the 2011 LGMA (SA) Emerging Leaders Program and have found this networking opportunity to be really beneficial.

Member profile - Katie Symes

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:04:56 GMT

This month, we speak with Katie Symes, Policy Officer – Coast & Communities at the Local Government Association.

Hi Katie - thanks for being the subject of our member profile this month.

How did you get into your current role?
I was already working at the LGA when my current position was created. I was really enjoying the challenges of Local Government and having a background in environmental science I jumped at the opportunity to apply.

What do you like best about the current position?
Working at the LGA means I get to work with all 68 Councils and my current portfolio allows me to work across a number of areas, so there’s always something happening. But if I had to pick one thing - nothing beats a successful funding bid for Councils.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into a similar role?
Having the qualifications is one thing but getting out there and getting some experience is so valuable. Also get out there and speak to people in the role. It gives you a great opportunity to find out what really happens on a day to day basis and if you’re suited to the job. You never know it just might open the next door you walk through.

What’s next for you?
I hope to continue to expand my knowledge and skills at the LGA and work towards a more senior role. I am also hoping to do some post graduate studies next year which I’m really looking forward to.

Why did you join the LGMA(SA) and their Network/s? I became a member through the Emerging Leaders Program. Through the LGMA I have found an amazing opportunity to build networks and I have had the chance to hear from some fantastic speakers.

Describe a typical day for us…
I’m not sure if there is a typical day but there are a few things you can be certain of …the next State Executive meeting is just around the corner and reports need to be written, a submissions deadline is quietly sneaking up and a new issue or opportunity is about to tap you on the shoulder.

Country Spotlight - Mildy Raveane, Rural City of Murray Bridge

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:30:34 GMT

One of the interesting things about interviewing people in local government is finding out about the incredible diversity of backgrounds we enjoy in this industry.

Mildy Raveane, Manager Customer Relations, Rural City of Murray Bridge, is a perfect example - he brings a wide variety of fresh perspectives to hos role, following a long career in the airline industry.

Hi Mildy - thanks for talking to us this month.

What is your professional background?
Over 30 Years saw the rise and fall of Ansett in the romantic years of air travel to its demise through which numerous positions were held predominately in The Northern Territory.
My career with the airline commenced in Darwin as a ticketing and reservation officer and then progressed to management roles to include sales and marketing, Golden Wing and to manager central Australia with a heavy focus on customer service sales and marketing.

Following the collapse of Ansett I was seconded to the position of manager Northern Territory Tourism Commission Central Australia, followed by 5 years in the hotel industry again with very roles culminating as the operations and marketing manager for the newly developed Darwin Airport Resort.

With Karen Loy, my partner, we then decided to move to Adelaide to establish our retirement plan whereby I was approached by Tiger Airways to assist in the establishment of its operation in Australia based in Melbourne as the Australian Head of Ground Services and Security, with some involvement in the Asian market.

What council are you currently working at, and how long have you been there?
This is the first involvement that I have had in local government and now with the Rural City of Murray Bridge for the last 18 month as manager customer relations.

Why did you decide to work for a country council?
As a rural resident I love the space

What do you like most about your role?
Working with the community

How would you describe working for a country council as a career development step?
Challenging but rewarding

Why are you a member of LGMA SA?
Being new to local government the need to keep up with local government trends, networking , training courses that are being offered. The Rural City of Murray Bridge is an employer of choice and recognises the value add of the LGMA program to as part of an employee’s professional and personal growth and promotes the value of learning and ensuring employees have access to the most up to date information.

Member Profile - Peter Bice

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:48:45 GMT

This month, we interview Peter Bice, Business Excellence Partner at the City of Marion.

Hi Peter, please tell us a bit about yourself.

What’s your current role?
Business Excellence Partner at the City of Marion

How did you get into that role?
I saw the job and thought "Wow! That looks like a great way to make a meaningful difference across an entire organisation and to a community; which uses a broad range of skills, tools and approaches to improve the way things are done".

What do you like best about the current job?
Working with staff from diverse work areas and levels in the Council, as well as networking with other professionals to learn from and share leading practice approaches, systems and processes. The systemic and systematic focus required. I also enjoy the opportunity I am afforded through my role as a Evaluation Team Leader in the annual Business Excellence Awards process, which enable me to see and learn from high performing organisations from different industries and enhance my understanding of where LG is able to improve and lead the way.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into a similar role?
The Business Excellence Framework is essentially a Leadership and Management framework to help organisations be the best they can be, and continue to improve and raise the bar.

Studies in Management, Training, Organisational Development and Business Excellence will strengthen a potential applicants chances in a role such as this, as will personal alignment with principles of Leadership, People and Systems Thinking. Additionally, strong communication, inter-personal skills and group facilitation are critical elements of success in a role such as this, so I would encourage people to take every opportunity to develop these should they be interested.

What’s next for you?
I have learnt an enormous amount in my time with City of Marion, and am continually looking to apply my learning to new projects and situations in my current role; with a view to taking on a more senior         role within Local Government in the near future.

Why did you become a member of LGMA (SA)?
I felt it a good opportunity to network with fellow professionals across Local Government in South Australia.

Please describe a typical day for us…
I suppose there is really no 'typical' day in this role as such - which is one of the reasons I love it! However common themes certainly arise, namely:

                - Partnering with and training managers and staff around use of improvement tools/techniques and areas for business improvement (PDSA, Lean Six Sigma, Systems Thinking, Root Cause etc)
                 - Developing strategies/approaches with Senior Management group
                - Getting out in the field and mix it up with staff of all backgrounds and experience levels (a highlight for me), including mapping end-to-end processes
                - Representing Marion at the Local Government Business Excellence Network (LGBEN - www.lgben.net.au), and the South Australian chapter (SA LGBEN)
                - Assessing organisational capability and capacity to deliver across broad service areas

Member Profile - Tracey Johnstone

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:14:14 GMT

This month, we profile Tracey Johnstone from the City of Campbelltown.

Tracey - thanks for talking with us.

What is your current role?

I am Manager Customer & Community Services at the City of Campbelltown

How did you get into that role?

I have worked in community services for over 10 years in a number of roles including community development, volunteer management, community engagement, training, research and social policy. This was my first appointment in a Manager role within community services and I was excited to return to local government after an 18 month break.

What do you like best about your current job?

I really enjoy the local government environment and the diversity of projects we get to be involved in and the partnerships we form to work with the community. Customer Service has been one of the biggest challenges, but I have thoroughly enjoyed learning this whole new area of a Council.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into a similar role?

The advice I would give is to get out and try a range of different areas and experiences in community services, it is such a diverse sector that you need to find something you are passionate about (or as someone once told me 'find something that blows your skirt up!'). Once you have found your passion - keep reading, learning and talking to other people.

What’s next for you?

I hope to stay at Campbelltown for a minimum of five years, perhaps more as community services is always changing and developing and after working in State, Private and Not for profit environments I can easily say that local government inspires me the most.

Why did you join LGMA?

I joined the LGMA (SA) as a professional development networking opportunity. As a new manager I saw the level of experience of the people involved and saw it as a great way to keep learning and build my own knowledge and skills.

Describe a typical day for us…

A typical day is that there will be an underlying chaos that the team thrives in. There is the typical work we do: phones, projects, meetings, responding to queries, but then there is the atypical part which is why we all choose to work in customer and community services in the first place - the day that challenges us, delights us and amuses us all at the same time means we have had a very good day.

Country Member Profile - Ryan England - Barossa Council

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:36:48 GMT

What is your Professional Background?

After working as an IT Consultant for ten years I took up a position as the Manager Information Communication Technology at The Barossa Council in 2008.

What Council are you working at, and how long have you been there?

The Barossa Council for 3 years.

Why did you decide to work for a country council?

The Barossa has the best of both worlds; whilst it is located in a beautiful regional location it is still close enough to have easy access to the city. From an IT perspective regional councils present a range of challenges not always found in metro locations. For example in the Barossa we have Library and Council services spread across five locations – along with a Visitor Information Centre and a Regional Gallery, all of which are located up to 70kms from the main ICT centre.

What are the key differences between a country council and metro?

On a community level, regional Councils have a more familiar customer base. Often in metro areas residents use the services of a range of Councils throughout

Adelaide– potentially working in one municipality but living in another and possibly using the services of another on weekends or in their social time. In regional areas the residents tend to use the same locations and services repeatedly, providing us with an opportunity to form stronger networks and relationships with the community.

What do you like most about your role?

As an IT professional, local government is fantastic. There are always new challenges to overcome and opportunities to look at a range of different models to suit various council services. With such a diverse range of industries all housed in the same building you have an opportunity to try different things that help make Council Services run smoothly – Engineers, Customer Service Officers, Librarians, Planners, Accountants they all have different needs when it comes to IT.

How would you describe working for a country council as a career development step?

I haven’t really thought about that in my current role. Because we are so close to

Adelaideit doesn’t seem to make a huge amount of difference. I guess there are different demands in regional locations in relation to IT with distance and remoteness an issue for some of our branches – and that provides you with a different management perspective.

What other involvement do you have in Local Government?

At the moment I am currently participating in the LGMA Emerging Leaders Program, which I am really enjoying – it is a great opportunity to get a broader perspective of Local Government as well as network and establish relationships. I also am an actively involved with both the Local Government IT as well as Record Management groups. I also consult with a range of other Councils through the Libraries network – particularly with their specialist IT needs. The Barossa Council is part of the LINK Network which is a consortium of five local governments who developed a system for their libraries to work together, sharing resources and information.

Why are you a member of the LGMA SA?

Organisations like the LGMA are great because they provide you with a range of opportunities in relation to networking, training and the dissemination of information. There are lots of managers out there working in Local Government – the LGMA is a conduit which ensures you can stay informed and hear more about what other Councils are up to – the challenges and the solutions!

What's your council brand?

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:00:23 GMT

All organisations have a brand that they need to manage.

A brand is closely associated with the reputation of the organisation and its products and services.

Here’s an example:

The Apple Brand Personality

Apple has a branding strategy that focuses on the emotions. The Apple brand personality is about lifestyle; imagination; liberty regained; innovation; passion; hopes, dreams and aspirations; and power-to-the-people through technology. The Apple brand personality is also about simplicity and the removal of complexity from people's lives; people-driven product design; and about being a really humanistic company with a heartfelt connection with its customers.

Council brands

Similarly, every council has a brand, with associated brand attributes or “brand personality”. Some attributes are intentional, some are probably not. But they are there. For example, some councils would be regarded by their community as innovative, cost effective, flexible, contemporary and customer-focused. Others may be seen as stodgy, slow moving, bureaucratic. Or any points in between.

Likewise – cities have brands too – and sometimes councils get confused and try to adopt the brand attributes of their city. Certainly, a council can adopt values that support the brand attributes of the place – but let’s talk about that another day.

Confusing council and city branding is commonplace, so just remember - councils are service providers, policy makers, custodians of public assets - but they are not places.

So, concentrating on the council brand - a brand is not just your logo and image style, it’s distilled from your vision, your strategic directions, your public profile, your reputation, and most importantly, how your staff and elected members behave.

What do you want your brand to be? Have you thought about it?

Like beauty, a brand is in the eye of the beholder. So, no matter if you think your council is innovative, customer focused and brilliantly executing the management of your ratepayer funds, if the ratepayers don’t recognise it – your brand won’t actually be what you think.

It’s important to not only think about what is a desirable brand – but also to then measure it, as you would any other KPI or council objective.

You can establish where your brand attributes sit on a continuum – and then , with research, measure how that attribute is actually perceived by your community.

You can then plot your brand measurements on a spider chart like this:

Legend:

Blue line is the desired brand perception

Red line is the actual brand perception

Identifying gaps

If your brand perception doesn’t match your desired perception – (as in the example above) then either your council is not “living” the brand (i.e. something about your services or behaviour is not consistent) or there is a communication issue (you may be doing all the right things, but no-one knows about it….)

Major corporations constantly measure their brand perception to keep their brand on track – you should too. A strong, consistent brand is good for customer (and ratepayer) satisfaction and is also great for staff morale too.

A guest blog post by Jim Myhill, XLR8 Marketing and Communications

Member Profile - Mark Goldstone

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:17:19 GMT

This month, we profile Mark Goldstone from the City of Prospect.

Mark - thanks for talking with us.

What is your current role?
Chief Executive Officer - City of Prospect

How did you get into that role?
I grew up in the Northern suburbs of Adelaide, however my career in local government started in rural Tasmania, where I was appointed as a Junior Environmental Health Officer with the Wynyard Council. I then progressed through to management positions at the King Island and Circular Head Councils in Tasmania. During my time at those councils, I gained an appreciation and exposure to the role of CEO and when an opportunity arose I applied for and was appointed to the role as CEO at the Circular Head Council. Following a number of years at Circular Head I moved to South Australia with the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council where I worked for 6 years before moving to my first metropolitan council, the City of Prospect.

What do you like best about your current job?
Having the ability to lead a high performing council and achieve tangible results that have a positive impact on the local community is something I gain a lot of satisfaction from. I enjoy the ability to implement positive reform and encourage the absolute best from my directors and staff. Seeing my staff progress toward their career aspirations and contributing in some way to their path forward in a supportive way is something that I enjoy immensely.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into a similar role? Go for it! Being a CEO is a very demanding job, however given the right circumstances and support from those around you, exciting outcomes can be achieved which are guaranteed to deliver a great deal of job satisfaction.

What’s next for you?
I would like to constructively influence the local government sector through regional cooperation (such as the Eastern Region Alliance) and through developing partnerships with key agencies (such as the LGA, State and Federal Government).

Why did you join LGMA?
The LGMA provided me with an excellent vehicle to expand my knowledge and networking capacity. The LGMA has enabled me to develop my leadership skills and has been influential in my professional development. I recall entering the LGMA Challenge when I first had an aspiration to become a manager and the skills I acquired through that exercise have served me well ever since.

Describe a typical day for us…
5.00 am start at the gym, followed by trying (sometimes unsuccessfully) to get my teenage kids out of bed and organised for school. Mornings tend to be the best time for me to catch up on emails and to take time to plan for key activities. As with most CEO's much of the day is spent in meetings both at the operational and political level. I often then attend an evening meeting (which when you are a CEO occur frequently).

R U Ready ? Volunteer Management Conference

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:28:00 GMT

R U Ready?

Volunteering for a sustainable Future;

Volunteer Management Conference

1 & 2 August, 2011

Sanctuary Adelaide Zoo

Are You Ready to meet the challenges and opportunities that the next 10 years will bring to the volunteer landscape?

Member Profile - Bree Hislop

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 01:39:38 GMT

Bree Hislop is the Governance Officer for the City of West Torrens. She is also part of 2011's LGMA (SA) Emerging Leaders Program.

Bree tells us a bit about her role in Local Government in this month's member profile:

Hi Bree - thanks for being part of LGMA's newsletter this month.

What’s your current role?

I'm currently a Governance Officer at the City of West Torrens.

How did you get into that role?

I was able to trial life as a Governance Officer through a secondment position in 2008. I quickly recognised that the principles of accountability, transparency and continuous improvement closely reflected my own philosophies.

What do you like best about the current job?

There is ALWAYS something new to learn and, I must admit, it becomes slightly addictive. A lot of our work is project based and it is very satisfying to see a new practice evolve to form part of an overall proactive governance program.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into a similar role?

I like to think of good governance principles and practices as a road map. Often we have an idea of where we would like to go and how to get there. The road map shows us where we are and where we should be - highlighting the obstacles and giving us options for the way forward. At some point, we all need to stop and ask for directions.

What’s next for you?

I'm thrilled to be participating in the LGMA Emerging Leaders Program this year. I have enjoyed meeting other enthusiastic Local Government employees and draw a lot of motivation from working as part of a team.

There are many opportunities at the City of West Torrens to explore and I have raised my hand to participate in new challenges to broaden my skill set. I'm working towards a Masters in Business Information Management through UniSA which I am able to apply to my current roll on a day to day basis.

I am hopeful for a long future in Local Government. If by chance I win the lottery, I may need to rethink this plan.

Why did you become a member of LGMA (SA)?

I became a member though the Emerging Leaders Program. I have been impressed with the commitment and dedication of existing LGMA members who have shown great support for the 2011 Emerging Leaders, offering their time, experiences and advice generously.

Please describe a typical day for us…

Luckily, there is no such thing as a typical day in Governance. Writing reports for Council, preparing for the appointment of new Authorised Officers, researching for a Freedom of Information application, providing training on the exercise of delegated powers and offering advice to employees are all common activities. Only one thing is certain - there is always a policy, patiently waiting to be reviewed.

CEOs sleep out for homeless

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:56:52 GMT

Three local government CEOs from South Australia raised more than $5000 for homeless people by making Adelaide Zoo their home for the night on 16 June.

The trio swapped their doonas and electric blankets for park benches and cardboard to support St Vinnies’ national CEO Sleepout which raises funds and awareness for the homeless.

Peter Smith (Adelaide City Council), Andrew Johnson (Port Pirie Regional Council), and Mark Searle (Marion Council) joined more than 80 other CEOs from South Australia on a damp cold night among the zoo’s more permanent inhabitants.

“There are more than 1000 homeless people in South Australia, most of who have been driven onto the streets by family breakdown, unemployment, drugs, alcohol and domestic violence,” Mr Smith said.

“It was a privilege to raise money for these people through a sponsored sleepout and also to listen to some of their stories on the night.

“Councils are in the business of caring for communities and it’s important that we all recognise the need to support other people and remember that breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness isn’t easy.”

Presenter Theodora told a harrowing story of sexual abuse which forced her to leave home to live on Adelaide’s streets at 14.

Now married and working as a swimming instructor, she has beaten drug dependency and broken the poverty cycle where she was unable to access benefits because she was homeless, all thanks to the intervention of St Vinnies.

For Andrew Johnson, the experience of sleeping rough, if only for one night, brought home some of the day-to-day realities of living on the streets.

“Nobody is going to sleep well on a bit of cardboard or a bench,” Mr Johnson said.

“Add to that a poor diet, cold, the need to change clothes and keep clean, and everyday living becomes very tough."

Australia has more than 100,000 homeless people, 30 per cent of which are children.

This is only the second year the campaign has been run nationally and participant numbers increased by 300 to almost 1000.

This increasing engagement from organisational leaders is a step towards helping people get off the street, Mr Searle said.

“The more people become aware of the issue of homelessness and act to prevent it, the better for society as a whole,” Mr Searle said.

“Marion, like many other councils, contributes to preventing homelessness through youth support services.

“The sleepout was an important reminder that we must do whatever we can to help those who have to make the street their home.”

Donations can still be made at www.ceosleepout.org.au

Industry Trends - Workforce Planning - Building and maintaining our workforce

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:19:38 GMT

Building and maintaining our workforce

the right people in the right places with the right skills doing the right jobs

Written by: Sarah Poppy, Marketing and Communications Officer, City of Salisbury

Photo: Skye Browne, Senior Coordinator Organisational Wellbeing and Sarah Poppy, Marketing and Communications Officer from City of Salisbury

One of the key challenges facing Local Government now and in the future is the need to challenge, engage and retain critical staff.

This was the central question of this year’s LGMA Management Challenge Pre-Challenge Task.

In order to tackle this task the City of Salisbury’s team Future Proofed undertook significant local, national and international research into workforce planning and retention trends. This research was supplemented with a series of in house interviews, staff surveys and a review of council statistics to understand the specific challenges faced by the City of Salisbury.

The national organisers of the LGMA Challenge chose four teams to present their pre-challenge task at the national LGMA Congress in Cairns in May. Our pre-challenge task was chosen as one of the top four submissions nationally. My colleague Skye Browne and I were the lucky two from our team invited to present our project at this prestigious event to around 400 senior management delegates and participate in a Q&A session with the other three teams. The four presentations were extremely well received by the audience.

Each team was given 15 minutes to present the findings of their report. Our Action Plan was broken down into four areas of focus; reward and recognition, remuneration and benefits, career development and workplace culture. We highlighted one or two key initiatives under each focus area in our presentation.

Surveys with our staff highlighted that reward and recognition is the number one way to retain staff and it plays a significant role in why they may choose to stay and not seek employment elsewhere. At the City of Salisbury there is a project team looking into a reward and recognition framework so our team have recommended the idea to develop guidelines for managers to use when rewarding and recognising staff.

City of Salisbury has an excellent staff development program so our team have recognised that while it is important to continue to develop our staff there is scope to increase career pathway opportunities by working with other councils to investigate options such as secondments, resource sharing and employee pools. This is an opportunity to enhance career development opportunities while retaining staff within Local Government.

Our report highlights the opportunity to improve our mentoring program by expanding it to an LGMA level to engage and grow leaders across Local Government.

All of these areas we highlighted impact on workplace culture which ultimately impacts on staff morale. Retention comes from an employees connection to an organisation and its people.

The key points we left the audience with were that in order to retain your staff it is vital to listen to their needs, collaboration is the key and that we need to work together as an industry to ensure that we have the right people in the right places with the right skills doing the right jobs.

Spotlight on the country - Grant Humphries, Mt Gambier City Council

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:10:45 GMT

Each month we place the spotlight on a country council or staff member. This month we speak to Grant Humphries, Director, Corporate and Community Services at Mt Gambier.

Hi Grant - thanks for spending time with us.

What is your professional background?
My entire career has been in local government spanning five different Councils over 36 years, initially in the Finance/Revenue areas. I was appointed CEO of former Beachport District Council in 1988.

What Council are you currently working at, and how long have you been there?
I am currently the Director, Corporate and Community Services with City of Mount Gambier, a position I have held for 14 years.

Why did you decide to work for a country/regional council?
Having worked in both country and metro Councils, they all face similar challenges. However, I found early in my career that country councils offered more scope for the attainment of varying skills and experience, generally in local government. This enabled me to gain exposure in the varying roles in local government and advance my career prospects. These opportunities have somewhat diminished these days as roles within local government have become more specialised and of course Councils are fewer in number and are larger/have greater capacity.
Having been born and raised in a country town I have an empathy for and enjoy living in a regional area.

What are the key differences between a country council and metro?
As stated previously, all Councils face similar challenges in meeting community expectation/demands, however I do consider country councils are still closer to their communities and are more about the traditional roles of local government. The tyranny of distance and adequately servicing large land areas is an ongoing challenge in regional areas that does not necessarily present in the closer settled, more compact metropolitan areas.
In living and working in a regional area you are certainly not anonymous and are always made aware of what the communities views are on various local issues!

What do you like most about your role?
The diversity. My particular role is very diverse (some would say too diverse) which regularly presents different challenges – this is a double edged sword – in one respect it offers challenge/diversity however on the flip side achievement of objectives in the varying duties can be delayed due to other more immediate priorities. This can be frustrating.
The connection and involvement with the local community, community organisations, sporting groups, etc, in the achievement of combined objectives is also a major source of satisfaction in my role.

How would you describe working for a country council as a career development step?
Working in regional councils was a major influence in my career development which I would encourage anyone to entertain. If you are prepared to move around there are opportunities in regional areas that would not necessarily present in the metropolitan area.
I am sure the experience gained in smaller Councils in regional areas will provide anyone with a great grounding in the workings of local government at a grass roots level.

What other involvement do you have in Local Government? (e.g. networks, affiliations)
I previously served as President of the South East IMM (precursor to LGMA) Group some years ago.
I just completed a 2 year term as Chair of the Civica Authority SA and NT Local Government User Group.

Why did you join LGMA?
It was the Institute of Municipal Management (IMM) in those days!
Having become a CEO at the age of 29 years in a reasonably remote location, pre internet days, I needed all the help and support i could get. LGMA (or IMM) provided me the opportunity to network with many other more senior and experienced local government officers who were always very willing to assist.

Member Profile - Jane Trotter

Tue, 24 May 2011 17:25:58 GMT

Jane is the Director, Corporate Development for the City of Salisbury, and a LGMA board member. She gives us a little of her background and some wise words of advice.

Hi Jane, thanks for talking to us. Can you tell us a bit about yourself....

What's your current role?
I am currently working for the City of Salisbury as Director of Corporate Development. I am responsible for the portfolio areas of People and Culture, Information Systems, Marketing and Communications, Governance and Customer Services and the Executive Office.

How did you get into that role?

I have over ten years experience in local government, primarily in the areas of corporate services. My previous roles at the Cities of Playford, Unley and Burnside enabled me to build the skills, knowledge and capacity to apply for the Director Corporate Development role at Salisbury when it became available around 18 months ago. I also have postgraduate qualifications in business management and have undertaken a number of leadership programs over recent years.

What do you like best about the current job?

I love that no day is ever the same. I have great variety in my role. From being engaged in strategic discussions about the future of the organisation, to mentoring women and emerging leaders, to working on multidisciplinary project teams and committees, to attending national LGMA board meetings or talking with staff about their work. I am still learning every day which keeps me engaged and interested.

I feel very fortunate in my role. Salisbury as a larger Council, has the resources to develop and implement innovative and best practice projects. We are also able to attract and retain talented staff as we offer competitive working conditions, excellent learning and development opportunities and challenging work. I have a great team within my department who are skilled and passionate about their roles. They are rolling out innovative new programs that are making a difference for our workforce, organisation and the community.

What advice would you give someone looking to get into a similar role?

I would say, try and get as much different experience as you can across the various disciplines of local government. I moved around Councils and different roles, which prepared me for the diversity of the Director role I now hold. Even though my interest lies in the Corporate Services arena, I previously did a stint as a GM of Corporate and Community Services, so I would understand the perspective of the external service provider within local government, not just the internal service provider.

It's also important to invest in your development through leadership courses and relevant learning opportunities. The LGMA offers some great programs for up and coming local government professionals including the LGMA Challenge and the Emerging Leaders Program.

And, never underestimate the importance of networking. Having a diverse support network provides many benefits, particularly in an industry like local government. You will always have a ready group of people, able to share information, provide advice and who can let you know when interesting opportunities arise.

What’s next for you?

For now I am really enjoying my role and I still have a lot to accomplish at the City of Salisbury. Later this year I will take on the role of President of the SA Division of the LGMA which will be a new and exciting challenge. I like working in local government for its diversity, opportunities and not least the people I get to interact with every day. So that's where I see myself for the immediate future.....

Spotlight on the country - Bill Boehm, Administrator, Roxby Council

Sun, 22 May 2011 15:43:37 GMT

Each month we will place the spotlight on a country council and/or staff member.

This month we speak to the Administrator of one of our fastest growing country areas - Bill Boehm from Roxby Council.

What is your professional background?

Bachelor Civil Engineering. Grad Dip Municipal Engineering, Building Surveying and Local Government Management. 30 years in Local Government in engineering, planning and management fields, all of which has been in rural and regional areas in Victoria and South Australia

What Council are you currently working at, and how long have you been there?

Administrator Roxby Council for past 12 years

Why did you decide to work for a country council?

Opportunity for wider civil engineering experience, in part to assist in a obtaining a the Municipal Engineers Certificate in Victoria, as well as an opportunity for a different non city lifestyle

What are the key differences between a country council and metro?

More intimate relationships with community generally and opportunity for children to have a more relaxed enjoyable lifestyle in a safe environment. Many of metro features are accessible without the day to day hassles of traffic and busy nature of life generally

What do you like most about your role?

Ability and position to influence the way the Roxby Community operates now and into the future

How would you describe working for a country council as a career development step?

Excellent but it horses for courses. Greater variety but may be perceived to be more difficult at a senior level to return to the City but lifestyle opportunities make it worthwhile

What other involvement do you have in Local Government (e.g. networks, affiliations)

Current Delegate to LGA and member Provincial Cities Association. Current and previous board member of various regional associations. Current Regional Community Consultative Council and Port Augusta and Regional Health Advisory Committee. Previous regional member on Country Arts SA and both Area Consultative Committee and Regional Development Boards