Whose fault is it?

I have been around long enough to know that stuff happens! I've been in blame-storming meetings and visited angry customers. It is so much easier to blame and complain rather than do something. During some Quality Improvement training for managers, the instructor asked if something went wrong who do we think is most responsible? Of course we provided a list of the usual suspects but he said in an organization 80% of problems are caused by management. Of course we disputed the ratio and he said he was being kind and it was likely higher. Then he explained!

Management hires and fires, trains, buys supplies and equipment, sets policy, markets goods, sets up the organizational structure and determines the culture.
That has stuck with me for many years and I have used it successfully to get everyone on board when changes are required.

When called upon to help restructure a business, I focus on management issues first. When folks on the front line see a manager working harder to make things better they jump on board and start rowing. When confronted with a stupid procedure, we change the procedure to make the process better. When information like the cost of business is shared with the front line folks they can offer improvement ideas.

In a multi-layered government system like here in Ingersoll, many times when you bring up a concern to local council, you are told it's the County of Oxford's responsibility or it's the Ontario governments rules etc. Statements like that only pass the problem on and add to residents frustrations. If a government body thinks a problem is worthy of a look, too often they throw money at it or pass laws without proper costing. Rarely do they investigate the Root Cause of a problem before acting or consider who else is affected by the law.
Doing something is not the same as doing the right thing.
Doing nothing does not make the problem go away.

Although a Mayor has only one vote, they do have more options to affect change than a regular councillor. Mayors have the chair to allow them to decide tie votes. Mayors have an automatic seat at the AMO to help drive change provincially. Mayors have more time to help staff, to ask questions and to work through issues. In Ingersoll only the Mayor sits at County council or can be Warden or Deputy Warden.

Being Mayor is more than having a reserved parking spot or showing up for photo shoots.
Being Mayor is more than receiving the chain of office and the title of "Your Worship".
Being Mayor is about taking responsibility for the organizations actions.
The difference I have found in Mayor's is some are "The Mayor" and some are "Your Mayor"!
I see the difference, do you?

Cheers
Hoping to be Your Mayor of Ingersoll

Tim Lobzun

P.S. - Please join my page on FaceBook - Tim Lobzun For Mayor of Ingersoll