2015.03.13 CC Retreat Agenda Packet
AGENDA
EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL RETREAT
Verdant Community Wellness Center
4710 196th St. SW, Lynnwood, WA
SPECIAL MEETING
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015
1.8:30-9:00: Coffee
2.9:00-9:30: Introductions, Verdant Health Commission Presentation
3.9:30-1:30: Rhonda Hilyer Workshop, working through lunch
4.AM-7549 1:45-4:00: Jim Reid Workshop
AM-7549 4.
City Council Retreat Friday, March 13, 2015
Meeting Date:03/13/2015
Time:
Submitted By:Scott Passey
Department:City Clerk's Office
Type: Information
Information
Subject Title
1:45-4:00: Jim Reid Workshop
Recommendation
Previous Council Action
Narrative
Attachments: 03-13-15 Draft Agenda
08-01-14 Cultural Statement & Ground Rules
Attachments
Attachment 1 - 03-13-15 Session Agenda
Attachment 2 - 08-01-14 Cultural Statement & Ground Rules
Form Review
Form Started By: Scott Passey Started On: 03/10/2015 10:52 AM
Final Approval Date: 03/10/2015
Edmonds City Council Strategic Planning Retreat
Session on the Council’s Teamwork
Friday, 13 March 2015, 2-3:30 p.m.
Verdant Community Wellness Center
4710 196th Street SW, Lynnwood
DRAFT AGENDA
The Session’s Goal:
Check in with each other on how things are going for our team and what we need
and should expect from each other in 2015.
2:00 Review This Session’s Purpose Adrienne
2:03 Review Agenda Jim Reid, facilitator
2:05 Warm-up Exercise Everyone
2:20 Check-in: How are Things Going? Everyone
• Have the Cultural Statement and ground rules helped you in
working with your colleagues on the Council during the past
six months? If so, how? If not, why not?
• Has anything else helped the Council move closer to becoming
a high performance team?
2:40 Working as a Team in 2015 Everyone
• Assuming your success partly depends on your colleagues,
what do you need from them in 2015?
• What are you prepared to give to help them be successful?
3:20 What Do Each of Us Need from the Administration? Everyone
• What is the one thing you most need from the Mayor
and his staff this year to succeed?
3:30 Adjourn
CITY OF EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR AND LEADERSHIP TEAM
CULTURAL STATEMENT AND GROUND RULES
CULTURAL STATEMENT
We, the members of the Edmonds City Council, the Mayor and the directors of the
City’s departments, are working together to be a high performing team.
Our definition of a “high performing team” includes the qualities and characteristics
stated below. Together they constitute the culture we are consciously and ardently
working to achieve.
We’re working to create this culture primarily because we seek to be the kind of leaders
and public servants that the citizens of Edmonds deserve, a team that will lead the
community to an even better quality of life.
We act more often in concert. Our team is more important than any individual. We
are working to keep the relationships among us positive and fresh. We are moving
forward as a team.
We strive to know and understand each other better and demonstrate that we trust
and respect one another.
We demonstrate respect for each other and the citizens with whom we engage by
remaining civil to each other, even when disagreeing with one another. We do not
lecture each other or posture to make ourselves look better at the expense of
colleagues. We do not question the motives and interests of others.
We also demonstrate respect for one another by listening to each other more
carefully and hearing each other more accurately.
Our leadership and collaboration are guided by agreement on a set of goals that
constitute our highest priorities for the year. They reflect the few big things of
greatest importance and urgency to the City, the things that will benefit the 40,000
residents of Edmonds rather than a handful of constituents. Our goals and priorities
are clear and understandable, and define the outcomes we seek.
Our approach to working as a team is to begin by identifying common interests and
positions on which we agree. If we cannot resolve areas of disagreement, we won’t
necessarily declare an impasse. We may choose to adopt a policy that contains the
positions we agree on, and leave for a future time further discussions on the areas
where agreement has not been reached.
We enter discussions willing to listen to and learn. As we acquire additional
information and hear and are persuaded by others’ arguments, we will allow
ourselves to change our initial positions.
Our discussions are open and transparent and diverse ideas and opinions are
welcome. We accept that information provided by the Council members, Mayor,
staff, and the public is provided in good faith.
Decisions are made openly, collaboratively, and publicly.
We take the time needed to discuss issues in formats or settings that are conducive
to learning, exploring, understanding, and exchanging ideas and concepts.
We use email to communicate only to share factual information or schedule
meetings. We do not use it to explain positions or to persuade, cajole, or criticize.
The people of Edmonds are influential in our decision-making. Their views are
reflected in the direction that we are leading the City and our policy decisions. We
are committed to reaching out to a wide variety of citizens and stakeholders so that
we understand and our decisions reflect the diversity of opinions that are
represented in Edmonds.
We are available and accessible to the public about issues and ideas. But we do not
personally talk about each other with members of the public. When anyone tries to
entice us into conversation about a colleague, we decline because we do not need
to be drawn into discussions about personalities.
We employ a variety of techniques to inform our citizens and solicit their views and
opinions.
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GROUND RULES
These ground rules are intended to guide us to: a) make higher quality decisions; b)
employ processes that are understandable to and supported by everyone; and 3) work
with each other more effectively as a team.
1. We accept equal responsibility for the City’s success. We have equitable
opportunities to voice perspectives, opinions, and ideas.
2. There should be no surprises in our work with each other. We give each other a
“heads up” about what we are hearing in the community or around City Hall, and
about what we are going to say or do. Council members work with staff before
meetings to obtain the information needed to participate in discussions and
debates, and to make decisions. As part of information gathering, Council members
seek out staff before Council meetings to get questions answered.
3. We assume the best intentions of everyone. If you find yourself making
assumptions about what someone is saying or why they’re saying it, ask the person
if your assumptions are correct. Don’t become captive to faulty assumptions. Get
the accurate information needed to be able to understand and agree with each
other.
4. Council members will send to department directors their requests to obtain
information. (This may mean the Council member is contacting a staff person. If so,
the appropriate department director will also be included in the email “To” line.)
The Administration will respond to requests in a timely manner, and will provide all
Council members with comprehensive answers and the context necessary for
greater understanding and collaboration.
5. In making a proposal, provide sufficient context and rationale so that everyone has a
better understanding of why you are making it.
6. Differences of opinion and, periodically, conflict are expected because of our
different backgrounds, philosophies, and styles. We use our differences
constructively to produce more creative solutions than any of us could come up with
on our own. We acknowledge conflict can only be constructive if it’s focused on
substantive issues, not on personalities. Therefore, we will not shy away from
disagreeing, but we will not tolerate personal attacks.
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7. If the Council is moving toward a decision and you find you cannot support it, let
everyone know that and the reasons why. This may lead to changes that reflect
your interests and allow you to support the decision.
8. When you have a disagreement with a member of the team or anticipate that
colleagues may not support something for which you are advocating, call them, or,
better yet, meet face-to-face to see if you can resolve your differences or at least
understand each other better.
9. Once the Council has voted, we accept that the decision is the will of the majority.
10. If our processes, agendas, or facilitation techniques are not working for you, say so,
and we’ll work to change them.
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