Here are some of the characteristics of effective economic development organizations. These organizations operate in a new economy based on networks and clusters. Effective civic leaders think globally, collaborate regionally, and act locally. Here are the other steps they take:
1. Find your focus. The values, purpose and goals of the organization are clear, and these dimensions of the organization embrace the collaboration, transparency, and mutual respect needed for effective "link and leverage" strategies. The organization has a clear "elevator pitch" that articulates its value proposition quickly.
2. Use simple metrics. The management of the organization uses simple metrics as a key to effective and continuous learning both inside and outside the organization. Metrics become valuable ways to align outside resources.
3. Rely on strategic doing, not strategic planning. The management of the organization orients toward action and the disciplines of "strategic doing". Long term studies carry diminishing value in a world of accelerating change. Strategic doing emphasizes learning and the principles of appreciative inquiry: Find the core strengths and build on those.
4. Accelerate. Speed becomes an imperative. Knowledge is widely shared both inside and outside the organization to speed learning and decisions. This openness reflects an insight corproate managers are learning through the practice of open innovation: There are more smart people outside the organization than inside.
5. Flattten the organization, engage the board, embrace the Net. Hierarchical structures are kept to a minimum. Instead, work gets done through quickly formed and focused teams. Board members lead the teams and use their personal networks to improve the team's effectivenss. Teams leverage web-based collaborative tools to improve their effectiveness.
6. Promote consensus, ditch the dictates. The organization has a core competency in developing consensus. Decisions are made through consensus rather than command and control. (By consensus, I do not mean that every individual "stakeholder" agrees with every decision. Rather, all stakeholders are heard and their views are taken into account by those responsible for making decisions. Decisions are transparent and explainable, so that stakeholders understand the logic of moving forward.)
7. Knit the networks, create the communities. The organization has developed a core competency of designing and managing civic engagements that strengthen civic networks and clusters. These processes balance open participation with leadership direction. The management recognizes that in econmic development, the quality of the process defines the quality of the outcomes.
8. Communicate simple messages. The organization has developed a core competency to communicate clearly in order to align resources in the "civic space". Most people need to hear clear, simple messages multiple times before they are motivated to change. These messages help people see the need for change, understand what they must do to change, and believe that if they do change, their situation will be better, not worse.
9. Model transparency, civility and integrity. The management of the organization recognizes that leadership is a function of civility and personal integrity. These qualities can emerge anywhere. Knowledge is the new currency. Knowledge emerges from relationships. Trusting relationships depend on civil behavior and personal integrity. The organization uses its practices of "strategic doing" to teach these disciplines and mentor younger, emerging leaders. Younger leaders take active part in project teams.
10. Be flexible and adpative. The leadership of the organization adopts leadership styles are most appropriate for "getting stuff done". Leadership styles fall into four broad roles: captain, coach, collaborator and connector. The organization's management is comfortable shifting among these roles, depending on the situation. Recognize that arrogance quickly erodes leadership effectiveness.