MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for Management

Care and Feeding of Your Library Collection Policy

November 7, 2022 by Steve Gross , Tamara R. Meredith
Category: Guest Author , Management

All libraries, whether they are independent districts or part of a city or town, should have both a sound collection management policy and an understanding of how to implement that policy in a way that furthers the library’s mission while reducing legal risks.

Dealing with Difficult Behavior

July 5, 2022 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Management

Dealing with people who exhibit difficult behavior can be a challenge, whether they are coworkers, acquaintances, or members of the public. Here are some strategies that can help local government staff and officials make the next encounter less stressful.

ADR: Negotiation and Facilitation

September 14, 2020 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Management

This blog post provides an overview of negotiation and facilitation, two Alternative Dispute Resolution tools.

Risk Management During Pandemic and Widespread Illness

April 9, 2020 by Roger Neal
Category: Guest Author , Management , COVID-19

This blog post looks at how agencies can apply risk management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hidden Power of the Government Form Letter

July 5, 2019 by Dana Howard Botka
Category: Guest Author , Management

Your routine letters and forms may be creating more internal costs and constituent frustration than you realize. This post shows how reducing the jargon, simplifying the message, and talking to the reader can, instead, win over citizens.

The Importance of Documentation in Risk Management

June 10, 2019 by Roger Neal
Category: Guest Author , Management

This blog explores the importance of documentation as it relates to risk management.

How to Talk to the Public When the Heat is On

April 11, 2019 by Tracy Burrows
Category: Management

Don't wait until a crisis hits your agency to develop a plan for managing communication with the public. This blog post provides an overview of how to plan ahead—before crisis puts you in the spotlight.

Risk Management Strategies

April 1, 2019 by Roger Neal
Category: Guest Author , Management

This blog examines three strategies you can use to manage risks: risk prevention/control, risk reduction, and risk avoidance/ transfer.

An Introduction to Risk Management

October 15, 2018 by Roger Neal
Category: Guest Author , Management

In this blog, guest author Roger Neal examines the basic elements of local government risk management, including the benefits of risk management, risk assessment, prioritization, and the adoption of risk management response strategies.

Retaining Institutional Knowledge in the Wake of the Silver Tsunami

June 18, 2018 by Byron Katsuyama
Category: Management

This blog focuses on the potential loss of institutional knowledge that the silver tsunami may leave in its wake, and some ways your organization may be able to capture and retain this valuable knowledge.

3 Steps to a More Meaningful Mission Statement

June 12, 2018 by Tracy Burrows
Category: Management

In this post, MRSC's Executive Director Tracy Burrows looks at the role of an organization's mission statement and an easy, 3-step process to creating mission statements that will engage employees long after the process is over.

ADR? What’s That?

February 15, 2018 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Management

Alternative Dispute Resolution offers methods that are considered “alternatives” to litigation, the traditional — and often expensive — form of dispute resolution. In this post Legal Consultant Linda Gallagher discusses two ADR methods: arbitration and mediation.

Easy Problem Solving Using the 4-step Method

June 7, 2017 by Jennifer Haury
Category: Guest Author , Management

Is your worksite suffering from 'change fatigue' and your staff, leery of any new improvements? Guest author Jennifer Haury offers a 4-step problem solving method to help you avoid making new changes that ultimately fail to address old, underlying issues.

Succession Planning: Navigating the Incoming Wave

April 3, 2017 by Lynn Nordby
Category: Management

The accelerating retirement of public sector workers born between 1946-64 is predicted to hit like a wave. This post looks as what some local governments in Washington are doing to plan for the expected leadership turnover.

Better, Faster, Cheaper: Sometimes Front Line Workers Are the Best Problem Solvers

May 4, 2016 by Lynn Nordby
Category: Management

Problems that seem intractable at the management level, can often be fixed by those employees that understand the processes the best.

A Basic Approach to Succession Planning

February 16, 2016 by Marci Wright
Category: Management

For those just starting to develop a succession plan, here's some tips and strategies from HR Advisor Marci Wright.

Municipal Management Model: Leading an Action Agenda

November 24, 2015 by Bob Jean
Category: Guest Author , Management

Are you frustrated by the seemingly endless studies and discussion, yet no action? Unlike businesses, cities are looking to build community instead of profits. So how can we better put our plans into an action agenda?

Charting Your Future Part 2: Conducting a Strategic Planning Retreat

May 12, 2015 by Stan Finkelstein
Category: Guest Author , Management

Stan Finkelstein continues his series on strategic planning by describing the role of retreats along with key strategies for conducting them effectively.

Communication, Communication, Communication

April 2, 2015 by Bob Jean
Category: Guest Author , Management

In real estate or economic development discussions we hear it’s all about location, location, location. When it comes to good governance, whether in Council-Manager or Mayor-Council-Administrator forms of local government, it’s all about communication, communication, communication.

Public Management Lessons From A Bond Issue Obstacle Course

March 30, 2015 by Lynn Nordby
Category: Management

During my time as a city administrator for Enumclaw, one of the projects I worked on was the development of a new library in the heart of town. With land secured, significant community support, and a bond issue ready for voters, I thought the project would be a cakewalk. However, I soon learned that things aren’t always as easy as they appear; getting the project done required maneuvering through an obstacle course of issues. The experience was challenging, but also taught me a number of important lessons about public management.

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