ICMA President Bonnie Svrcek was kind enough to provide ELGL with an exclusive summary of her recent presentation. Below please find “Lessons Learned From Defining Moments.” ELGL continues to be so impressed with Bonnie’s commitment to local government professionalism and service.
Lessons Learned from Defining Moments
by Bonnie Svrcek, Deputy City Manager, City of Lynchburg, Virginia, President, International City/County Management Association (2012-2013)
- Be courageous
- Ask for advice
- Say “yes” with pleasure and “no” with compassion
- Be patient
- Patience pays off
- Things are not always what they seem
- Be mindful of ego
- Be self-aware
- Take time to take stock in where you are (personally and professionally) at least annually
- Choose wisely! (from Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In)
- Understand that some of our greatest lessons come from disappointments
- Always have a Plan B!
- Exercise courage in executing Plan B (or any plan!)
- Take time to recover from disappointment
- Seize the moment
- Find moments for crucial conversations
- Exercise personal humility and professional will at all times (from Jim Collins, Good to Great)