I STAND for Integrity!

I believe that the ability to build trust is the number one leadership competency needed today!

Lack of trust in leadership is at an epidemic level!

…and it’s costing us!

Stephen M.R. Covey calls the absence of trust a “tax” that we pay every day!

In his words, “When trust is low in any relationship, it places a hidden “tax” on every transaction. Every communication, every interaction, every strategy, every decision is taxed, bringing speed down & sending costs up.”

In contrast, earning TRUST provides a “dividend!”

…reversing those trends!

“Conversely, when people operate with high trust, they’re rewarded with a “dividend.” And that dividend acts as a performance multiplier which accelerates the speed of communications, interactions, & decisions – and consistently yields far greater success.”

We MUST have trust rebuilt by our elected officials!

I believe one of the two pillars trust is built upon is integrity!

And I believe integrity, soundness of character, is demonstrated and trust earned by how one handles power. 

The amount of power granted to our government officials to affect our lives and livelihoods is sobering.

Why would a free people entrust that kind of power to their government? 

Because it’s to be exercised as shared power with the people, and with high accountability to the people.

Therefore we must have elected officials who have integrity so that they exercise that power with great care, in plain sight so all are aware, and in partnership with the community so the power is shared!

ACCOUNTABILITY through TRANSPARENCY

Working in the nonprofit sector I have a deep awareness of the difference between government (nonprofit) leadership and business leadership!

In a business, lots of money can be spent, many people can be employed and there is a clear measure of success for all stockholders to know if those expenses provided a justified return… PROFIT! That is the point of business and therefore that is the measure of success AND also therefore the basis of accountability.

How does that work when profit isn’t the point and therefore isn’t the measure of success?

YOU MUST IDENTIFY DIFFERENT MEASURES!

Our city government spends LOTS of money (our money) and employs LOTS of people (with our money!) 

What are the CLEAR and TRANSPARENT measures of success for taxpayers to know those expenses provided a justified return?

I believe the key to clearly and transparently answering that question is the identification of meaningful, understandable measures of success that inform strategy on the front end and inform stakeholders (taxpayers) on the back end, putting them in position to exercise appropriate accountability. 

If I am elected mayor of the city of Lincoln, we will strive to reestablish trust by exercising a high degree of transparency! 

… transparency rooted in clear definitions of success that are measurable, measured and shared!

We will all see clearly what it means to win as a city, how it ties to the strategies we fund and we will all consistently be able to celebrate clear, measurable success!

We will be a city that WINS!

SHARED POWER

As the namesake of our city stated in The Gettysburg Address honoring those who died, “…we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

… of the people, by the people, for the people… also known as shared power. 

Since covid, justified by covid, we have experienced some government officials appropriating expanded power. And in its exercise, ceased sharing power with us. 

They took the power that we entrusted to them and did not operate out of a trust in us. 

Some would say that was a reflection of the need of the moment. I believe it was a reflection of the heart of our leaders and their belief about their entitlement to power and a lack of belief in us.

I believe we should have been informed, resourced and trusted, which would have empowered US to make the best decisions for ourselves, our families and our businesses. 

While it appears we are approaching the back end of covid, their perspectives and heart have been revealed.

If I am elected mayor, I will serve from a heart that deeply believes that the power entrusted in me isn’t mine to seize, but ours to share. 

Through our shared power, with accountability through transparency, we can operate with high trust, experiencing the dividends that will yield great success for our city!!