Prior to being elected to Council, I was critical of some past Council members because they seemed to want to control and micromanage everything. I've been told by staff members that they had reached a point of just being reactive, that it was common to get calls in the evening (and later), on weekends, oftentimes demanding instant action. Some wanted keys to areas that they had no real need. Staff members that were willing to step forward and offer ideas often discovered they had wandered into a firing squad. Some never recovered from the experience.
 
And how well did those Council members do? I thought miserably. They tried to dictate on issues of which they knew very little, contrary to their self-opinions. There was plenty of micromanaging but little quality leadership.
 
An article in the Dallas Morning News about a week ago caught my attention because it dealt with micromanaging. I'm a firm believer that micromanaging is counterproductive, that it yields lesser results, and that employees hate it.
 
Entitled "Learning to Let Go," the article suggests that it is more important to step back, let people do their jobs, and focus your time on leading. The article suggests that micromanagers do so out of fear: fear of losing control, maybe a fear of leading, or maybe a fear of appearing less significant.
 
My experience has taught me that employees preform to a much higher level than one might expect if they are allowed to do their jobs. This is not a new concept. Managers have been taught this for years. It takes a bit of faith though until you've experienced it.
 
I often said during my campaign to serve on the Council that I deplored micromanaging and that I would fight it if elected. For the most part, I think the Council for the last two years has done an admirable job of resisting the temptations to micromanage. It can creep in easily so the urge must be constantly resisted. The City Charter intends that the Council not micromanage, that the Council set policy and allow the City Manager and his staff to implement that policy. And it says so in similar words.
 
I also feel our city staff has been performing to a much higher level these past two years. In many ways, we have been in a catch-up mode. In my time watching the Council, I don't think there has been as productive a period for the staff as these last two years. Perhaps it's because I'm closer to it but I do feel there is a difference. We haven't seen all the benefits yet but there is a great deal in the works.
 
The Council can take some pride in providing leadership rather than micromanagement, but I think the greatest credit goes to the renewed energy that we have seen in your city employees.
 
Caveats: The Council must maintain its fiduciary role of oversight; it must make every effort to look into the dark corners and to question regularly; it must be frugal with the taxpayers' money; and it must not surrender its responsibilities to lead.