Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Civility With a Dose of Humility: A Message from the LMC President

Every now and then a city in Minnesota struggles with issues of incivility. It happens. But by emphasizing civility, local government can separate itself from the pack and get back to the real work of delivering city services and representing taxpayers.

How to keep these incidents from happening in the first place is what it's all about. League President Dave Osberg ('14-'15) sat down to share some of his advice on civility taken from his 25+ years working in city government.

Osberg, city administrator of Eagan, knows that burning bridges, shutting down the ideas of others, and rushing into action when there's steam rising is no way to operate.

Maybe most importantly, Osberg has learned that he's not always right, and "winning at all costs" usually means losing a lot more than just a vote. A dose of humility can be, Osberg says, just what the doctor ordered for keeping that temperature down.

Check out civility resources recommended by the LMC/MCMA Civility Task Force on LMC's Focus on Civility in Local Government hub page.