A discussion that revolved around beautification and cost.
As with all entities there are limited resources, and one would want to
naturally avoid long term costs. So far, the city has run in the black so they
will weigh and balance resources, grants and opportunities. There is benefit to
beautification that can have dollar and cents outcomes but where and how much
takes some time to ferret out. Of course, finding an additional grant to offset
the longer-term maintenance costs as well as fixing up an existing walkway
might have some benefits. Maybe one could explore doing the something similar with the walkway that needs work thereby reducing cost for the city while still getting some of the benefits of green learning (scan apps).
Anways, I thought this was interesting for those who want to know how to do a cost and benefit analysis. Cost and Benefit Analysis
What can firefighters teach executives? Well, they can teach
about things many business executives wouldn't know unless they were in the service, a fist responder or someone who put themselves in difficult situations to help others. Because
firefighters regularly their lives at risk, often without financial support (volunteer
and underpaid) to help a greater purpose, they have a track record of developing high
functioning teams to best fulfill their missions and reduce risk. They can also teach about essential concepts such as
managing stress/EI, taking care of one's physicaal health for peak performance, resolute belief in something greater, and they know
who they are serving (stakeholders).
A couple of thoughts came to mind after reading the report below on the skills needed
by firefighters. There may be a few things executives can learn to round out
their knowledge. There are those who build and those who protect and there is knowledge to be gained from both.
A Number of Things Firefighters can Teach Executives:
-Firefighters work in high stress situations and learn to manage stress while still functioning at their best. Managers who foster their emotional
intelligence can better handle stress and work with others consistently.
-Firefighters must create teams and function as a single unit. Executive teams
should have focus and work together around those goals. Practice makes perfect.
-Firefighters must stay in good health to work at an optimum. Executives know
the body and brain work together so they exercise when it is needed. You can't neglect one if you hope it won't impact the other.
-Fiefighters believe in what they are doing, are internally motivated, stay on task until the fire is out. Hiring people who believe in their work, are committed to finishing the project, and show up everyday is important. Motivated internally driven employees are diamonds.
-Firefighters must be supported by a community and rely on that community for
information and performance. Managers should understand their social resources
and who they serve. They must learn to manage their organizational environment and serve their stakeholders well.
Not everything can be learned in a book. Yes, a lot can but not everything. Sometimes having some real life exposure the chaos of challenging situations like firefighting, military, service, first responding, public safety, etc. can help fully develop people. If you haven't seen tough situations and found ways through them it is difficult to know where your essential strengths lay when you must rely on them. Boardroom battles and battling a blaze may be different but you will learn persistence and resilience (i.e. the grit entrepreneurs and students need). Despite challenging situations you can learn overcome.
According to this study, personality, behavior, physical condition, and
psychological characteristics can affect firefighter resilience. Organizational
and management style also impact performance. Factors Impacting Firefighter Resilience
*If you want to donate to a great volunteer fire department that supports a large area then message me to the right and I will point you in the right direction. The department is tax deductible so companies with giving funds may consider. I'm always looking for grants and resources because the equiptment needs are expensive. Feel free to contribute!
If
you have been following along for a few years we are exploring the concept of
justice and its impact on various aspects of our social and economic lives. I'm a big-time
supporter of justice and believe that it is one of the root foundations of
society. A type of sacred responsibility that reaches back to our precivilization
histories (A universal truth. Plato had forms as ideal. . Plato Forms A universal truth is deeply embedded into our collective unconscious and is fundamental to all societies. Collective Unconscious. Some might say they are even hardwired into our collective existence. This is deep philosophy.)
Moral Conscious: Sometimes the moral conscious of decision makers could be low and moral arguments hold little weight in encouraging higher standards of justice. This may also be why in our learning example so many victims were created because of clannish based social networks with their own rules, values and beliefs. Those unwritten rules impacted decisions because all information was sorted through a distorted lens. They saw what they wanted to see and revealed their intent and perception.
(The above lens comment means that if we start with a bias based on our own perceptions of life, and lack of ability to see other's perceptions as having merit, we will be like fish in the fish bowl. We can't see out of the fishbowl and may not even know that our lives are consumed by what is in the tiny fish bowl. Information is distorted by that lack of insight and exposure. Sometimes it is innocent based reflecting on the personality and sometimes it is milicious reflecting on the personality. A Theory of Mirrors.)
Social Learning: We could probably bring in arguments of social learning and
why it’s important to not reward highly manipulative behaviors that took
advantage of the sick, harmed vets, put kids in harm's way and many other
outcomes of normalized bullying. If such behaviors are seen as ok in society
and/or acceptable against out-group members (dehumanization) then they become normalized (Why there must be checks and balances.). Social Learning Theory
Economic: However, there may also be an economic dollar and cents reasons why institutions must act with integrity and serve a higher purpose. According to this study, access to justice has economic benefits. The formula that calculates access to justice is an interesting one. There is a sizable noticeable impact of when access to justice is restricted and/or allowed. One of the reasons why victims should not be stuck with the bill of perpetrators or decisions made to placate social groups, clans, tribes, politics, etc. Access to Justice and Economic Growth
In our philosophical learning example bullying, aggression,
corruption, and retaliation were tools to keep numerous victims quit. Through
the power of mass reporting the community (officials and average citizens) used their eyes and ears to expose
the network and begin to reap the positive economic upswing (Confounding
variables are present but it would appear that justice is an underlining
unconscious assumption/truth of the wider society. Maybe/maybe not?) However,
justice for all victims was not at first realized and that is a good point to
keep looking at in future discussions.
*This is a hypothetical philosophical thought experiment for learning purposes to explore the nature of society and good governance. Take with a grain of salt and it is ok to disagree.
A larger than expected hiring upswing and a slight uptick in unemployment. There is a lot of debate because the market is providing different indicators that are somewhat contradictory to each other. Most economists would struggle to understand uncharted territory.
Delta County is in need of a new skilled airport manager. Executive search firms are often used if one wants to actively reach out to a specialized group that has the credentials needed (In this case licensing with experience.). The committee was presented with a challenge and created two pathways to resolve. Seems as though they rose to the challenge and hopefully their efforts will be fruitful as a high functioning airport encourages tourism, attracts digital nomads, encourages future economic development and creates ease of access to the area for business development. Not to mention locals who would like more options to fly directly to/from Esky.
When faced with strategic challenge one should think of the path with the most likely desired outcomes as well as feasible alternatives in case unknowns occur. Typically, when we try and solve a problem we can explore numerous options and prune back to the best ideas. In this example, you can see they are using the option to hire those they already interviewed as well as providing support for an executive search option. 10 Tips for Overcoming Strategic Challenges
(As a side thought, having the airport display some of the
local vacation, work and play fun display and artwork might give a great first impression
while helping to brand the town. First impressions count in the resort industry and in the business fieds. Likewise, providing a positive impression as they fly out is also important.
Adding to that a little brochure display of natural wonders, interesting places, hotels, history, events, activities
would be nice. I have seen places put up a poster with a scan code to the
community calendar, interactive map, and important numbers (i.e. roadside
assistance, car rental, hospital, public safety, etc.).
Brainstorming....I suspect one could add a tab with available business
properties for sale and/or area tourist spots. i. e. park, waterfall,
trailhead, etc. Heck have the Historical Society provide a history link to each
of these places. Seems silly but it increases the satisfaction of the visit as
well as raises per visit spending. Setting up a scan code to a couple of documents like a map is generic easy. Interactive maps might take a little more effort but it isn't that hard from my understanding. I have some friends who could probably do that in a few hours so I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult to find someone around Esky or online.)
If
you love a warm summer breeze, hourglass sand beaches, cool cocktails over the
ocean, then you will probably like living in Point Loma. One of the events the
community hosts is the Point Loma Summer Concerts. . I
have attended one in the past with some friends, and we had such a good time
spreading our blankets out and listening to the entertainment. Delightfully we
had the opportunity to meet some of the neighbors. That is what summers are
supposed to be like. Point Loma is a coastal community within San Diego and has
its own special family-oriented flavor. (History of Point Loma)
You can obtain a copy of the show dates off their website and learn more about the schools and music programs that benefit from the proceeds of the concerts. About Point Loma Summer Concerts
A Few Thoughts on the Value of Concerts/Events in Two Cousin Environments:
A few thoughts on how revenue and quality of life can be
enhanced by things like concerts, festivals, community activities and much
more. The general idea is if you can improve quality of life, it will then
impact a lot of other things like community, labor retention/draw, investment,
etc. Exploring the idea of the value that concert, and other venues provide is
par for the course in understanding the positive impact fun events can generate
for communities. I have been using Point Loma and Escanaba in some of my
examples because frankly that is where I hang my hat so its good material.
You can read one study on how they calculated financial value. BOA2025.
The publishing calculates some of the benefits to having
concerts within your community. It provides a methodology and conclusion.
Places pay big bucks for consultants when all they need to do is read research
studies and see if they can get the data themselves. While it may not be
"scientific" it still would have some validity for decision making
based on straight forward interpretations. As long as it provides useful
information that has been draw in a similar way as other studies you can learn
something. Reviewing and conducting studies improves learning and strategic
choice because you know where your return on investments is (Why I think
businesses should fund research. If you build a road, what type
events, what infrastructure, etc.)
In these examples the goals of say Point Loma and Escanaba
both may include elements that increase tourism, raise funds for some cause, or
improve the quality of life within their localities. Each community may have a
strategic informal or formal plan they use to align their collective behaviors.
Further, if the goal was to attract tourists you will display the event and
advertise in one medium while if the goal is to attract entrepreneur-tourist
interests you may do it another way. Further, if a goal is simple community building,
then you may also include kid activities, fun games for prizes or other
"get to know your neighbor" add ons.
How much effort and where one is willing to place the
expenditures is going to determine if you are going to do more community
building, more tourism, or something in between (I think this is very
possible to hit a few markets at once.). As a mature and upscale area Point
Loma may be more community oriented with a eye on tourism for local businesses.
Escanaba with a different need might be attracting tourists (i.e. revenue) and
entrepreneurs (business community growth that leads to greater long-term
revenue). I'm just sort of sticking my finger in the wind guessing to
highlight the point.
(For example, a small budding hot spot like Escanaba that
seeks to build up its downtown may consider attracting a conference focused on
bringing entrepreneurs and then coordinating activities to keep them engaged
with the community through something like a music venue. Ensuring potential
business owner leaves with a pretty good idea of the price, costs, financing,
zoning, grants, etc. might tip the scales to keeping some. The point being is
that music can be focused on the community but also have other purposes as an
experience enhancer. This is why some of my research thinks about the social
and business side of economic health.)
To determine how much benefit such music events
offer to places like Point Loma or another cousin community in the UP like
Escanaba we would need to determine economic impact on things like businesses,
branding, restaurant, hotels, and community sentiment. For those focused on
economic growth, it might be more income/expense down a chain of financial
transactions that determine net gain. For community building such events they
might use a survey of resident pride, community engagement, etc. You can read
this little article on Calculating the Benefits of Festivals.
This
is a slightly older video but looks like so much fun! Their website indicates
they are open to sponsorships. I heard that you could sponsor a porta potty (not kidding).
Individual sponsorship is as low as $150 and moves up from there. Each level
has its own benefits. i.e. like I would like a sweatshirt and a good evening
out with friends. Sponsor Point Loma Concerts
(BTW Escanaba will be having a log jam music festival if your looking for a place to vacation.)
Does integrity still matter? The thought came up over a cup of coffee while thinking about how there exists difficult to measure constructs because they are primarily latent functions (You have to measure them in multiple ways to help define the concept because you can't observe directly. Economics also has latent functions that are not easily observable because economics is a study of human choice/behavior.). As I take a sip of my black coffee, no sugar, I realize there are very core truths in human exchange that lay the foundation for cooperation and economic performance (We have thus far touched upon values, beliefs, oaths, and other foundational concepts of social-economic engagement. Social Exchange Theory)
It depends on who you talk to and whether or not they
respect the value of integrity for a purpose beyond simple lip movement and public display for others. From an organizational and societal point of view, integrity
still matters. It matters because all organizations are collectives of people,
and they share information and knowledge through a medium of trust. When you
are trusted you have more influence and that becomes increasingly important for
leaders and executives (Your handshake should mean something because if people know it does, then connections influence reach because people minimize risk by doing business with you.)
Don't believe?
Let us use two example lenses where integrity of an executive, decision maker, or leader would create trust because they do what they say and say what they do even when no one is looking (Internal consistency of behavior and pronouncement.). The very nature of leadership and/or leadership teams/managers is to provide direction to others. High or low integrity perception will have an impact an organization at different levels. It may be subtle but the impact can make or break the long term financial health viability of the whole because engagement/exchange increases or decreases transactions (...organization as a formal collective. i.e. firm).
Example 1 of Organizational Integrity: Implement a completely unfair rule no one understands or expects into the mix and watch the social and performance outcomes (must be short and long-term performance). Just because no one says anything to the boss doesn't mean there hasn't been a shift in patterns (i.e. all people who wore brown ties or green shoes are fired or all people who have 03 in their birthdate get demoted). While people will hang on for dear career they also will adjust much of their behavior to match the new risks and that will limit knowledge sharing and collaborative effort. Likewise, they will look to join the competition or start their own businesses where the environment is more stable (i.e. risk reduction strategy). It sounds like lack of integrity would not be a good outcome for competitive reasons.
Example 2 Playing Favorites: One
of dangers of people who hold little integrity is that they may profess one thing but
then do the opposite making a separation between what is and what is not.
However, there are short term gains to playing favorites as short term loyalty
rises but ultimately it caches you as the broader social structure of people
adjust behavior based on the outcomes. Equity Theory.
Integrity is a trust issue. Integrity means that you say what you believe, are transparent in those beliefs and will act to support those beliefs despite the personal consequences. Definition of Integrity (One can be ethical or unethical but still have integrity if they do what they say they will do.) Since it is an essential glue of human interaction most people start learning about it at an early age despite one's occupation, culture, belief or background (i.e. a universal truth/value/form). You can find an example in Montessori Integrity
Managerial integrity often takes into account interactions, norms, culture and values of managers/decision makers in a business setting. It is a little wider conception of the same idea. Managing for Organizational Integrity
Interestingly, one can actually hire for and screen candidates
for integrity. One should understand that no psychological test can be 100%
correct because they often measure the bell curve, and neural diversity can be
a good thing for a species and competitiveness of an organization (One wouldn't want to hire
cookie cutter characteristics that have limited utility under various market
factors. If the market shifts you won't have the variability to deal with it.). There is a role for good judgement, instinct, and experience in
hiring. If it ends in a handshake then there has been trust built that comes
with an underlining truth and expectation (The power of the bond is based in
part on an underlining expectation. Integrity allows you to build those bonds
even with people who might not be your #1 fan because they expect people will act in alignment with words.).
