For Local Elected Officials and City/County Managers 

Developing a cohesive governing board takes discipline, intent, practice, trust, and a set of skills to help navigate divergent challenges and opinions. Differences of opinion are built into our political system. How you handle these dynamic situations and differences as individuals affects the credibility of the entire governing board. 

Effective governing boards learn to welcome and manage diverse views, convictions, opinions, and priorities. They respect what each member brings to their discussions. They embrace constructive dissent, learn how to respond to and work through a variety of options and perspectives, and always model a culture of credibility, respect, and honesty with each other and to the public they serve. 

In this class you will learn important dimensions of effective governance that can increase positive results, including:

• Developing a “conscious culture” that respects fellow Board members and the professional staff.
• Understanding key elements of group behavior that, when shared, elevate everyone’s performance: Relationships and Trust, Information Sharing, Teamwork, and Dialogue

Participants in the class will learn proven approaches for creating a group culture that builds trust forged from courage and candor.  You will assess your own board’s governance culture, identify steps to improve your board’s ability to work together as a group, and explore helpful resources.   

Location and Time: Western Carolina University, Asheville Campus, Thursday, May 16 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM 

LELA Level:  This is a 101 Level course in the Local Elected Leaders Academy. Elected officials who attend this class will earn 6 credits towards the Practitioner recognition certificate.