| It would be hard to measure the public’s | | | | Your Path to a Successful Business Future.’ |
| surprise at the recent call for supervisory | | | | Midgett recommends a tiered approach for using |
| leadership training in Federal agencies. Fair or not, | | | | the mission and vision statement process with |
| the persona of federal management practices | | | | supervisors. “Personnel at any level can |
| does not encourage the idea of “soft | | | | begin with the organization’s top level mission |
| skills” used to develop employees and the | | | | and vision statement, analyze their role (mission) |
| success of their tasks. At a current event | | | | then communicate how what they do will support |
| sponsored by the nonprofit Partnership for Public | | | | (vision) the organization’s top level |
| Service attention was highlighted on federal | | | | statements. An organization that can employ a |
| agencies’ front-line supervisors. Citing the | | | | tiered concept of leadership will notice improved |
| ‘relatively neglected strata in the | | | | performance levels. They will have a pyramid of |
| management hierarchy’ James Thompson, | | | | mission statements and vision statements to |
| associate professor of public administration at the | | | | better define their purpose and desired |
| University of Illinois-Chicago asserted that | | | | future.” |
| front-line supervisors have a bigger influence on | | | | As a consultant to government organizations, |
| employees’ day-to-day performance than | | | | Midgett has seen positive changes in leadership |
| management at other levels, and they provide | | | | and organizations that used mission and vision |
| the most relevant leadership, hence the need to | | | | statements, tiered the concept throughout their |
| train and develop supervisors as leaders. | | | | organizations, down to the supervisor level, and |
| “Though not a new concept in business, this | | | | successfully employed their vision driven strategic |
| may herald a paradigm shift for government | | | | planning process. |
| agencies and leadership at the supervisory level | | | | Implementing vision driven leadership and the |
| for using a mission statement and vision | | | | strategic planning process instituted at the |
| statement in achieving greater | | | | supervisory level speeds up vision driven change. |
| inter-compartmental communication. This | | | | It allows everybody to get on board faster with a |
| typically results in increased job satisfaction and | | | | better understanding of their need, performance |
| ultimately, a higher realization of successful | | | | expectations and contribution. A tiered approach |
| performance” said Don Midgett, veteran | | | | to your mission and vision will promote |
| business and government leadership consultant, | | | | collaborative communication, feedback and |
| and author of ‘Mission and Vision Statements: | | | | coaching. |