Succeeding at succession: a portfolio approach

Jay T. Spurgin, P.E.

Deputy Public Works Director City of Thousand Oaks, California Presenter, 2012 APWA Congress

ransitioning from a graying workforce to the next generation of leaders is much like running a relay race—the runner about to receive the baton must begin running before the handoff. If your next generation of leaders is standing still when it’s their turn to run, the organization is likely to fall behind. The City of Thousand Oaks has taken a portfolio approach to get the next runner sprinting before handing off the baton.

Although succession planning may take time, the need for it can be seen from a long ways away. The average age of our public works staff is 48 years old. Furthermore, over 54 percent of these employees are eligible for retirement within the next five years. While this news may be cause for alarm in some cities, Thousand Oaks has established programs to ease the transition.

Internship Program

Over the past four years, the Public Works Department has had 22 interns and an even larger number of volunteers, some of whom have become full-time permanent employees. Too often, internship programs are viewed as an obligatory handout to imminent college graduates or a community service project at the expense of the City. In reality, both parties are better served when the City’s interests are put first. The end goal to any internship program should be to identify the best talent available and retain them as employees. Being able to test-drive potential job candidates as interns before diving in headfirst with a new permanent hire will ensure your city gets the best that the applicant pool has to offer.

The work given to interns is equally as important as selecting the right intern. To truly assess whether an intern is capable of handling complex assignments, they must be given those assignments. Using interns to repetitively perform routine tasks does not give the intern an opportunity to demonstrate their skills set. In the past year alone, our department has used interns to help establish the City’s Green Business Program, develop an Energy and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, and expand the department’s GIS database.

Thousand Oaks Leadership Academy

The Thousand Oaks Leadership Academy (TOLA) is a six-month program designed to give employees exposure to various functions of the City, develop working relationships among the participants from different departments, and learn how to make a formal presentation to City Council. For one day a month, the participants learn about the City’s various functions, which includes visits to various public works sites, police and fire training

The 2011-2012 graduating class of the Thousand Oaks Leadership Academy (TOLA). Seven of the 15 graduates are from the Public Works Department.

facilities, local universities, and other local public agencies. The Academy culminates in a project presentation at a mock City Council meeting, which is assigned to the participant at the outset of the program. Commencing its seventh year, TOLA has graduated over 100 City employees and continues to be the City’s cornerstone program for leadership development.

APWA Accreditation

On November 30, 2010, Thousand Oaks became the 63rd city to become an APWA Accredited Agency. While the recognition and accolades at the end are nice, the journey to get there clearly identified our department’s strengths and shortfalls. The accreditation process required the department to demonstrate proficiency in over 500 public works practices. What was evident at the start was that we fulfilled many of the practices outlined in the Accreditation Manual, but a number of those practices were not written down anywhere. Many of the department’s routine practices only existed inside the heads of its employees. Going through the accreditation process forced us to record all of our standard operating procedures, correct outdated policies and design standards, and revise our safety checklists and guidelines. Having gathered a written record of departmental knowledge before it retired and walked out the door was worth the nearly two-year effort to become accredited, and has certainly made passing the baton much easier.

Tuition Reimbursement

Thousand Oaks is fortunate to be situated near many reputable universities such as California Lutheran University, Pepperdine University, and California State University, Northridge. The City Council and management see tremendous value in having an educated workforce, and has a program to encourage employees to make use of the local higher learning institutions. The Tuition Reimbursement Program has reimbursed over 130 employees for tuition expenses up to $5,000 per year towards a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Over the past several years, the City has budgeted approximately $125,000 annually for the program, which has allowed these employees to obtain degrees that otherwise they may not have been able to achieve.

Conclusion

While I have highlighted these few programs, there are others offered in the way of succession planning; this includes a Mentoring Program, Management Certificate Program, and Read to Lead. Collectively, these programs are all designed to appeal to a wide array of employees who may prefer a more individualized program versus a group program, or that can be done at their own pace versus a formal academic schedule. The City’s portfolio approach has already begun to pay dividends as many senior level staff have retired and their successors have stepped in seamlessly—including myself, moving from Deputy Director to Director last year. Continuing to keep succession planning a high priority for the City and the Public Works Department will ensure that the next generation of leaders is in a full sprint before handing off the baton.

Public Works Analyst Rod Cordova, at his Master’s degree ceremony with his family. Rod earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees through the Tuition Reimbursement Program.

Jay T. Spurgin will give a presentation on this topic at the 2012 APWA International Public Works Congress & Exposition in Anaheim, California. His session is entitled “Succeeding at Succession Planning” and takes place on Sunday, August 26, at 3:00 p.m. He can be reached at (805) 449-2444 or jspurgin@toaks.org.