CSMFO Magazine December 2016

CSMFO CALIFORNIA SOCIETY OF MUNICIPAL FINANCE OFFICERS

M A G A Z I N E

DECEMBER 2016 #10

THE GENERATIONAL WORKPLACE ISSUE

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CALIFORNIA SOCIETY OF MUNICIPAL FINANCE OFFICERS

M A G A Z I N E DECEMBER 2016 #10

NOW IS A GOOD TIME

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2016 Board of Directors President John Adams, City of Thousand Oaks President-Elect Drew Corbett, City of San Mateo Past President Jesse Takahashi, City of Campbell David Cain, City of Fountain Valley Jimmy Forbis, City of Gilroy Brent Mason, City of San Bernadino Marcus Pimentel, City of Santa Cruz Karan Reid, City of Concord Chu Thai, City of Monterey Park Executive Director Melissa Dixon, MBA, CAE Editorial Designer & Photographer David Blue Garrison Interim Editor Joan Michaels Aguilar, City of Dixon Additional Photography Pexels, Pixabay and Stocksnap The California Society of Municipal Finance Officers is the statewide organization serving all California municipal finance professionals. We promote excellence in financial management through innovation, continuing education and the professional development of our members. CSMFO members are deeply involved in the key issues facing local agencies. We value honesty and integrity, and adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct.

Thank you to all the authors in this issue for sharing with us their time and expertise. If you have an idea for a future article, please contact Melissa Dixon at the CSMFO office at melissa.dixon@staff.csmfo.org.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CSMFO.

1 Source: PLANSPONSOR, Top 10 Recordkeepers, 2015 Core securities, when offered, are offered through GWFS Equities, Inc. and/or other broker-dealers.

GWFS Equities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company. Empower Retirement refers to the products and services offered in the retirement markets by Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company (GWL&A), Corporate Headquarters: Greenwood Village, CO; Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company of New York, Home Office: NY, NY; and their subsidiaries and affiliates. The trademarks, logos, service marks and design elements used are owned by GWL&A. ©2016 Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company. All rights reserved. PT257076 (2/2016)

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For more information on CSMFO or this Magazine, please contact the CSMFO office at 916.231.2137 or visit the website at www.csmfo.org.

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CONTENTS DECEMBER 2016

6 President’s Letter

30 Managing Multiple Generations as a Finance Director

8 Executive Director’s Letter

34 Retirement Corner

11 Selling Your Agency to Thrive in Attracting and

35 CSMFO Board of Directors Election Results

Retaining Amazing Talent

14 Can’t We All Just Get Along?

18 Maximizing Millennial Effectiveness and Success 21 One-to-One Coaching 24 December 2016 Member Highlight Robert Biery 27 Embracing Generational Diversity and the

36 Unlock the Greatness in Yourself and Others 40 New Member Perspectives on CSMFO 43 Building a 21st Century Workforce 46 2017 Host Committee Running Diary 47 Job Opportunities

Importance of Succession Planning

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The Workplace is Dynamic

PRESIDENT’S LETTER JOHN ADAMS

JOHN ADAMS FACTS Favorite Christmas gift as a child: The Millennium Falcon toy.

It seems like every week I hear about another retirement or a new hire. I assume that your agency is like mine, where you are seeing a large portion of your workforce changing. As a government finance officer, I am not sure we always like change, but we do seem to always adapt to it. In the coming years, it is in the workplace that most of us will see significant change. From my perspective, the change will be difficult as you lose institutional knowledge, but there will be great opportunities as you will get fresh ideas and new energy in your agency.

This month, the CSMFO Magazine with leadership from Don Maruska. focuses on Generational Staffing and Don has been working with CSMFO the Changing Workplace in Government for the past 20 years and has been an Finance. For finance integral part of the success departments throughout CSMFO during this Luckily, we have of the state, the makeup time. Using resources, of the workforce is some tremendous like the Coaching Corner, changing and consists of will help you prepare for authors this four generations, all with the changing world of different attributes. The month giving municipal finance. articles in the magazine In ending the last you insights and will hopefully give you President’s Message for insights to ensure your thoughts...

2016, I would like to wish operations continue everyone a Wonderful to excel and adapt Holiday and a Happy New Year. to changes in personnel. What has motivated past workforces, may not inspire the newer workforce. Luckily, we have some tremendous authors this month giving you insights and thoughts on how to prepare for this change.

“

”

Hopefully you find value in each article and are able to focus on how to effectively be part of the change in the workplace. If you are like me and believe that strong leadership is needed during challenging times, then you will focus on how to be a key part of the change in your agency and in the municipal finance profession.

As always, if you need assistance in this area, CSMFO provides great resources, including an exceptional program called the “Coaching Corner”.

The Coaching Corner is provided by the Career Development Committee

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All We Want For Christmas…and Year-Round

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S LETTER MELISSA DIXON

MELISSA DIXON FACTS

Favorite Christmas gift: Talking Cabbage Patch Kid.

The Smith Moore & Associates (SMA) office is relatively small. We have three partners and fifteen employees, one of which we never see because he telecommutes from the Bay Area.

Eighteen people total, which I know seems a pittance compared to most your agencies. It feels huge to us, though... especially when you compare it to when we just started and the majority partner and I were literally sitting alone in a big room waiting for the phone to ring.

Having “business meetings” sitting on the floor in our new office because we didn’t yet own any furniture.

Let’s try it and see. (It looks amazing, btw.) You think the CSMFO publication could be improved? Let’s pitch them the idea for a new Magazine that better embodies their level of professionalism.

Many of the ideas that have come to shape SMA culture and advance our clients’ missions have come directly from “lower level” staff. We may all have different titles (within SMA and with our clients), but when it comes to being innovative everyone is equal and every suggestion is heard.

Your agencies will, almost by definition, have more structure and less But small as we are, we still have our flexibility than we’re able to provide at fair share of “generational staffing”.

SMA, but there are always opportunities Our staff ages range from gray-hairedto work within those boundaries and grandma to just-old-enough-to-drink, and still allow your staff to feel they have everything in between. The different a voice. And to do the little things— generations have different priorities and like taking them out to lunch on their different working styles, which can be birthday or celebrating their work difficult at times…more so because the anniversary—that let them know they’re office is so small. It’s impossible to keep appreciated. After all, beyond money everyone happy all the time, but the key and security, isn’t that what we all want? to a generally positive office culture is I hope you find yourselves safe and flexibility. “Lifestyle flexibility” is the term merry and full of love this holiday we’ve coined in the office. You need to season. reschedule your performance review so you can be with your grandson on his birthday? Take a reduction in work hours rather than a pay increase? Shift your hours for a few weeks to accommodate performing in a holiday production?

Wear jeans and t-shirts instead of blazers and ties? Done.

We also provide a lot of autonomy and an opportunity for staff to be creative and come up with new ideas.

You think conference sponsorship packages could be improved? Show me a draft. You think our new octopus logo would look good painted on the wall?

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CSMFO INNOVATION AWARD

2017

Innovation Award Program CAFR Award Program

While the Budget Award Programs deadline has now passed, CSMFO has additional award programs that are currently accepting applications. The CSMFO Professional Standards and Recognition Committee encourages all municipal members to consider applying to these Award Programs: Innovation Award Program CSMFO established the Innovation Award Program to recognize innovation within the field of public sector finance in the areas of: • Accounting • Budgeting • Treasury • Debt administration/issuance • Procurement • Risk management • Technology Applicants are required to complete the online application and include documentation related to the innovation.

Completed applications and documentation are due by December 31, 2016. There is no fee to apply to the Innovation Award Program.

CAFR Award Program CSMFO established the CAFR Award Program to encourage and assist local governments who do not participate in the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program to prepare outstanding financial reports. The intent of the program is to provide local governments a review at a lower cost than the GFOA program. In doing so, local governments will become more confident in their ability to apply for the GFOA program.

Completed applications and reports are due within 6 months of the local government’s fiscal year-end – for applicants whose fiscal year-end date is June 30, 2016, the deadline this year is December 31, 2016. If your financial reporting year-end date is different, please contact the Professional Standards and Recognition Committee.

How to Submit an Application In order to submit an award application, CSMFO members must be pre-registered as an applicant in the award management software. If you are not yet registered as an applicant in the award management software, please contact Craig Boyer at craig.boyer@acgov.org.

Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding the award programs.

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Selling Your Agency to Thrive in Attracting and Retaining Amazing Talent

Marcus Pimentel, Finance Director, City of Santa Cruz

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Understanding how to recruit employees is an important skill for today’s government managers.

Selling, promoting you, your department, and your agency is a must to attracting and retaining amazing talent. We have to reprogram ourselves to overcome our typically introverted and modest behaviors.

As we all know, recruiting for government Finance professions is more and more competitive, as many fiscal skill sets we want are also desired by the private sector.

We have to do more. We have to sell our business model attributes that set us apart (our brand!) and make us attractive to today’s prospective employees. We also have to remember to continue to sell and market ourselves to our current amazing staff, or we risk losing valuable employees. Finally, we have to realize that salary is not, and never really was, the path to talented and happy employees.

How do you attract the right candidates to a position in Finance?

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These five tips could make all the difference.

1. Identify what sets you apart: Can you offer a unique and flexible company culture? Does your organization embrace work/ life balance? Do you offer a competitive benefits package?

Highlight how rewarding and impactful local government is.

Don’t forget, we are inherently a culture that is supportive and shares information across agencies. A former City of Santa Cruz employee remarked how much she missed our inclusive and supportive environment as compared to her Big 4 aggressive and competitive one.

2. Advertise strategically on niche sites: Using specific job boards to recruit for an open position will target a particular group of qualified job candidates with little effort. In addition to LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter and of course CSFMO, resources such as CalCPA, CMTA, CAPPO, CMRTA and the APA are all specialized

industries that can bring particular candidates to your door.

3. Be strategic in your wording: Key responsibilities and required qualifications - having these clearly expressed (be specific!) will ensure that you are gaining interest from candidates who will meet the expectations of the role. Sell yourself and your agency prominently in your advertisements. Talk about your City’s community, its downtown life, and the food, recreation or entertainment options around your City Hall.

4. Establish genuine communications: In most cases, this will be the candidates’ first experience communicating with your company, so be sure to be responsive, friendly and genuine.

Customize your automated responses to interested applicants with offers to talk to candidates before they apply. This could mean all the difference in whether or not you retain a candidate’s interest.

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5. Professional internships: Leverage your neighboring schools to introduce local government to a broader audience. The City of Marina’s successful partnership with CSUMB is one of countless models already in use.

Always think about being in a continuous recruitment mode applying these tips to your current staff. Never take them for granted. Using these best practices while putting time into the proper details of recruitment could increase your process efficiency, save money, and give you a strategic edge over the competition.

Marcus currently serves as a CSMFO Board Member for Northern California. Marcus is a Board liaison for the Conference Site Selection Committee, as well as a Senior Advisor for the Membership Benefits Committee (continuing in this capacity in 2017). Marcus will join the Communications Committee in 2017 as a Senior Advisor.

And remember, a poor hiring decision could bring negative energy to the current team’s spirit and can last a professional lifetime.

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Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Embracing Generational Diversity

Brad Rockabrand, City Services Consulting Manager, Vavrinek Trine Day & Co. LLP

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For the first time in history there are four generations in the American work force. Each of these generations has entered the workplace with different values, perspectives, experiences and expectations.

Traditionalists, born between 1925 and 1945, are often in important executive positions, and bring with them the triumphs and tragedies of the Great Depression and World War II. Many Baby Boomers (1946-1964) have been forced to work past retirement age because of financial concerns brought on by the 2007-08 recession, while Generation Xers (1965-1979), in the early stages of career advancement and possibly family responsibilities, are beginning to think seriously about the next 20 years. Last, there are Millennials (1980-2000), many of whom may be starting their first job, who are team oriented, tech savvy and eager to learn.

With this much diversity in the workplace, it comes as no surprise that there are many generational gaps which can present challenges. Millennials have often been stereotyped as having a sense of entitlement and lacking a traditional work ethic. Traditionalists and Baby Boomers have been labeled as intransigent, digitally averse, and entitled, albeit in a very different sense than their Millennial counterparts. While some have embraced these gaps as opportunities to learn and grow from one other, many have simply tolerated them. In order to thrive however, we must do more than tolerate each other, because tolerating requires nothing more than keeping our heads down and our mouths shut. We should be open, move into new and sometimes uncomfortable territory and work towards understanding one another.

Every generation has strengths to bring to the table. To understand how to maximize these strengths, we must first take a look at what is meaningful to each group. Traditionalists value financial stability and appreciate respect and acknowledgement of their contribution to the organization.

Boomers also appreciate respect from their employers and co-workers.

They work best in an autonomous environment (not being micromanaged), and want to be trusted in the decisionmaking process. Gen Xers are highly CSMFO MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2016

motivated. They have taken the time to identify their core values and find an organization that aligns with their beliefs and philosophies. They enjoy flexible working options and produce most effectively in a relaxed office environment. Millennials, raised on technology, see it as essential for selfexpression and learning. They desire experience and expect to be trained and mentored in a collaborative setting.

Dealing effectively with diversity requires flexibility, and all too often organizations have a one-size-fits-all approach. With four generations in the work force, this approach can no longer be relied upon. The generally accepted assumption that seniority is synonymous with leadership is one concept that needs careful examination.

While Gen Xers have worked their way up the corporate ladder and are in line for managerial promotions, many are being passed over because organizations are in desperate need of the technological skills, flexibility and adaptability of Millennials.

This has obvious and sometimes disruptive consequences. In addition, as some Boomers retire, Millennials are faced with managing older generations, something they may not have been trained to do. In a recent survey conducted by Beyond, 44% of Millennial respondents viewed themselves as being the most capable generation to lead in the workforce, while only 14% of all respondents agreed with this assessment. However, 51% of all respondents feel that Generation X is the most capable. These statistics provide important evidence to support the need for organizations to consider all factors in making promotion decisions.

benefits will secure and retain top talent. Employers must approach compensation, benefits and incentives in a way that satisfies the needs of each generation’s unique perspectives and values about work. For example, health care plans may now offer on-site health facilities and nutritionists as part of their benefits package. Organizations can also offer flexible hours, alternative work schedules and telecommuting.

Furthermore, Generation X is the first generation that is preparing to retire without social security, so offering a more lucrative 401(k) package can create incentive and draw in talent.

As more people retire later in life, some may prefer more time off rather than increased compensation. In addition, giving full medical benefits to older workers who decide to shift to part-time status can be an effective

In order to embrace generational diversity and overcome the difficulties it presents, organizations will need to understand how each generation communicates, responds, and produces in order to function well. In addition, it can no longer be assumed that competitive pay, a basic 401(k) and medical CSMFO.ORG

way to retain skilled employees and pass down institutional knowledge to new workers. Younger employees may value more flexibility, and appreciate assignments that foster new skill sets that can be applied later in their careers.

Generation X demands challenging but balanced work assignments, and Millennials expect significant perks in exchange for loyalty and technological savvy.

Understanding each generation also means communicating with them in ways that resonate. Until recently, many organizations relied too heavily on one communication medium. Traditionalists and Boomers may prefer an in-person, verbal communication about changes in policy and procedure, while Gen Xers and Millennials may prefer an email or a digital broadcast. By making the same message available in multiple

formats, organizations can ensure that they are communicating effectively with all employees and, while doing so, indirectly communicate to each generation that they are heard and understood Another effective approach to the cross-pollination of generational values is to conduct information-sharing sessions. They are a great way to get people to work together and provide opportunities to educate one another.

Have representatives from each generation put together programming to educate others and facilitate dialogue.

Make mentoring a constant to ensure that, as more experienced workers leave the work force, knowledge and organizational history are transferred.

Within a mentoring program, first determine the younger employees’ goals and developmental needs and then match them with older, more

experienced employees to create cross-organizational dialogue among generations. Consider one-on-one programs, group programs, senior leadership discussion panels and speed mentoring. In order to accomplish this, leaders must be open to new ideas - receiving and providing constant feedback – and work with managers and staff to share the organization’s strategic vision. They should avoid projecting their own expectations about work styles and remain open to different perspectives based on generational attitudes. The point is, the strengths each generation brings to the table should be capitalized on by the other generations in positive and productive ways.

Focusing on the results that employees produce and finding ways to help all personnel work together to achieve these results is what matters.

Organizations that consider individual employee needs and accommodate different learning styles, toss the routines and create recognition programs ensure that everyone in the organization understands that working together is essential. Leaders who create a respectful, open and inclusive environment without confusing generational traits with character problems or falling back on blanket stereotypes pave the way for their organizations to secure the top talent, retain seasoned employees and maximize the contributions of all generations.

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Maximizing Millennial Effectiveness and Success

Neil Kupchin

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You may have noticed the changing demographics in the workplace in general and in your organization specifically. Millennials, who we define as between ages19-35 are now the nation’s largest generation, surpassing Baby Boomers who are defined as ages 52-70. According to the Pew Research Center, Millennials now number 75.4 million to 74.9 million Baby Boomers.

Why should we be concerned about these statistics? Because Millennials are going to be your co-workers, direct reports, leaders, and neighbors and their success will play a major role in determining the effectiveness and success of your department and organization. There is one more reason to be concerned: Millennials present new and significant organizational challenges that Baby Boomers and Generation Xers, ages 36-50, may have difficulty understanding, adapting to and accepting.

To maximize Millennial organizational effectiveness and success we must identify and discard current negative stereotypical Millennial characterizations, understand what Millennials are looking for in the workplace and what motivates them to produce exceptional work.

A fifty-five year old Finance Director recently told me, “These Millennials may ruin our department. They feel entitled, have a poor work ethic, lack ambition, don’t know what they don’t know - but they sure want to have lots of pot lucks and fun on the job.” He has taken the worst of the stereotypes and applied them to an entire segment of the population who he will have to learn to understand and motivate for the future success of his organization.

To top it off, he finished with the zinger, “Besides most of them are living in their parent’s basement and don’t care about money or doing a good job.”

These gross generalizations need to be replaced by a clear understanding of what Millennials are looking for in the workplace. They want challenging work that makes a difference, educational opportunities that will

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help them “build their resume”, a culture of empowerment that allows them to grow and advance, variety, mutual respect, teamwork, work-life balance and an enjoyable, yes, even fun filled workplace. And most of all, they want to work for supervisors and managers who genuinely care about them as people and who will make a sincere effort to build mutually beneficial relationships. There may be some “basement dwellers”, but characterizing an entire segment of the workforce as such is a true disservice.

In order to motivate Millennials you will need to help them see the “Big Picture” by explaining why the work they are doing is important and how it helps everyone to accomplish individual and organizational goals. You’ll need to provide clear expectations and lots of performance based, timely feedback while reducing micro managing. On a personal level, be approachable, personable and build a relationship by getting to know them as individuals while offering lots of warranted praise, recognition and encouragement.

Listen to their ideas, be an active mentor and close the loop by letting them know what happened to their ideas and suggestions. Building morale is important so take the pulse of the department by asking “What are we doing well? and What could we be doing better?” at least quarterly on an individual and department wide basis.

that there are three concepts that will need to be stressed – what the chain of command is and how to use it, the importance of confidentiality and eliminating gossip and the value of face to face communication.

This generation was raised on technology so it is important that everyone understands that texts and emails must not replace face to face communication on really important issues.

If you are wondering about my response to the fifty five year old, thirty year veteran, stereotyping Finance Director, it was short and to the point. “Be the leader you were meant to be and can be. Think about your Leadership Legacy as you work to develop, help and grow all your people. And one day, twenty years from now, your present day Millennials will look back fondly and say that you were the coach, mentor and leader they needed and wanted early in their career.”

Neil Kupchin is a Management Trainer and Consultant and Motivational Speaker who has presented training for more than thirty California municipalities and presented at many CSMFO Annual Conferences and Chapter Meetings.

Millennials will not necessarily stay with one organization for thirty years as their Baby Boomer parents did. Make sure they understand four critical areas to increase the odds of loyalty and longevity: what are the organization’s, department’s and their goals; what are their specific roles and responsibilities on a daily and project basis; what are the processes and procedures we follow and value;, and why relationships are important and how to build them.

In a workshop I present entitled “Maximizing Effectiveness and Success in the Workplace” designed for new employees, many of whom are Millennials, it has become clear CSMFO.ORG

One-to-One Coaching

By Debbie Rosales, Principal Accountant, City of Moreno Valley

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CSMFO booth at the conference. I have met some great people along the way and am happy to report that Margaret was right. What a difference a year makes. At the 2016 Annual Conference in Anaheim I was able to take full advantage of the networking opportunities that were presented. I no longer felt like the shy person on the sidelines.

The CSMFO One-to-One Coaching Program is a great resource, whether you are a “rising star,” as Don Maruska likes to say, seeking general career advancement guidance, or newly appointed to your position and have a question specific to your area.

role for the past two years at the time, Shortly after the CSMFO Annual and that I was looking to advance Conference in Monterey in 2015 I into management. I told her about my decided to reach out to a CSMFO education and the fact that I was close Coach. Why not? I had just listened to multiple sessions on leadership, the to completing my MBA. I told her about benefits of mentors, and participated in what I thought my greatest strengths and speed coaching. I was approaching the weaknesses were and the areas that I wanted to focus on in my development. end of my MBA program and thought that I was ready to move on to the next Over the course of our conversation level in my career focusing on using my the topic turned to networking which management skills.

I admitted was one of my biggest

In the Inland Empire Chapter we have launched a pilot program with me serving as the Coaching Coordinator, helping to bridge that gap between those looking for a coach and the coaches who are eager to teach. I hope that by sharing my experience I have encouraged some of you out there to participate in this valuable program.

Visit the One-to-One Coaching Program page on the CSMFO website at: http:// www.csmfo.org/training/coaching/ one-on-one-coaching to find your coach today.

challenges. Usually I have a very Armed with this new determination outgoing (some would probably say I visited the Coaching Corner on outspoken) personality. Put me in front CSMFO’s website and looked at the One-to-One Coaching Coaches Gallery. of a crowd of 1,000 and give me a I have to admit my newfound enthusiasm topic – I could speak for days, but send me to a luncheon or conference and put was a little dampened. When I first saw the pictures and contact information me at a table or in a room with other people I don’t know and I become the of CFOs, GMs, and ASD Directors; instant wallflower. People who know the thought of contacting any of them me are constantly surprised by this directly was very intimidating, but I convinced myself that I was still going revelation. Margaret listened and then to do it. Then I saw Margaret’s picture. gave me what I would have to say was the best piece of advice. She told me to I had met her before – for about five get involved. She said that by getting minutes at the conference the week involved it would help me meet people before – she seemed nice and I was going to do it, call her, and ask her to within the CSMFO family and that, in her experience, getting involved meant be my coach. Instead I took the less direct route and sent her an e-mail. She that events like the annual conference replied and we set a time to talk on the seemed more like homecomings. phone.

I took Margaret’s advice to heart. I became more involved in the CSMFO During our first hour long coaching session Margaret took the time to get to Career Development Committee, know me and what I was looking for. I attended every Inland Empire Chapter told her about myself; that I had been meeting that I was able to, participated in the Annual Weekend Training, in government accounting for about and even volunteered to sit at the ten years, had been in a supervisory

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Piper Jaffray is committed to California municipal finance Thank you to everyone who voted last month for the incoming Board members and President-Elect. And the winners are…

President-Elect Margaret Moggia, West Basin Municipal Water District Board Member – North Jennifer Wakeman, City of Lafayette Board Member – South Scott Catlett, City of Yorba Linda

For more information, contact the following representatives from our California public finance team: Mark Adler Managing Director 310 297-6010 mark.j.adler@pjc.com

Tom Innis Managing Director 415 616-1635 thomas.p.innis@pjc.com

Katie Koster Managing Director 949 494-6110 katherine.a.koster@pjc.com

Dennis McGuire Managing Director 916 361-6520 dennis.j.mcguire@pjc.com

Russell Reyes Managing Director 310 297-6014 russell.c.reyes@pjc.com

Victor Ume-Ukeje Managing Director 415 616-1662 victor.e.ume-ukeje@pjc.com

Tony Rapista Vice President 310 297-6031 anthony.l.rapista@pjc.com California municipal finance banking offices are located in Los Angeles, Orange County, Sacramento and San Francisco 23 CSMFO MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2016 Since 1895. Member SIPC and NYSE. © 2016 Piper Jaffray & Co. 9/16 CM-16-0858

INSIDE LOOK

December 2016 Member Highlight Robert Biery John Adams, Finance Director, City of Thousand Oaks I recently had lunch with Robert (Bob) Biery at California Pizza Kitchen to get caught up on things. Bob always has a list of items to discuss, everything from municipal finance, CSMFO, Thousand Oaks, and golf. Spending time with Bob is enjoyable, I always learn something new and always get great advice. But this particular lunch I was to get information about Bob’s 5 decades in CSMFO. This January will mark the start of the 51st year of Bob being a member in CSMFO. Bob joined CSMFO in January 1967, just months after starting a new job in municipal finance as the Assistant Finance Director at the City of Monterey Park. Bob grew up in Pasadena and, after graduating from high school, served in the Army. After serving in the Army, Bob attended college at California State University, Los Angeles, where he received a degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting. As most graduates with a degree in accounting, he worked for a CPA firm in Pasadena and then for a manufacturing company prior to joining the City.

In 1966, a gentlemen by the name of Sam Norris hired Bob. Sam was the Assistant City Manager in Monterey Park and a UCLA fan (we won’t hold that against him), but the best part is he is the father of Julia James, a current CSMFO member and Finance Director for cities like Manhattan Beach, Malibu, South Gate and Fullerton. Long before Sam encouraged Julia to look at a profession in municipal finance, he encouraged Bob to become a member of CSMFO. Bob attended his first annual CSMFO conference in Palo Alto in 1967. Bob says he has attended every annual conference since 1967. He does count CSMFO MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2016

playing golf at the conference as attending, especially because in 1976 he was unable to attend the educational sessions, but was able to attend the various special events, including golf!

As a municipal finance professional, Bob has worked for four cities during his long career. At the City of Monterey

Park, Bob started as the Assistant Finance Director and was promoted in 1969 to the Finance Director. Always looking for fun, Bob became the Director of Parks and Recreation for Monterey Park in 1975. I am sure somehow the change was related to golf. In 1976, Bob left Monterey Park to become the Finance Director/Assistant City Manager of Fontana. After five years, he left to go to Thousand Oaks in 1981 as the Finance Director/ City Treasurer until his retirement in 1999. But because of Bob’s love for the profession, he returned part-time and became the Finance Officer/City

Treasurer for the City of Westlake, where he continues to work today.

Most of his best stories are somehow connected to golf, including how he became involved with CSMFO. As Bob started to enjoy being a member of CSMFO, he met three individuals who would encourage him to ultimately become the President of CSMFO. These three individuals just happen to be past Presidents, and, of course, two of them are golfers. They included Carl Husby, City of Sunnyvale, President 1971; William Dundore, City of Torrance, President 1972; and Donald Nuttall, City of Sante Fe Springs, President 1980. Based on the number of years they served as President’s of CSMFO, Bob must have been the youngest of the foursome.

Like many others that are involved in CSMFO, Bob’s first leadership role was as a Chapter Chair. Bob became the CSMFO President in 1984 when the conference was held in San Diego.

Bob’s best advice to members is: “Get involved and have fun”. To this day, Bob continues to be highly involved in CSMFO. In 2016, Bob was the Senior Advisor to the Administration Committee and a critical member in the Nominating Committee for the 2017 Board Election.

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In addition to Bob’s professional involvement in CSMFO, Bob is actively involved with the League of California Cities. He has been the CSMFO appointment to the Revenue and Taxation Policy Committee since 1981 and is currently the longest serving member of the committee.

Only one year in 2006 was he not the appointment to the committee

by CSMFO. Apparently, Mark Alvarado did not know of the history and appointed Jay Goldstone to the committee. Luckily, Bob did receive a Presidential appointment in 2006 and will receive another one this year as he will be the Chair of the committee in 2017. I also serve with Bob on the Revenue & Taxation Policy Committee and remember my first meeting when doing introductions, Bob went before me and started by saying he has been on the committee for 32 years…….I then followed by saying I have been on the committee for 32 seconds. In addition to the committee, Bob was on the League’s Board of Directors from 1986 to 1988 representing fiscal officers throughout the State.

On a personal note, during his time in Monterey Park Bob met his wife Patty. They have been married for almost 44 years. He has 4 children and 8 grandchildren. He has also been a Rotarian for 50 years, currently a member of the Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks. When he is not golfing, camping or traveling, Bob is volunteering for local Thousand Oaks non-profits.

When I asked Bob who was his closet colleague in CSMFO, his response was me. I assume he meant “proximity”, but he does reflect fondly on all the friendships he has had over his 50 year career. He mentioned his peers like Mary Bradley, Stan Lindsey, Dewey Evans, Nancy Hicks, and Barbara Steckel. These are all past Presidents that he enjoys seeing from time to time, including at the annual conference at the past president’s dinner. One of the recent traditions is to have Bob recognize in year order all of the past presidents in attendance. This is an annual highlight for Bob. CSMFO is near and dear to Bob’s heart, and Bob has been an integral part of what has made CSMFO so successful over the past 60 years. It is leaders like Bob that have made CSMFO the premier municipal finance association in the nation.

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25 Units ofMAGAZINE the Office of Public Service &2016 Outreach CSMFO DECEMBER

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Embracing Generational Diversity and the Importance of Succession Planning

By Lisa S. Charbonneau, Associate Attorney, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore

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To many of us, the word “diversity” typically connotes differences in race, gender, ethnicity or other legally-protected “classifications.”

However, diversity means more than just legally-protected classifications.

It is a multifaceted concept that can encompass education, personality, political beliefs, lifestyle, and a commitment to all – not just some – employees. One of the most significant issues in today’s workplace is the increasing diversity of age and generational groups. As older workers remain working longer than any time in history, and as younger employees enter the workplace in more high-level positions than ever before, there has never been a time with such a richness of generational diversity in today’s workplace.

Indeed, data from the Pew Research Center for the first quarter of 2015 shows that workers born before 1965 (“Baby Boomers” and older) constituted 31% of the U.S. workforce, whereas workers born 1965 to

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1980 (“Gen X”) constituted 34%, and those born in 1981 or after (“Millennials”) constituted 35%.

According to workplace consultants, Baby Boomers think workers should pay their dues, Gen Xers are more likely to be independent-minded, and Millennials like teamwork, feedback and technology.

Regardless of generational differences, generational diversity is an asset; different age groups bring different styles, perspectives, and life experiences to the workplace.

Managers must recognize and appreciate generational differences in order to harness the power of generational diversity. Only when managers can see the value in the different generations working in every echelon of the workplace can we intentionally take constructive advantage of the difference.

The first step is for managers to resist the impulse to stereotype workers based on age. Managers

must recognize that sharing a place in history can create common generational perspectives on issues such as life/work balance, leadership styles, communication and technology, and moving up in the ranks. Understanding generational differences is critical to creating a positive, high-functioning work environment rather than one filled with conflict, isolation and resentment.

Imagine a Millennial new to the workplace who is more comfortable Snapchatting, instant messaging, or texting than writing emails or answering phone calls. Rather than dismissing the employee’s preference for new communication technology, an effective manager should understand that newer generations might not understand the importance of more traditional forms of communication in the workplace. At the same time, effective managers would be wise to appreciate the basis for Millennials’ embrace of texting,

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which is viewed as more efficient, cheaper, and quicker. Conversely, younger managers may not know how to motivate supervisees from older generations. Perhaps older employees do not trust a new, younger manager’s vision. To remedy this, the manager should work to clearly communicate his or her goals and the basis for those goals to facilitate everyone’s buy-in to his or her vision and approach.

Making Generational Diversity Work for Your Agency One way to take advantage of generational diversity in the workplace is to match employees of earlier generations with younger employees to serve as mentors and share their experiences. Long-time employees have significant wisdom they can impart to employees newer to the workforce and younger employees are generationally more receptive to mentorship and guidance in the workplace. Moreover, Agency supervisors and managers should be trained on generational differences in order to better supervise employees of different generations. This will allow for better communications and interactions with subordinates.

Also, providing flexibility in work hours and schedules may appeal to different generations in different ways. For example, perhaps younger generations will appreciate telecommuting or flexible hours due to their interest on maintaining a work/life balance. Employees nearing retirement may appreciate the ability to decrease workload and work hours. Employees with children may appreciate being able to leave the office to take/pick up children from school and then work from home late at night or early in the morning. Finally, benefits may appeal to different generations differently.

Explore offering various nontraditional benefits, such as wellness programs, dependent care and gym memberships.

The Time to Begin Succession Planning is Now

(4) Assess the Current Workforce to Determine Future Needs and Gaps

Agencies need to start planning today for the rapid retirement of large sectors of the workforce because management positions at most public sector agencies are dominated by Baby Boomers. This means figuring out how to fill the management gap with competent Gen X or Millennial employees. Agencies that fail to do this type of succession planning will be left with a severe leadership shortage. The following basic steps can assist an agency in establishing a successful succession plan.

Agencies must analyze: How many employees are leaving/retiring and in what time frame? What necessary positions may be vacant? Are there more management positions that may be needed in the future? Are there existing employees able to fill future management positions or will the Agency need to hire elsewhere or develop talent? Does my agency have good retention and recruitment strategies to fill in any gap or develop the next generation of leaders?

(1) Secure Support from Agency Leaders The top echelons of Agency leadership must support succession planning and be willing to provide resources to the plan. Personnel or H.R. Departments may develop and manage a succession plan, but support from Agency leadership is required for the plan to succeed.

(2) Define Management Duties to Include Talent Development Succession planning requires identifying potential successors to fill upcoming vacancies. This means managers must immediately begin identifying promising employees and developing them through training, mentorship opportunities, and interim appointments or higher class work assignments. Developing talent among lower-level employees is often neglected.

(3) Incorporate Succession Planning into Agency Operations

Sow the Seeds of Your Agency’s Future Today The generational diversity that exists in today’s workplace is largely an undiscovered asset. Although recognizing and taking advantage of generational diversity takes time, planning, and buy-in from the highestlevels of Agency leadership, the result is undoubtedly worthwhile since the seeds of the future exist at your Agency today.

Lisa is an Associate Attorney with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (LCW) where she represents and advises LCW clients in all matters pertaining to labor and employment law. She also a presenter for the LCW Consortium Trainings where she has presented “The Future is Now - Embracing Generational Diversity and Succession Planning.” Lisa also provided a recent article to the CSMFO magazine related to the impacts of the “Flores v.

City of San Gabriel” case.

Revise job descriptions and policies to include elements of succession planning, establish formal training programs directed at developing lower-level employees for upperlevel management positions, train management on effective talent development skills and reward them for successfully developing talent.

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Managing Multiple Generations as a Finance Director

Charlie Francis

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Yes, I’m a baby boomer. In fact, I’m in the first wave of early baby boomers – born in 1949. But throughout my career as a Finance Director, I’ve worked with and managed just about every living generation: traditionalists born before me, fellow boomers, Generation Xers, and, most recently, millennials. In this article, I want to share some things I’ve learned from working with multiple generations at the same time.

Each generation has something different to give. Traditionalists know how to execute effectively and consistently; baby boomers can innovate when given the freedom to manage their own tasks; Generation Xers thrive in merit-based systems with flexibility; and millennials are empowered by working with other talented people.

A Baby-Boomer in a Traditionalist Workforce When I first entered the workplace, I was supervised by and worked with what sociologists label as ‘traditionalists.’ My colleagues followed rules, adhered to procedures.

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Innovation and creativity were not encouraged, but frowned upon.

“Keep your head down, complete the monotonous rhythms of the accounting cycle, show up again tomorrow… “ Fortunately, my boss Alan was different. Yes, he held us accountable for timeliness and accuracy. But he showed up to work with a positive attitude and came to work ready to brighten his staff’s days.

One day he took a leap of faith and bought me the first Texas Instruments calculator that held a number in memory. The next month, I allocated indirect costs across 30+ funds in three hours, previously a three-day task. My reward? He told me to take the next 2 ½ days off!

Alan primarily managed other traditionalists. But he was a bigenerational mentor and integrator.

He recognized I was motivated by being valued and needed. He knew I was also motivated by money, and integrated me into the traditionalist workforce by capitalizing on my technological strengths and teaching me to respect older team members’ values.

Baby-Boomer Management Soon I was leading my own finance department; the workforce was predominantly fellow babyboomers, making it easy to manage heterogeneously motivated staff. Our careers defined who we were; our work was important to us.

I managed my team as I would have wanted to be managed! I set clear and concise job expectations and let my staff know their ideas mattered. I showed them they were appreciated.

I pre-assessed comfort level with technology before assigning new projects. I held staff accountable by checking-in and asking how they were doing on a regular basis, but NEVER micro-managed.

Then came Generation X The workforce was gradually transitioning to new dynamic young leaders who wanted jobs in forward-thinking organizations with flexibility in scheduling, and where input was evaluated on merit. For

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baby-boomers, work was primarily a career – a place where one worked then retired. Generation Xers were motivated by freedom and removal of rules, and instead of money, they wanted time-off.

This was hardly the profile of most local governments in the 1990s, populated mostly by baby-boomer citizens and workers. I reached back to Alan’s bi-generational management and mentoring lessons. I recognized the assets and liabilities of each generation; and used one generation’s strengths to offset the other’s weaknesses through awareness, team meetings, and one-to-one mentoring.

This work environment encouraged team creativity. We allowed flexibility and relinquished control as long as expectations and deadlines were met. Quality control was a group effort. The bi-generational workforce took responsibility for full process completion.

It wasn’t always comfortable working across and integrating two generations, but the cities I managed thrived and not only earned GFOA awards; that gained nationwide

recognition for cutting-edge financial management strategies and tactics.

Finally, the Millennials Millennials are motivated by working with other bright individuals and enjoying more time off. They are a product of the “drop down and click menu”.

I re-inventoried my management and mentoring skillset. It was time to emerge as a leader, not just a manager/mentor. Kicked out of the nest, growing my wing feathers, and learning to fly and hunt were but the forerunners of becoming a majestic, soaring bald-headed eagle!

(Figurative as well as literal).

And, from the eagle’s view, I had the opportunity to assimilate the best practices, values, and motivators of all generations into a highly effective workforce. I enabled multigenerational exploration of new ways to use emerging technologies to process data more timely and accurately, and with less repetitive tasks. We encouraged breaking business-process rules that let worker add value to information, not just process it.

When I retired, we weren’t just a finance department processing debits and credits. We were more than a lean, mean accounting machine. We were multi-generational financial strategists, delivering timely and accurate financial analyses and reports that would keep our city financially resilient long into the future.

Charlie Francis is a municipal finance expert and serves as OpenGov’s Director of Government Finance Solutions. He has deep experience in California municipal finance, including over 20 years as a Chief Financial Officer and a term as a CSMFO board member. Most recently, he served as the Director of Administrative Services and Treasurer for the City of Sausalito, CA. He has also served as a finance manager for the Town of Colma, CA and as CFO and acting City Manager for the Cities of Indian Wells, CA and Tracy, CA.

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INSIDE LOOK

RETIREMENT CORNER Joan Michaels Aguilar, City of Dixon Barbara Boswell retired earlier this year from the City of Lancaster and had recently served on the CSMFO Board of Directors from Southern California, as well as a variety of capacities on the Technology Committee. We caught up with her to ask a few key questions about her long tenure in the public sector and with CSMFO. How many years were you in public service? What kept you working in the public versus the private sector?

I recently retired after over 25 years working in public service. I started my public sector career after answering an ad in my local paper. It wasn’t a conscious decision to move from private to public. Once I started working for the City of Santa Clarita, I fell in love.

Public service is the most rewarding, challenging and interesting career. I feel so fortunate to have stumbled on that advertisement.

I think the first conference I attended was in Pasadena in the late ‘90s (Joan’s note: Pasadena was a rainy 2000!). I remember just soaking up all the information and being in awe of the speakers and panelists. It’s tough to pick a favorite, so I have to say all the Disneyland location conferences have been favorites!

Did the City executives and elected officials you worked with recognize the value of CSMFO as an organization and your volunteerism, whether as a Committee Member or Board Member?

My City Manager was very supportive of my involvement in CSMFO, and recognized the value that the organization provides. There were many times How did you initially get involved in where we had an CSMFO? (I know for a lot of people it issue or question starts out with a colleague encouraging come up that one to be a budget reviewer, and I he would ask, thought you might have been one when I was doing the Budget Awards program let’s see what the CSMFO membership have to say about this! There is no and you were in Santa Clarita.) greater resource to a municipal finance My initial involvement with CSMFO professional. was being a budget reviewer. However, What made you decide to retire this I truly became involved the year Mark year?

Alvarado was coming in as President (editor 2006), and he talked to me My husband retired in 2015, and I about serving on the Technology had planned to retire at the same time.

Committee. From that point on I was However, there were so many interesting hooked! projects going on in Lancaster I didn’t What was the first CSMFO conference want to leave. In 2016 the timing felt right, and I “took the plunge”! you attended and what was your favorite CSMFO conference and why?

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What are your plans for retirement?

Have you done anything fun?

I hope to spend time with my family enjoying our place at the beach, delving into some new craft hobbies, and maybe cleaning closets that have been neglected! We just came back from visiting family in Germany, which was a great trip! We had a chance to visit the town of Trier, which is on the Mosel River, dating back to 15 BC, it is Germany’s oldest city. It was a favorite of the ancient Romans, during the Roman empire, with sights that include baths, an amphitheater where many gladiators battled, and Porta Nigra, the last remaining gate. If you plan a trip to Germany I recommend adding this area to your itinerary.

What will you miss most about being an active employee and/or member of CSMFO? I’ll miss the people! CSMFO is a professional family like no other.

Throughout my career I’ve been able to tap into the experiences of the members to help with problems, and learn new ways of getting the work done. I’ve made some great friends, and will miss the interaction. future generations?

Any advice for

Get involved in CSMFO, it’s the best decision you can make, and you’ll never regret it. Your career will be enriched by the connections and friendships you’ll make; learning from the experiences of the “long term” finance professionals, while having fun.

So no more budgets, no more audits, no more meetings – Council or otherwise. Time to enjoy time with family. Congratulations on your retirement Barbara, relax and have fun in your pursuits!

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CSMFO Board of Directors Election Results Thank you to everyone who voted last month for the incoming Board members and President-Elect. And the winners are…

President-Elect Margaret Moggia, West Basin Municipal Water District Board Member – North Jennifer Wakeman, City of Lafayette Board Member – South Scott Catlett, City of Yorba Linda

Thank you to everyone nominated, and to the dozens of dedicated volunteers who work behind the scenes to make CSMFO the wonderful organization it is today!

35 CSMFO MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2016

Unlock the Greatness in Yourself and Others

Don Maruska, Master Certified Coach and Director, CSMFO Coaching Program

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What’s missing from making the most of talent in organizations today?

Research shows that 30 to 40% of talent lies untapped in even the best of organizations. Correspondingly, employee satisfaction falls short of what employees want by a similar gap. It’s not that employees are lazy or stupid. It’s that many organizations don’t know how to engage them.

Traditional talent development programs try to drive performance from the top down. But, employees aren’t cattle and don’t like to be driven. This undermines initiative. It also leaves employees as the victims of their circumstances. What’s missing is employee self-motivation .

What are the keys to unlocking talent?

Three keys enable anyone to make more of their talent and have fun doing it. The first key engages employees in a structured Talent Catalyst Conversation that asks them about their hopes and why they are important. It guides them to identify the issues, resources and actions that

will help them realize their hopes.

They shift from being victims of their circumstances to being heroes of the next chapter of their talent story.

The volunteer coaches in the Coaches Gallery at www.csmfo.org/coaching are great resources to talk with about your career and help you find the answers for yourself. As the recent CSMFO Coaching Program webinar “Critical Skills for a Finance Director” highlighted, there isn’t just one path to success. If you didn’t attend the webinar, watch the digital recording at www.csmfo.org/training/webinars/ audio-archives. You’ll find inspiration to discover your path.

The second key upends how we approach obstacles. Instead of feeling stymied by obstacles, participants see obstacles as stepping-stones to success. In Take Charge of Your Talent, we identified 15 common obstacles -- like lack of time, opportunity, or resources -- and provide proven tools to accelerate through them.

If you are overwhelmed with work, follow the example of expert surgeons

and slice through your workload.

You’ll find this and a selection of other tools to sharpen your delegation and gain greater balance in your work and life at www.csmfo.org/training/ coaching/coaching-resources.

The third key guides participants to translate what they know into organized bodies of knowledge and concrete processes that demonstrate their talent and deliver organizational value. These tangible career and organizational assets multiply the payoffs for participants and others.

Learn how CSMFO members used this approach to translate their knowledge into powerful assets that wowed interview panels and landed them top jobs. See examples in the CSMFO Coaching Program webinar “Interviewing Skills to Advance in Your Finance Career.” The digital recording and models of PSR (Problem, Solution, Results) and STAR (Situation, Task, Actions, Results) reports in the Agenda packet are available at the CSMFO website www.csmfo.org/training/ webinars/audio-archives.

37 CSMFO MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2016

What are examples of these keys delivering value for participants?

Organizations of all types and sizes– from government agencies to high tech, -- have gained measurable increases in their employees’ use of talent and satisfaction. For example, a team spanning 13 countries at Accenture, a Fortune 500 global enterprise, documented an average 20% increase in the use of talent.

That’s like having an extra day in their workweek. The great thing is that employees also reported higher job satisfaction. (See www.

TakeChargeofYourTalent.com/ testimonials for details.)

When you document and share what you know everyone wins. For example, the City of Palo Alto created its own internal wiki—Palopedia.

Team members shared their knowledge of budgeting and accounting details and other topics. Their entries demonstrated their professional accomplishments, enabled others to learn, and freed them up to learn new skills and add greater value the organization. This is the win-win of engaging employees’ self-motivation and encouraging talent to bubble up.

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You’re not alone in this profession.

CSMFO’s volunteer coaches and webinar presenters are powerful resources to help you succeed.

The CSMFO Career Development Committee continually adds to a storehouse of insights and support for you.

Make talent development a theme for your finance team. You’ll find effective guidance on preparing your agency for the future in the archives for the CSMFO Coaching Program webinar “Succession Planning for Local Government Finance.” Enjoy these and many other CSMFO resources to thrive in local government finance.

Eighteen years ago, Don Maruska created the Coaching Program for CSMFO. Since that time, Don has written two books, How Great Decisions Get Made: 10 Easy Steps for Reaching Agreement on Even the Toughest Issues and Take Charge of Your Talent: Three Keys to Thriving in Your Career, Organization, and Life Don writes, speaks and consults on successful solutions to the most challenging solutions and has more than 30 years’ experience building and growing organizations.

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CSMFO Magazine 2017 Editorial Calendar CSMFO started our new publication, the CSMFO Magazine, in March of this year. The response has been overwhelmingly positive! Thanks for your feedback, it’s been decided that the Magazine will continue in this current format for 2017 and beyond. After the first full year (12 months) of issues, we’ll be switching to an every-other-month format—opposite GFOA’s periodical, so members of both associations will still receive a publication once a month.

Each issue of the CSMFO Magazine has a focus area. Here’s what’s on the horizon for 2017.

January – The Budget Process Articles could include: Best practices in revenue/expenditure modeling, budget policies, capital improvement, strategic planning

February – Grant Management Articles could include: CDBG funding, grant application policies, grant compliance

March – The Conference Issue Articles could include: Innovation Award winner, pre-conference and early bird sessions, keynote takeaways

May – Financial Sustainability Articles could include: Revenue enhancement, understanding pension liabilities, long-range forecasting

July – Hot Topics Articles could include: Recruitment and retention trends, state audits, internal controls

September – Emergency Preparedness

Articles could include: Disaster recovery options, finance role in an emergency

November – Financial Reporting Articles could include: Internal reporting and data access, targeted trend review, transparency

Are you interested in writing an article for any of the above topics? Do you have ideas for articles you’d like to see? Let us know!

Email Melissa Dixon at melissa.dixon@staff.csmfo.org with your suggestions.

39 CSMFO MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2016

INSIDE LOOK

New Member Perspectives on CSMFO Steve Heide, Finance Manager, Chino Valley Independent Fire District

What do new or newer members think about CSMFO? What motivates the “next generation” of municipal finance professionals when it comes to professional development and peer networking?

In the CSMFO Membership Committee, we spend a great deal of time discussing member benefits and potential opportunities to add value for our members, to enrich the CSMFO “member experience.” As a ten year plus active member, I have a certain perspective on member benefits and what membership in this organization means to me. Having admittedly entered municipal finance in mid-career after a number of years in private industry, I also recognize that I am a bit removed from the next generation of CSMFO membership.

When tasked with the challenge and opportunity to author an article on new member perspectives, I welcomed the chance to learn more from at least a couple of newer members, how they view CSMFO and what they feel is valuable and important when it comes to member benefits. What follows is a brief profile of two municipal members who joined CSMFO over the last year or so, and there impressions of CSMFO to-date.

Meet Grace Castaneda Education: Degree in Business Economics, UCLA Current Position: Acting Budget Analyst, City of San Mateo Number of Years in Municipal Finance: Nine years Joined CSMFO: Late 2015 Steve: When did you join CSMFO, and why?

Grace: Toward the end of last year, I had just returned to work from maternity leave and my city had hired a new finance director during my time away.

I remember going to a local CSMFO/

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CMTA chapter holiday luncheon and talking to my new director on the drive back to the office. We started discussing our professional backgrounds and he told me how much he had benefited from his active involvement in CSMFO. He encouraged me to join and challenged me to get involved.

While I remember feeling somewhat underqualified to even be a member of CSMFO, let alone to get actively involved, what choice did I have? In the past, CSMFO membership had been limited to director level staff in my city, but my new boss had spoken, so I signed up.

Steve: What advice would you offer to other new and newer members?

Steve: What has been your experience with membership so far?

Education: Degree in Finance, Cal Poly Pomona

Grace: Get involved. I say this especially to people like me who are starting or even mid-level in their careers. Be active even if it feels outside of your comfort zone. Being involved in CSMFO has allowed me to make meaningful connections with others and it has helped me to gain perspective apart from my day-to-day work. I have benefitted so much more than I could have ever expected from my first year with CSMFO. Meet Dustin Andolsen

Current Position: Principal Accountant, Grace: It’s been great. Being City of Pomona actively involved has opened my eyes to a community of finance professionals Number of Years in Municipal and in my case, since I hadn’t worked Finance: 18 months at another agency prior to San Mateo, Joined CSMFO: Early 2016 CSMFO membership has allowed me to make connections with others in a way Steve: Talk a bit about your that is more than just talking about work. background?

Steve: What benefits are you finding Dustin: I graduated from Cal Poly of value with CSFMO? Pomona in 2008 and went to work for Lance Soll & Lunghard, LLP, right out Grace: I’ve found the training of college. I worked for LSL for about courses to be particularly valuable. seven years, earning my CPA and I’ve participated in webinars, the eventually promoting to Audit Manager.

Revenue Fundamentals course and In about the middle of my time with Weekend Training. The Weekend LSL, I briefly left the firm to work for a Training was especially enjoyable with special district. I worked there about the combination of classroom training four months before realizing it was not and group lunches and dinners. I got a great fit for me, and I returned to LSL. to meet and talk to people from other I’ve been working for Pomona for the organizations in a way I wouldn’t have last year-and-a-half. been able to in a one-day or even a multi-day commuter training class. I’m really looking forward to attending the Annual Conference in Sacramento in February as well.

Steve: Was there somebody who was particularly influential in your decision to join CSMFO? Dustin: Not in particular. I just thought it would be a good thing to

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do. Being part of the audit firm (LSL), it was a natural to know about CSMFO. I wanted to become more connected to the government finance world, and to attend the conferences and network too.

Steve: What member benefits have you enjoyed?

Dustin: There are so many resources available to that are beyond imagine.

CSMFO represents a community of finance professionals where we all have similar issues. However, I would say that my membership wasn’t fully utilized until I decided to join in and help out.

I’m getting involved in my local chapter and that has opened my eyes to what CSMFO is really doing for our members.

I’m realizing that CSMFO members truly care about this organization and our

industry. It’s inspiring to see people who are passionate about what they do and those they are serving.

Steve: Any other comments?

Dustin: When you join, get involved.

It’s no doubt additional work on top of your regular job, but very rewarding.

In summary, Grace and Dustin promote the benefits of active involvement in CSMFO. They stress the educational and professional networking opportunities available through CSMFO and reference being part of a larger community of professionals committed to municipal finance. While Grace and Dustin’s professional paths to CSMFO membership are quite different, there is much commonality in their first year membership experiences. Great

training, professional networking and a true sense of community. Sounds familiar to me. I seem to recall feeling much the same way when I was a year or so into CSMFO membership. Then again, I still feel that way today.

Steve Heide currently serves as the CSMFO Membership Committee Chair, as well as the Inland Empire Chapter Chair. In 2017, Steve will take on the responsibility as Communications Committee Chair.

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Building a 21st Century Workforce

Patrick Ibarra, The Mejorando Group

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a newspaper, on their website and include it on their job hotline, while sitting back waiting for applications from qualified candidates to come pouring in are OVER! It’s a competitive talent marketplace, and the old recruiting ways are long gone.

The “post-and-pray” method of posting a job listing and praying that good candidates would apply doesn’t work anymore. That’s because today’s recruiting efforts must be proactive, dynamic and capable of engaging candidates through the entire candidate lifecycle.

Every day in the United States, 10,000 people turn 65. And according to the Pew Research Center, millennials now outnumber baby boomers in the workplace, 76 million to 75 million, while millennials will make up 75 percent of the workforce just 10 years from now.

As a result of the rapidly aging workforce, government organizations -- small and large, rural and urban -- are experiencing a brain drain that is placing their organizations at a critical juncture: The need for experienced and seasoned employees has never been greater, while those are the very workers who are most likely to be departing in the very near future.

As they seek to shape the workforce indispensable to executing their missions, government finance leaders must realize they are contending with the private sector for talent as never before and they are facing substantial challenges in attracting and -- perhaps even more important -- retaining their best people.

The battle for talent continues to intensify and the need to attract and retain top performers remains essential to organizational success.

By distinguishing oneself from the competition, by promoting strengths and confirming values ensures your organization will stay ahead of the pack and becomes an employer of

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choice during both recession and boom times. The sum of all these moving parts is that for government finance leaders to build their 21stcentury workforce, old models must be discarded in favor of “next practices”— contemporary, progressive and practical strategies and tools to attract, retain and optimize talent.

Raising the Caliber of the Talent Pipeline The first step in pursuing change in recruitment is for there to be a shift in mind-set away from the status quo practice of “we’ve always done it that way” and towards the realization that your organization is an employer. In order to recruit the most qualified and talented candidates, the organization and its leaders must take actions consistent with that approach. In addition, there should be recognition that recruiting, while primarily a Human Resource Department function, must be shared by the Finance Department; creating a healthy and viable “pipeline” of incoming talent is a responsibility all members of the organization should share.

The best people today aren’t simply looking for a job. They want meaning and impact, and local government is all about having an impact on the quality of life for citizens. The time when all government agencies had to do was simply post an ad in

It’s important to think like a marketer, understanding that hiring is not simply about generating a large number of applicants, but should be a targeted approach aimed at attracting highcaliber candidates: • These days, it’s hard to overestimate the value of social media in the hiring process. Sites like Facebook and LinkedIn have emerged as more important than agency hiring websites and seem poised to overtake them as the primary focus for prospective jobseekers.

• The world is crawling with smart, skilled, zealous people who won’t be remotely interested in your organization if what you provide as a job announcement is the kind of utterly dull description that’s still far too common for government.

Use more of a social-marketing approach that offers a powerful message: Join our organization and be a part of something truly outstanding.

• As in other aspects of life, first impressions are critical. Job candidates from all walks of life want ease and convenience when applying for positions. Publicsector employers often require a series of written exams and performance tests as part of their hiring process, but keeping the interest of talented candidates means streamlining and simplifying this too-cumbersome process.

• Feature testimonials from current employees about yourwonderful

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organization and how the work is challenging. Testimonials by existing employees can relay powerful messages not only about the job/role one has, but the environment in which they work.

The more progress your agency makes in this area, the more you will set yourself apart from other government employers.

• Modify promotional practices to factor in performance as much as seniority, because it’s a myth that seniority translates to competence, just as it is a myth that technical proficiency translates to supervisory effectiveness.

Wise leaders pivot from these tired old notions and adopt a more practical approach that reflects what they’re seeking from their workforce.

Remember, hiring is like dating — you get what you look for.

Strengthening the Internal Bench of Potential Successors Progressive organizations realize that in today’s workplace, candidates and employees alike are seeking an employer who chooses to invest in developing their skills and capabilities as a strategy to elevate employee performance and improve organizational effectiveness. They also acknowledge that being recognized as an employer who, even-through tough economic times, makes the strategic decision to invest in their workforce builds a reputation as a builder of people and that, ladies and gentlemen, is a magnet to retain and develop talented people.

• Learning Program – It’s time to move away from the training mindset (considered an expense) and instead to a learning approach (considered an investment). If not already in place, you should immediately develop a series of learning courses which focus on equipping employees with the requisite leadership, management and supervisory skills. In addition to the traditional topics of managing employee feedback, communication and delegation

emerging topics include Leading Change, Innovation, and Performance Management. Ask yourself “what if we don’t develop our people and they stay?”

• Mentoring – Establish a pool of willing employees interested in sharing their knowledge with others. Mentoring Programs are easy and inexpensive ways to both effectively transfer tacit knowledge about city operations from senior employees to others, as well as enable those employees who are seeking advice and counsel to developer their capabilities in advancing their career goals.

• Growth – Your employees will increase their capabilities and positon themselves for future opportunities not just by learning new skills and actively engaging in a mentoring partnership, but also participating in a series of targeted employee development activities. For instance, rotating job assignments, “acting” roles and shadowing are attractive to top performers who want to stretch themselves.

• Career Development - The concept of a career is transitioning from the traditional ladder, where up is the only way to go, to more of a lattice, where employees move in different directions – up and sideways – gaining essential skills and experiences to keep pace in today’s quickly changing workplace. Most finance departments do not have a structure that lends itself to clear career paths anyway.

Consequently, it is incumbent, regardless of the size of your agency to create a process involving key leaders from your Finance and Human Resource Departments and interested employees in co-creating a customized career plan for those employees. Be careful not to assume classification levels are career paths, they are not. Instead, they are tools for compensation purposes.

What all these “next practices” approaches have in common is a focus on transitioning to the workforce that is right for the times as they are now and as they will be. The old models just won’t get you there.

Patrick Ibarra is an “entrepreneur of ideas” and architect of innovation who takes the headwinds governments are facing about the current climate of unprecedented changes and translates them into a tailwind with practical, tactical and impactful solutions that can be used immediately. Patrick, a former city manager, owns and operates an organizational effectiveness consulting practice, The Mejorando Group (www. gettingbetterallthetime.com), and is one of the country’s leading experts on optimizing the performance of public sector organizations. Mejorando is Spanish for “getting better all the time,” and Ibarra’s firm brings fresh thinking, innovation, and new ideas to help governmental organizations succeed in the 21st century. For those seeking additional information, Ibarra can be reached, either by phone at (925) 518-0187, e-mail at patrick@ gettingbetterallthetime.com.

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INSIDE LOOK

2017 Host Committee Running Diary Drew Corbett, CSMFO President-Elect As President-Elect and Host Committee Chair Drew Corbett works on preparations for the 2017 Annual Conference in Sacramento, he thought it would be fun to give the membership a glimpse into the process of putting the conference together.

Each month, Drew will provide a running commentary on some of the work that goes into conference preparations.

our dinner for the evening will feature a number of Sacramento restaurants offering “small plates” of their signature dishes. Restaurants already confirmed to participate include:

October 20, 2016 to November 19, 2016: With planning for the conference down to the details phase, I wanted to start to focus these diaries on specific aspects of the conference to provide some additional information. This version of the running diary will focus on two aspects of the conference, the concurrent sessions and the Thursday night event.

LowBrau www.lowbrausacramento.com

Concurrent Sessions: While the keynote speakers are the highlight of the conference, and I am tremendously excited about this year’s lineup of speakers (Connie Podesta, Chris Thornberg, and Alex Banayan), the concurrent sessions are really the heart of the conference. These sessions occur on Wednesday afternoon, all day Thursday, and Friday morning.

Our Program Committee, led by Chair Viki Copeland and Vice Chair Ronnie Campbell, has really outdone itself this year by putting together an incredible set of concurrent sessions. With speakers like David Bean, Amy Brown, Neil Kupchin, and John Bartel, just to name a few, conference attendees are sure to face the dilemma I seem to face each year, which is deciding on which concurrent sessions to attend. The ability to offer so many sessions and have it be so difficult to choose which sessions to attend is a real testament to the work the Program Committee does to put together the outstanding training content that is the foundation of our conference.

Making what the Program Committee has done in terms of session content and speakers much more impressive is the timing in which they pulled it all together.

The amount of work and coordination that goes into this is really significant, and with the 2017 conference being a full month earlier in the year than the 2016 CSMFO MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2016

Dinner Localis www.localissacramento.com

DREW CORBETT conference, the Program Committee has had to work on a compressed timeframe.

Not only did they manage to program a great conference in less time, they were able to pull all of the key details together so that the essential information about the concurrent sessions is available earlier than it has ever been. In fact, if you still haven’t registered for the conference, check out the conference website for details on the concurrent sessions…I imagine that will help you make up your mind to attend!

Thursday Night Event: The Thursday night event is something I look forward to each year, as it is a great time to catch up with my friends and colleagues, meet new people, and have a lot of fun. I expect this year’s event to provide the same opportunities for conference attendees.

With the conference in the State capital, I really wanted to celebrate Sacramento. Throughout the conference, you will definitely see and feel the key elements of what Sacramento has to offer, especially when it comes to the food. Touted as the Farm to Fork Capital, the Sacramento food scene is up there with the best of them. With so many great options in the city, the subcommittee that planned this event took on the task of figuring out how to incorporate the best Sacramento has to offer from a food-perspective into the Thursday night event, and I think they did an outstanding job. The first portion of the Thursday night event will be the dinner portion, which will be held at the Hyatt. Instead of a traditional plated dinner or buffet,

Amaro Italian Bistro www.facebook.com/pages/Amaro-BistroBar/797214416957062 Shady Lady www.shadyladybar.com Sail Inn www.sailinngrotto.com Mother mothersacramento.com

Dessert Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates gingerelizabeth.com Devine www.devinegelateria.com We’ll have the Hyatt catering group there as well to round things out and make sure no one leaves hungry!

After the dinner portion wraps up, the “after party” will begin a few blocks away at Cafeteria 15L. This event will feature desserts, games, a karaoke lounge, a photo booth, and potentially some other activities. I loved the sub-committee’s creativity in planning this event, as having a separate event beyond the dinner outside of the hotel will be a lot of fun and create a great environment for us to enjoy ourselves prior to concluding the conference on Friday.

The more I write about the events of the conference, the more excited I get for arriving in Sacramento in February. I look forward to seeing you all there!

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CAREERS JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Purchasing and Support Services Manager, Mountain View Salary Range: $113,282 to $141,603 Annually Application Deadline: Continuous Financial Services Manager, San Gabriel Salary Range: $7,824- $9,510 Application Deadline: Senior Procurement Specialist (Senior Buyer), City of Santee Salary Range: $65,318.89 - $79,395.51 Annually Application Deadline: Januaray 16, 2017 Finance Manager, City of Lemon Grove Salary Range: $6,169.22 - $7,500.19/ monthly Application Deadline: open until filled Finance Supervisor, Vallejo Sanitation & Flood Control District Salary Range: $10,862 - $11,975 Monthly Application Deadline: 31-Jan-17

Senior Department Fiscal Officer - Employee Benefits Accounting, County of Santa Clara Salary Range: $113,981.92 - #138,552.96 Application Deadline: 27-Dec-16 Payroll Accountant (Confidential), Oxnard Salary Range: $55,142.46-$94,312.40 per year Application Deadline: 1/18/2017 Accountant II, El Cerrito Salary Range: $5,529 - $6,911 per month Application Deadline: 4-Jan-17 Management Assistant, City of Long Beach Salary Range: 53900 annually Application Deadline: 13-Jan-17 Director of Finance/Chief Financial Officer, City of Hayward Salary Range: $167,960 to $204,152 DOQE Application Deadline: 9-Jan-17

Finance Director, Buellton Salary Range: $91,032 - $110,652 Annually Application Deadline: 20-Jan-17 Accountant I/II (Payroll), Mountain View Salary Range: 75,298 Application Deadline: 97,770 Administrative Services Director, City of Watsonville Salary Range: up to $155,562 Application Deadline: Thursday, January 12, 2017 Accountant II, City of Rocklin Salary Range: $62,785 - $80,131 Application Deadline: opened until filled Assistant Director, Finance, Camarillo Salary Range: 114901-154985 Application Deadline: 1/30/2017 ACCOUNTING MANAGER, City of La Quinta Salary Range: $88,316.19 - $110,395.24 Annually Application Deadline: 9-Dec-17 Controller, Nevada Irrigation District Salary Range: $46.20/hour - $56.15/hour Application Deadline: Friday, December 30, 2016 @ 5:00 pm

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