Town of Little Elm Cultural Road Map

Cultural Road Map

The Town With a Lake Attitude

WHAT IS CULTURE?

Culture is defined as the social norms, interactions, expectations, and behaviors of a group It is the personality of an organization and is what makes a business unique. It is also the sum of its values, beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes.

WHY DEFINE CULTURE?

Where many organizations don’t make defining culture a priority, a culture still develops. It may just not be the desired culture. For some organizations, that may be completely okay, but not defining culture is often a mistake.

Why? Well, think of going on a road trip without a map; how would anyone know how to get to their destination? Without a defined culture, team members may not feel engaged in the organization, embrace and exemplify its values, or feel as if their work makes a difference A lack of cohesive culture can negatively affect team member performance, satisfaction, productivity, and partnerships, too.

Defining the behaviors, expectations, and beliefs has its advantages; defining the right culture creates a positive work environment, attracts talent, and can positively affect performance. To achieve its vision and goals, an organization must create a culture that encourages team member engagement, investment, and participation

In addition to bringing team members together and encouraging engagement, establishing a solid organizational culture allows an organization the opportunity to define what matters, including its mission and Core Values.

The creation of culture allows for the definition of goals, and strategies to achieve those goals To perform these functions and meet our goals to serve our residents and stakeholders, developing a clearly defined culture is critical to our success.

SELFLESS

UNIQUE

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SERVICE-ORIENTED SERVANT LEADER RECREATIONAL

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FAMILY HOMEY VIBRANT VIBRANT FUN DIVERSE EPIC COMMUNITY COMFORTABLE

MOST EXCELLENT FORWARD THINKING

ENCOURAGING EXCITING SUPPORTIVE WELCOMING CORE VALUES

The Culture of Servant Leadership

Our culture is built on the philosophy of Servant Leadership, the premise of putting the needs of others before the needs of oneself.

Servant Leadership is about identifying and meeting the needs of stakeholders, enhancing our services, and developing Little Elm into a desirable lakeside destination for all people to live and play while enjoying a safe, vibrant, and welcoming community.

To fully function as Servant Leaders, both as individuals and as an organization, the culture we define must keep our Core Values at the forefront of every action we take and decision we make These values are Integrity, Customer Service, Efficiency, and Innovation.

Core Values

WHAT ARE CORE VALUES?

Core Values are a set of fundamental beliefs, ideals, or practices that guide how individuals and organizations should operate

Core Values can be described as the foundation upon which our organization is built They provide a common reference point for all team members to understand what it means to work for us

Core Values should also help team members feel connected with their job and each other They also enable us to build a strong organizational culture

Businesses can also have and maintain Core Values These can help an organization determine how to allocate resources, make important decisions and grow

Keeping our Core Values at the heart of every decision we make and action we take allows us to know that we’ve done right by our stakeholders no matter what

CORE VALUES

Core Values: Integrity

We are honest, loyal, trustworthy, transparent, fair, and open-minded, and have a culture of accountability. We keep our word and admit our mistakes. We stand up for what is right even in the face of a challenge and do what is right, even if no one notices.

WHY IS INTEGRITY IMPORTANT?

Integrity is the foundation of trust and good character It is critical to our success as an organization. As public servants, it is essential to let our residents and stakeholders know that we will provide services, make decisions, and use public resources in a fair, equitable, and honest way.

We must earn the public’s trust and confidence so that we can effectively serve their needs Doing the right thing - even when no one noticeshelps us make decisions, allows us to gain the trust of our stakeholders, and makes us role models

WHAT DOES INTEGRITY LOOK LIKE?

• Never expecting special treatment or favors due to a position with the Town of Little Elm

• Never using public resources for personal gain

• Making sure to follow policies and procedures fairly and consistently to avoid the appearance of favoritism

• Providing services and interactions that treat everyone fairly and equally

• Holding ourselves to extremely high ethical standards

• Conducting ourselves in a way that never gives the appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest.

• Admitting when we make a mistake and making it right

• Refusing to compromise our values even if it means consequences

• Communicating openly and honestly for the sake of transparency

Core Values: Customer Service

We are respectful, positive, attentive, approachable, responsive, and empathetic. We focus on being able to assist internal and external customers, not simply accommodate them. Whether the answer involves going the extra mile or sometimes even delivering bad news, we are courteous, patient, humble, and professional.

WHY IS CUSTOMER SERVICE IMPORTANT?

As public employees, we must remember that we exist to serve the public While we don’t work in a business where we always get to tell everyone yes, we have to treat everyone with kindness, patience, and respect. As Servant Leaders, we must put the needs of the stakeholder first and go out of our way to exceed their expectations Providing excellent customer service helps show our value to our stakeholders, helps to create customer retention, encourages customers to share positive feedback and endorsement for our organization, and also helps to reduce team member turnover

WHAT DOES CUSTOMER SERVICE LOOK LIKE?

• Smiling and saying “Hello” or “Can I help you with anything?” to anyone we encounter

• Saying “My pleasure,” or “You’re welcome,” rather than “No problem” when someone thanks you

• When speaking with someone, we first say “Good morning” or “Good afternoon” to start the conversation off in a positive way, no matter what the topic is

• When using the phone, we smile to brighten our voices so that the person on the other end of the phone can hear it in our tone

• Whether answering the phone or being stopped by a customer, we take the time to answer questions and provide assistance, even when it is not our job or service area.

• Maintaining our composure and being friendly and empathetic when working with a customer who is being disrespectful or rude

Core Values: Efficiency

We recognize that we are entrusted with resources ultimately owned by the community. As stewards of those, we are committed to using the minimum resources required to realize the maximum result. We will find the shortest path on a route or in a process and operate without waste, with proper use of taxpayer dollars, and without compromising quality.

WHY IS EFFICIENCY IMPORTANT?

Working efficiently means working with a focused approach. By focusing on what we are doing and how we are doing it, we can ensure that our work is high-quality and delivered on time, every time. Working efficiently also shows our stakeholders our value and sends the message that we care about what we are doing and how we are doing it

WHAT DOES EFFICIENCY LOOK LIKE?

• Examining ways to streamline a process or task before seeking additional resources

• Finding opportunities to partner with other departments or entities to maximize resources

• “Counting napkins,” realizing that an individual decision may be small, but the cumulative impact may be huge

• Not compromising on quality, but using the least amount of resources to achieve the highest value

• Constantly evaluating processes and procedures to identify steps that can be removed

• Analyzing response times to evaluate growth of services

Core Values: Innovation

We have a willingness to grow, explore new ideas, and challenge the status quo. We are open to change, though we do not seek change unnecessarily. Instead, we allow the freedom to try new things and recognize that we will build a stronger, healthier Town together through creativity and reasonable risk. We are an organization dedicated to learning and continuous improvement.

WHY IS INNOVATION IMPORTANT?

Innovation is a critical piece of what we do. For one, it says we are not afraid to try new things if something is no longer working for our organization or our constituents It also means we are willing to adapt and change with the times and adjust to meet the needs of those we serve If we don’t change to meet these needs, we will stagnate as individuals and as an organization

WHAT DOES INNOVATION LOOK LIKE?

• Challenging the status quo and never accepting the phrase “We’ve always done it this way ”

• Seeking out new learning and growth opportunities that pull us out of our comfort zone

• Promoting calculated risks with the understanding that to achieve exciting and new things, there will be failures along the way

• Looking to innovative and out-ofthe-box sources for ideas that could be brought into the organization

Code of Ethics

BE DEDICATED TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND THE VALUES OF INTEGRITY, CUSTOMER SERVICE, EFFICIENCY, AND INNOVATION. Our organizational culture centers on Servant Leadership, meaning we believe service to others is more important than our individual needs We are a values-driven organization that incorporates the values of Integrity, Customer Service, Efficiency, and Innovation into everything we do

TREAT OTHERS WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.

When interacting with others, we must represent our Core Value of Customer Service. We are respectful, positive, accessible, approachable, responsive, and empathetic. Whether our interaction with another person allows us to go the extra mile or deliver bad news, we are friendly, courteous, patient, humble, and professional.

MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC TRUST.

As public servants, we are very visible, and members of our community are always watching. Our actions reflect the organization, and poor judgment can affect our stakeholders’ perceptions Members of the Town of Little Elm Team should refrain from activities, including those on social media or in our personal lives, which would bring shame upon the Town of Little Elm or diminish the public’s trust in the organization

PROVIDE EQUITABLE SERVICE TO ALL.

We seek to be a distinct and desirable lakeside destination for all people to live and play. Therefore, we must provide equitable and inclusive services to all stakeholders Access to local government services should be the same for all, and our stakeholders must be given the same high level of service from our team members

RESPECT DIFFERENCES AND TREAT OTHERS AS THEY WANT TO BE TREATED.

Our diversity makes us stronger Little Elm’s team members and other stakeholders are people from different demographic groups with different personalities, beliefs, and life experiences. Therefore, we must treat people in a way that respects these differences and provide an environment where all of our stakeholders feel accepted and safe

NEVER USE

YOUR POSITION FOR PERSONAL GAIN.

Outside of the salary and benefits afforded by your employment, members of the Little Elm Team should not use their position for personal gain Using your position for personal gain includes seeking favors, special treatment, access, or accepting gifts (not including those given during normal relationships with coworkers and friends) due to the position held at the Town of Little Elm

AVOID ALL INSTANCES AND APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

Any entity outside of the Town of Little Elm in which a team member or a team member’s family member has a financial interest and/or outside employment must be disclosed. Team members should avoid any conflict of interest, a potential conflict of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of interest.

BE DEDICATED TO PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.

Our Core Value of Innovation speaks to a willingness to grow and explore new ideas It also talks about the organization as being dedicated to learning and continuous improvement. Therefore, we should approach our positions with a growth mindset and realize that we must continue to learn to meet the needs of an everchanging community and industry

FOCUS ON TEAMWORK AND HOW YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE. Although we all work in different departments and have different levels of responsibility in the organization, we are all here to make the Town of Little Elm successful and serve our stakeholders There is an expectation of a teamoriented atmosphere where departmental lines and job descriptions are merely a guide Our Team Members should engage in an environment of cooperation and focus on getting the job done with shared success

RESPECT THE ROLE OF THE POLICY-MAKING BODY AND REFRAIN FROM LOCAL POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT.

One of the foundations of Little Elm’s form of government is the separation between politics and administration We must respect the decisions of the Town Council and do our best to carry them out successfully

BE HONEST, TRANSPARENT AND FORTHRIGHT IN ALL INTERACTIONS.

Little Elm’s Core Value of Integrity states that Team Members should be honest, loyal, trustworthy and transparent. Therefore, there is an expectation of accountability, and the public should be able to believe that the Town of Little Elm is forthright and upfront OPERATE WITH A SPIRIT OF PARTNERSHIP AND BE EASY TO WORK WITH.

We should seek out opportunities to work with others and find ways to be known as individuals who do not put up roadblocks to partnerships or new ideas

BE

RESPECTFUL

OF ALL PUBLIC RESOURCES AND TAX DOLLARS.

We must realize that the public ultimately owns the money and resources used to conduct the Town of Little Elm business. Therefore, we must abide by our Core Value of Efficiency and successfully accomplish the desired task without waste and with the minimum resources possible Public money should never be used on personal items; and with very few exceptions, Town-owned equipment should not be used for personal use

Except exclusively allowed by law, we should avoid any participation in the election of the local governing body and never lend endorsements to candidates for any public office based on our positions with the Town of Little Elm. In addition, team members should not use public resources or give endorsements based on our positions for any question or issue before the voting public

All Team Members should be encouraged to utilize their right to vote and should be able to do so without any pressure or persuasion from any member of the Town of Little Elm Team to vote a certain way

Code of Ethics

Behaviors & Beliefs

Team members play a critical role in establishing an organization’s culture and its success.

At the Town of Little Elm, we expect team members to have a servant’s heart and represent our Core Values. Team members should also have a passion for their job and understand the role they play in making the lives of our residents and stakeholders better Team members of the Town of Little Elm should be willing to work across departmental lines to contribute to the task at hand and treat each other with respect and dignity

As part of our cultural vision, we expect all team members to exhibit the behaviors and beliefs as part of these core competencies:

LISTENING

As Servant Leaders, our calling to serve depends on our ability to listen and perceive the needs of others outside our own When we tune in to one another and share communication – back and forth – we begin our lives as Servant Leaders

EMPATHY

Understanding other people’s intentions and perspectives, putting aside your viewpoint, valuing others’ perspectives, and approaching situations with an open mind

AWARENESS

Ability to look at one’s self, think deeply about how emotions and behavior affect other people, and align with our values.

CONCEPTUALIZATION

Looking beyond day-to-day realities to the bigger picture, seeking a delicate balance between the two

FORESIGHT

Predicting what is likely to happen in the future by learning from past experiences, identifying what is happening now, and understanding the consequences of decisions

Understanding Leadership’s Role

STEWARDSHIP

Taking responsibility for the actions and performance of the team and being accountable for the role team members play in our organization

BUILDING OF COMMUNITY

Believing the organization needs to function as a community and working hard to build community Encouraging people to take responsibility for their work and reminding them that they contribute to the organization’s success and overall objectives

CALLING

Desire to make a difference for others within the organization and pursue opportunities to make a difference and impact the lives of team members, the organization, and the community – never for their own gain

NURTURING THE SPIRIT

Nurtures the individual’s spirit through honest praise and supportive recognition

Beliefs

STRATEGIC THINKING

The ability to develop effective plans in line with the Town’s objectives within a particular situation Strategic thinking helps leaders review policy issues, perform long-term planning, set goals, determine priorities, and identify potential risks and opportunities

DEVELOPING OTHERS

Must be able to develop and coach others and constructively review the work of others to improve and advance the skills, knowledge, and performance levels of those who report to them

MANAGING PERFORMANCE

Leaders play an essential role in both developing – and protecting – an organization’s culture.

In addition to possessing the attributes of a great team member, leaders also have the responsibility of setting the tone and ensuring that the culture of Servant Leadership is being furthered in their areas of responsibility Leaders should be accessible to their team and must provide an exceptional level of communication They should never let their ego get in the way, and they must earn the respect of their peers and their team by their actions, not their title. Leaders must not see themselves as superior members of their team but as facilitators for engagement, examples of the Core Values in action, and be willing to take on any role necessary to ensure success. Additional core competencies that leaders must possess are as follows:

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Change management is a structured approach for ensuring that changes are thoroughly and smoothly implemented and that the lasting benefits of change are achieved. The focus is on the broader impacts of change, particularly on people and how they, as individuals and teams, move from the current situation to the new one The shift in question could range from a simple process change to significant changes in policy or strategy needed if the organization is to achieve its potential

PERSUASION

COMMITMENT TO THE GROWTH OF PEOPLE

Servant Leaders believe that people have an intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions as workers A s such, the Servant Leader is deeply committed to the growth of each and every individual within his or her organization

HEALING

The word healing really means to help make whole The search for wholeness is something shared by the Servant Leader and the followers The Servant Leader is aware that in order for a person to grow professionally and personally, that person must first be whole and not broken

SUPPORTING EACH OTHER CARING FOR EACH OTHER HUMILITY INCLUSIVITY GROWTH MINDED DIVERSITY

RESPECT GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY BUSINESS MINDED

ACCOUNTABILITY FAMILY WORK/LIFE BALANCE FRIENDLY FLEXIBILITY FUN TEAM-ORIENTED

Performance management is a process by which leaders and team members work together to plan, monitor, and review a team member’s work objectives and overall contribution to the organization More than just an annual performance review, performance management is the continuous process of setting objectives, assessing progress, and providing on-going coaching and feedback to ensure that team members are meeting their objectives and career goals

Process aimed at changing a person’s (or a group’s) attitude or behavior toward some event, idea, object, or other person(s), by using written or spoken words to convey information, feelings, or reasoning, or a combination of them

ALIGNMENT WITH TOWN VISION AND VALUES

Linking of organizational goals with the team members’ personal goals Requires common understanding of the purposes and goals of the organization, and consistency between every objective and plan

When hiring for any position, the Town of Little Elm is looking for great matches, but not just those matches that meet the technical ability and competencies of the position. We are looking for individuals that both reflect and complement the components of our culture, too.

To find candidates that match our core and cultural values, we not only define the skills required to be successful for the job, we also place a great emphasis on whether a candidate’s motivation, characteristics, and personality are appropriate for the role

To determine if a candidate meets the standards of our culture, we use behavioral interviewing to identify those individuals with the traits we want to see Behavioral interviewing is an interview method that looks at the past experiences of candidates to determine their behaviors, skills, knowledge, and abilities.

A behavioral interview question asks a candidate to tailor their response by encouraging them to respond with a story about past behavior A typical question used in a behavioral interview will use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Results) model.

For example, a question may look like this: “Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work How did you deal with this situation, and what was the outcome?” The behavioral interview method is preferred because it creates an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate that they are well suited for the job

In a traditional interviewing method, the candidate tells the prospective employer that they are capable of doing the job by talking about themselves, while in the behavioral interview method the candidate will describe in detail how they handled situations

This can help determine how the candidate fits in with our culture and Core Values, as in many instances, past behavior dictates future behavior. In addition, this method makes their resume come to life and proves they have done what they stated they did

The behavioral interview is broken down into three parts: Core Value questions, general questions, and closing questions Core Value questions are critical to our organization as our Core Values are paramount to the way the Town operates and measures its success Every candidate, regardless of position, will be asked Core Value questions

The general questions from the master list are selected by predetermining what abilities and characteristics are most needed for success in this position The master list offers a wide variety of topics, with several behavioral questions listed underneath each one Up to eight questions can be selected from the master list

Finally, there is a set of closing questions that will let the candidate sum things up and ask questions of their own This process creates a complete interview with an even template for all interviewees and makes candidate comparisons easier

Onboarding is how new team members gain the knowledge, skills, and behaviors to become productive and engaged members of our organization. The goals of the onboarding process are to establish a foundation of expectations, familiarize new hires with our culture, equip new hires with the tools to be productive, and improve team member retention.

WHY IS ONBOARDING IMPORTANT?

A quality onboarding program has been shown to improve organizational outcomes and have a positive effect on culture. Here are some of the benefits of an effective onboarding program:

INCREASED TEAM MEMBER RETENTION

Studies have shown that effective and organized onboarding increases team member retention by as much as 60 percent

Increased team member retention has significant benefits for organizations, including culture, morale, and productivity

REDUCED TEAM MEMBER RAMP-UP

Providing an effective onboarding experience helps to lessen the amount of time it takes for team members to adjust to a new work environment, which means they become productive faster, perform better, and work better with their peers

IMPROVED ENGAGEMENT

Providing new team members with quality and effective onboarding increases engagement and enhances the team members’ perception of the workplace and their work It allows them to feel like they are part of the team from their very first day.

Our onboarding must be organized, centralized, comprehensive, strategic, consistent, and wellmanaged to be effective To onboard new team members effectively, the onboarding process must be coordinated between Human Resources and the department in which the team member will be working This process establishes open and clear communication with new team members about timeframes to complete onboarding tasks

Each position has a respective checklist of tasks that must be completed before the team member can begin working for the Town, which includes completion of necessary paperwork, a facilities tour, a review of expectations from supervisors, a review of the Town’s Core Values, explanation of Town culture, and a meeting with the Town Manager

By establishing clear expectations of the team member and giving them an overview of the onboarding process, we can instill our culture and Core Values early on, setting new hires up for success

Growth Mindset

The Town of Little Elm expects a culture of constant coaching to ensure positive team member development.

Leaders are expected to provide ongoing feedback to team members regarding their representation of the principles of Servant Leadership and core competencies related to the Town’s Core Values of Integrity, Customer Service, Efficiency, and Innovation.

The power of effective coaching lies in authentic relationships, and we believe it is the relationships that leaders have with their team members, not the power of their positions, that help move team member development and performance forward It is expected that open communication will be constant and that feedback will be meaningful, detailed, and constructive.

Coaching should occur regularly and up, down, and sideways in the organization All team members should be willing to coach constructively and also accept feedback to grow and improve

Although coaching should occur regularly, there may be times when more formal coaching sessions between team members and their leadership are required These coaching sessions may be more in-depth discussions of performance or review an employee’s progress in their development plan

Team members are expected to be knowledgeable about their essential job functions and areas of core competency regarding the Town’s philosophy of Servant Leadership and our four Core Values

The team member is also expected to seek out learning and development opportunities related to their individual developmental needs and goals

Team Member Experience: Recognition

Our team members are our greatest asset.

When we make authentic and meaningful recognition a regular part of our culture, we show our team members that their work is significant and that it contributes to the success of our town We also believe that recognition is critical in sustaining our culture because when we show our team members that they are valued and appreciated, they, in turn, provide exceptional customer service for our residents, business owners, and visitors.

Leaders are encouraged to recognize team members often and visibly It not only reinforces our culture, but also creates a sense of belonging. This feeling of belonging is then the driving force in a team member’s workplace commitment, motivation, and engagement. Engaged team members have more pride in our organization and find more fulfillment in what they do, leading to higher retention and a fun work environment

It is simply not enough to define a workplace culture; culture must continually be measured, managed, and protected to benefit the organization and its team members Culture is what keeps team members engaged, productive, invested, and performing at their highest ability. As a result, organizations should look for ways to continuously improve and check their progress against the culture they’ve defined and be willing to adjust to achieve their goals

Some examples of how we recognize our employees include:

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

ANNUAL AWARDS

KUDOS CARDS

COUNCIL RECOGNITION

Communication in the workplace significantly impacts our team members’ experience, motivation, engagement, and success.

We believe that organizations with open, honest, and transparent communication enjoy the benefits of happy and satisfied team members and a positive workplace culture.

Communication is how an organization engages with its team members, shares information, facilitates conversations, and encourages team members to share their experiences and contribute to the organization

Communication culture also defines how employees communicate with each other and how communication is given from leadership down through various levels

COMMUNICATION DRIVES POSITIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE

The role of communication culture in the workplace has a significant impact on success and productivity. It has been proven that organizations with positive and defined communication cultures have a significant competitive advantage, are more efficient, and enjoy greater team member buy-in

Informed employees feel as if they’re valued and valuable to the organization. As a result, we continually look for ways to communicate and improve communication to our team members

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Team Member Experience: Engagement

We recognize that defining and building a culture is critical to an organization’s success. We also know that building culture cannot be done in a vacuum; an organization needs team member engagement for that culture to survive.

Engagement is a way to create the right conditions in the workplace that facilitates all members of the organization to give their very best every day

Engagement also allows the organization to show measurable performance improvement, attract and retain talent, and provide higher quality services both to external stakeholders and to our internal ones, too. Engagement helps team members stay committed to the organization’s vision and values, and stay motivated to contribute to the success of the organization

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Engagement also benefits the team member by allowing them an enhanced sense of well-being and pride in their contributions and often improves team member health Team member engagement is based on trust, integrity, and two-way communication between the organization and the team Engagement can range from poor to great and is something that must be continually nurtured through the two-way approach to see the most significant payoff - both personally and for the organization as a whole If two-way efforts are decreased; engagement can decline and become damaging to the organization

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Health and wellness in the workplace can improve team members’ health behaviors, and lower health risks can reduce the incidence of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.

The Town of Little Elm Wellness Program supports wellness in the workplace and promotes a healthy lifestyle through health literacy, awareness, nutrition, and activity.

For employees and their families, the Wellness Program seeks to build an encouraging and interactive environment focused on physical, mental, and social well-being.

An interdepartmental group of Town team members serves as the Wellness Committee Members of the Wellness Committee serve indefinite terms and are active hosts and participants of Wellness Program events, seminars, and activities.

Who We Are

Our organizational culture centers on Servant Leadership, and we believe that service to others is more important than our individual needs.

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We are a values-driven organization that incorporates Integrity, Customer Service, Efficiency, and Innovation in everything we do. We promote a fun, optimistic, and fulfilling work environment that contains energy where team members are excited to come to work and serve the community

We also believe the high service levels we provide reflect the team members who work for the organization. Therefore, we empower our team members and are committed to an environment where team members at all levels can use their judgment to fulfill the service needs of the community.

We are honest, loyal, trustworthy, transparent, fair, open-minded, and have a culture of accountability. We keep our word and admit our mistakes We stand up for what is right, even in the face of a challenge and do what is right, even if no one notices.

We expect a team-oriented atmosphere where departmental lines and job descriptions are merely a guide Our team members engage in an environment of cooperation and focus on getting the job done

Wellness

We believe that success is shared and that praise is important. Our team members should be motivated, competent individuals held to high standards and put tremendous effort into achieving success

We place a great amount of importance on the interaction with our customers. We are respectful, positive, accessible, approachable, responsive, and empathetic We openly communicate and give our full attention We focus on being able to assist internal and external customers, not simply accommodate them. Whether the answer involves going the extra mile or sometimes even delivering bad news, we are friendly, courteous, patient, humble, and professional.

We recognize that we are entrusted with resources ultimately owned by the community As stewards of those, we are committed to using the minimum resources required to realize the maximum result We will find the shortest path on a route or in a process and operate without waste, improper use of taxpayer dollars, and without compromising quality. We believe in a streamlined process that eliminates red tape wherever possible

We promote reasonable risk-taking in the name of innovation. We have a willingness to grow, to explore new ideas, to challenge the status quo, to seek opportunities to improve and streamline efforts constantly. We are open to change, though we do not seek change unnecessarily

We allow the freedom to try new things and recognize that we will build a stronger, healthier Town together through creativity, teamwork, discipline, and hard work. We are a learning organization, always developing our team members and committing ourselves to excellence Finally, we will be an organization that sets an example to others for how a municipal service organization should operate. We have a standard of excellence, and we focus on the character of our team members We realize that it is an honor and a privilege to serve the public and we are proud to represent the Town of Little Elm

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