Develop This: Economic and Community Development

Economic and community development is a team sport, and the team can make or break an organization.

How do you get everyone on the same page?  The team retreat.

In this episode, Jason continues in this series discussing the value of inviting others to the team retreat.  There is incredible power in having everyone on the team listen to a small business owner share their story.

What is it like to agonize over payroll?  Where do they get inspiration?  How did it feel when the last economic development deal brought a competitor to town?

At your next team retreat, invite a small business owner to come share their story.  It will most definitely be worth it.

Sometimes you have to work with people that have differing opinions.  You may even be called upon to lead a team of disparate individuals.

There is both an art and a science to recruiting rivals.

In this episode, Dennis offers suggestions for building and leading a team of rivals including:

-Check your ego at the door -Open and honest communication -Everyone must be part of the process

Economic and community development is a team sport, and the team can make or break an organization.

How do you get everyone on the same page?  The team retreat.

In this episode, Dennis and Jason continue in this series discussing the value of others leading a portion of the team retreat.  Being 'on' all day can be exhausting.  Turning a portion of the retreat over to another member of the team can provide you with a mental break and allow you to reflect on the day's discussion.

It will likely happen to your community at some point.  A major employer will announce their intention to close the local operation.  TV reporters want you on camera.

What do you do?

In this episode, Dennis and Jason offer tips for managing the immediate crisis and planning for such an event.

We all have been there.  It is decision time.  Kill a program or give it new life?

In this episode, Dennis and Jason offer suggestions for giving a program new life.  You will also gain insight into the five main reasons why initiatives run out of steam:

• Poor leadership
• Not clearly articulating goals, expectations, and roles
• Ineffective communication
• Lack of focus
• Poorly run meetings that don’t value peoples time

Economic and community development is a team sport, and the team can make or break an organization.

How do you get everyone on the same page?  The team retreat.

In this episode, Dennis and Jason continue in this series discussing the value of effective discussion.  In order for this day to be successful, everyone needs to contribute.  As the leader of the group, how do you encourage discussion, explore new concepts, and yet avoid the rabbit trails?

Tune in for tips and tricks on leading effective discussion.

With all of the demands of the job, it is more important than ever to be efficient with your time.

How should you identify and resolve time sucks?

In this episode, Dennis and Jason discuss strategies to pack more efficiencies into your day.

Economic and community development is a team sport, and the team can make or break an organization.

How do you get everyone on the same page?  The team retreat.

In this episode, Dennis and Jason continue in this series discussing the value of the plan.  As a group, you have identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.  You have done some self assessment and evaluated progress on past initiatives.

You know what needs to be done.  So in this part of the day, you ask 'What should WE do about it?'

We all know delegation is important, but that doesn't mean we do it well.

It does not mean abandonment nor micromanagement.

It does mean clarifying expectations, providing accountability and follow-up, and providing a bit of inspiration.

In this episode, Dennis and Jason wax poetically about both the art and science of delegation.

In this business of economic development, balancing politics and priorities can be tough.  How should you get through it?

Mary Gage says 'Just Do Your Job!'

In this episode, recorded on site at the Mid America EDC Conference in downtown Chicago, Jason interviews Mary Gage, Vice President for Business and Community Development at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.  In addition to balancing priorities, they talk about the value of process in navigating an economic development deal.

Special thanks to the Mid America EDC group for partnering with this podcast to record on-site at the annual Competitiveness Conference.

Connect with Mary Gage

Mid America EDC