Are there times when you lose focus and get discouraged by "political games" being played by elected officials? Do you sometimes wonder whether it is possible to share with your Board or Council direct, honest and unpleasant observations, without such a step becoming a "career-limiting move"? If you are a senior staff officer (CEO, Municipal Clerk, Secretary-Treasurer, Executive Director), accountable to a publicly elected and somewhat dysfunctional Board or Council, you may find the affirmations below useful. You could even recite some or all of them to yourself every day before going to work.

"I am a professional and I am proud of the quality of my work and the difference that I make. My role is to create the conditions that enable my elected officials to make collective decisions that are smart, principled, objective, knowledge-based, and strategically driven. My job is to lead my staff team in building respectful and mutually supportive relationships with elected officials.

I fully accept that elected officials have the option to heed or ignore advice from me, my staff or outside consultants. However, the community's interests demand that professional advice (paid for by tax dollars) be fully heard and understood, so that decisions can be made from a position of knowledge and long-term thinking, and not be dictated by the passions of the moment.

Neither I nor my staff members deserve unfair and unsubstantiated criticism behind our backs or in front of the public, when we cannot properly defend ourselves and set the record straight. However, if such criticisms occur, I will remember the phrase: `Never attribute to malice what can be attributed to a misunderstanding, a lack of knowledge, or a systemic problem'. With this in mind, I will find out how communication channels broke down, and I will do what needs to be done to repair them.

I pledge to welcome feedback and listen to it non-defensively and with an open mind, so it is easy for others to give it. I will greet a complaint with the enthusiasm that I greet a compliment. I also pledge to offer feedback that will help others perform better and serve the community more effectively, even if such feedback is critical or unpleasant. I will give feedback in a sensitive, supportive and constructive manner, so it is easy for others to receive it and act on it.

Although my immediate master is my elected Board (or Council), my ultimate master is the community. I will NOT do things solely with the objective of becoming popular, nor will I avoid doing things solely for fear of becoming unpopular. My overriding goal is to excel, do my job professionally, and deliver the finest service to my community."