How to change public opinion: Raise the problem. Step aside for the debate. Step in with a solution.
http://otiswhite.com/what-would-fdr-do/ #civicleadWhat Would FDR Do?
If you want to get things done in communities, it's critical to have public opinion on your side. But if public opinion is against you at the outset, is there a way to change it? Let's ask the master.
The most enduring civic institution outside city gov’t is … the chamber of commerce. A history.
http://otiswhite.com/the-magicians-of-main-street/ #civicleadThe Magicians of Main Street
A new book offers the remarkable history of America's most enduring local volunteer institution, the chamber of commerce.
What are crises? And what can you do to prepare for them … before they happen?
http://otiswhite.com/how-to-manage-a-crisis-before-it-happens/ #civicleadHow to Manage a Crisis Before It Happens
If you're involved in civic leadership for a while, it's likely you'll have to handle a full-blown crisis or two. Here's how to think about crises and what you can do to manage them . . . before they're upon you.
How do you know if you’ve made a good decision? A mayor shares with us her four-part test.
http://otiswhite.com/a-mayors-test-for-good-decisions/ #civicleadA Mayor’s Test for Good Decisions
Is there a checklist you could apply to a major decision the night before making it so you could sleep better? There is, and if you follow this simple but demanding checklist, you'll steer clear of making most bad decisions. The best part: I learned it from a mayor.
A flawed book about cities tells us a lot more about political scientists than it does about cities.
http://otiswhite.com/how-to-read-a-flawed-book-about-cities/ #civicleadHow to Read a Flawed Book About Cities
A professor left an Ivy League university to work in city government. What he learned in city hall was important, but what he missed was even more important.
Great leaders see the way forward … and sometimes that rises to the level of “genius."
http://otiswhite.com/leadership-as-a-kind-of-genius/ #civiclead #greatprojectsLeadership as a “Kind of Genius”
Seeing the opportunity for change is the genius of leadership and often involves finding paths that are hidden to everyone else. Herding people through those passages is the practice of leadership. Here's how to be better at the genius parts of leadership.
Progress comes to cities through civic projects. Why, then, do we know so little about these things?
http://otiswhite.com/units-of-civic-progress/ #civiclead #greatprojectsUnits of Civic Progress
Civic projects are how we accomplish big intentional changes in cities. Why, then, do we know so little about them?
Criticism isn’t a flaw in local politics. It’s a feature. That’s why it’s important how we react to it.
http://otiswhite.com/the-temperament-of-great-leaders/ #civicleadThe Temperament of Great Leaders
Criticism and occasional nastiness aren't flaws in our politics; they're features. So how do you handle the insults that come with public life? Techniques can help. But great leaders draw on something deeper, which is temperament.
A beginner’s guide to facilitation: Some tips on helping civic groups make good decisions.
http://otiswhite.com/a-beginners-guide-to-facilitation/ #civicleadArticulating the “why": It’s critical to building an army of supporters for civic projects.
http://otiswhite.com/how-to-build-an-army-of-supporters/ #civiclead #greatprojectsHow to Build an Army of Supporters
Want to make a major change in your city? Better bring an army and be prepared to answer this question: Why do we need this change?
Otis White