Partnership/Collaboration Watchwords for 2016 LGLA Conference

Courtesy of the Union of BC Municipalities:

Local government in BC is founded on respect for democratic principles, partnership and collaboration. To bring these principles into the spotlight and build on the conference theme of Respectful Leadership, the long-standing partnership between elected officials and professional staff in BC has developed workshops for the 2016 LGLA Leadership Forum.

This partnership has deep roots in British Columbia. The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) and the Municipal Officers Association (MOA), now the Local Government Management Association of BC (LGMA), were founded in the early 1900s and held joint conferences from 1919 to 1939. During that time the UBCM and the LGMA worked together as partners to shape the strong and resilient local government system we enjoy in BC today.

Fast forward to today, the Local Government Leadership Academy (LGLA) and the LGMA join forces to deliver leadership workshops focused on relationship building and managing conflict at the 2016 LGLA Leadership Forum. 

The LGLA’s key strength is promoting leadership development for BC’s local government and First Nations elected officials, while the LGMA promotes leadership excellence for professionals in local governments throughout BC. LGMA members include municipal and regional district managers, administrators, clerks, treasurers, and other senior managers responsible for the daily operations of BC’s communities. The LGMA is a trusted conduit to close to a thousand local government professionals. LGMA policies and programs uphold best practices, professional standards, and a code of ethics, to ensure that the residents of even the smallest communities in British Columbia have access to the highest calibre of local government managers.

The 2016 LGLA Leadership sessions presented by the LGLA-LGMA partnership include a Thursday morning workshop led by Christina Benty, Gorth Horth, Linda Adams and Allison Habkirk who have over 100 years of collective experience in local government and represent both the elected and professional sectors. The morning session will focus on building the kind of constructive relationships with other elected officials and staff members that will make you more successful in your role as an elected official and help you accomplish your goals while in office. 

The Thursday afternoon session, led by Gerrie Waugh, R. Psych. and Michael Shoop, PhD, will focus on managing conflict. Michael and Gerrie will use scenarios to practice skills and tools you can apply to manage and resolve conflict situations while you are in office. Both sessions will be hands on, participative and engaging.

In the spirit of partnership and collaboration the 2016 Leadership Forum aims to demonstrate that by working together as elected officials and professional staff, we can build strong and resilient communities in BC – the very essence of respectful leadership.

The 2016 LGLA Leadership Forum is nearly full. Register now to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to work with six outstanding professionals with decades of experience in both the elected and professional sectors.

Please contact Errin Morrison, LGLA Program Manager, with any questions.