A DAO in the Life September 2021

by Donald T. Robertson, Assistant County Administrator, Isle of Wight County

"May you live in interesting times" is generally thought to be an English expression or translation of a traditional Chinese curse.  To suggest that we are currently living in interesting times is a huge understatement, but quite honestly, it’s interesting times that create the need for professional local government managers and administrators. 

In no way am I suggesting that we are living under a curse, but I do think the last few years have been particularly challenging for local government professionals. 

For the past couple of years, we all have had to handle the tasks of managing the budgets, staffing, and service needs of our respective communities in the context of extreme political polarization, social unrest, and a coronavirus pandemic.  One could reasonably argue that those are the types of things we signed up for when we pursued careers in local government, but the last few years have been “extra” (to borrow a term my children would use).

I have been involved in the world of local government for over 30 years and I must admit that lately, things feel a little different in the world of public discourse.  I appreciate passion.  I understand passion.  What I don’t understand is the lack of respect and civility being demonstrated under the pretext of passionately protecting one’s rights.

So, in my attempt to cope with the current level of public discourse (interesting times) there are a couple of things I would like to suggest that might help us to navigate the chaos.

The first thing is to appreciate people who are willing to challenge and oppose us or our point of view.  I’ll admit that this is not always easy, particularly when people express themselves in less than respectful ways.  It’s so easy to dismiss people who don’t agree with our point of view, but I encourage you to resist that temptation.   

People are much more complex than their perspective on any one issue.  It’s also possible for people to arrive at very different conclusions about the same issue simply based on the information they are willing to accept and their commitment to a predetermined outcome.

The fact that they challenge or oppose us may or may not be personal.  It could be that they are genuinely passionate about an issue, or in some cases terribly misinformed about an issue, or in extremely rare cases totally correct about an issue.  Imagine that!

The second thing is to appreciate people who are willing to encourage and support us.  It’s easy to appreciate those people who support us unconditionally – our spouse, parents, children, and perhaps a few close friends; but don’t take unconditional support for granted, it’s a gift we don’t always deserve.

That said, what about those people who offer their encouragement and support conditionally?  They are the people who only encourage and support us when there is something in it for them – a permit, financial gain, personal affirmation, etc. 

Conditional support from others can be informative.  We should seek to understand their motivation for supporting us and what that says about them, but we also need to understand what their support says about us.  It may reinforce what we believe about ourselves or sometimes it may reveal some areas for growth.

Similarly, understanding why conditional support is withdrawn can be equally helpful.  Sometimes we need for the people who encourage and support us to also challenge and oppose our points of view.  It presents a great opportunity for us to grow and learn if we are open to doing so.

Everyone who disagrees with us is not the enemy and everyone who agrees with us is not an ally.  Having actual conversations with people and discussing (not arguing) issues in a respectful manner can only lead to better outcomes for our communities.  I have seen it happen enough times in my community that I am convinced it works.

Hopefully, public discourse in all of our communities will improve sooner rather than later, but until then, I guess it’s back to managing budgets, staffing, and serving the public’s needs – even in interesting times.