I was extremely pleased when APTA’s CEO Michael Melaniphy, who is a member of this blog’s CEO Advisory Committee, offered to spend around 30 minutes recording his thoughts for this fascinating podcast on the leadership challenges facing public transportation CEOs. Of course, Michael is keenly aware that meeting these challenges – whether they relate to technological advances, new legislation, a community’s evolving needs, an altered political landscape, or other factors in this rapidly changing world – will more often than not require that the CEO to work in close partnership with her transportation board. Engaging the board in a productive fashion in addressing one or more of these leadership challenges can be a challenge in itself, often requiring the CEO to put on his “process designer-in-chief” hat in mapping out practical ways to involve the board. As our readers have no doubt learned, creatively and productively engaging board members is far easier talked about than achieved.
