Ownership is a powerful, positive force in the sphere of leadership. Indeed, feelings of ownership are the fuel that generates the kind of commitment you can count on over the long run – to decisions, strategies, and key policy documents like your public transportation authority’s annual budget and long-range financial plan. Board-savvy public transportation CEOs well know that a critical part of their job is making sure that their board members and the representatives of important stakeholder organizations such as the chamber of commerce and county commission are transformed into owners, rather than just being an audience for decisions already made and for documents already finished. And they’re keenly aware that the most reliable way to foster ownership is through meaningful involvement in shaping decisions and policy documents.
In this really informative podcast, Neil McFarlane, General Manager of TriMet (serving the Portland, Oregon metro area) and a member of our CEO Advisory Committee, and Craig Prosser, Chair of the TriMet Board’s Finance & Audit Committee, describe how the TriMet Board and key stakeholders were involved in updating the TriMet Strategic Financial Plan.
