05-20-1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA May 20, 1983 The meeting was informally convened at 9:49 a.m., in the Educational Center of the Bowers Museum, 2002 N. Main Street. Councilmembers present were John Acosta, Daniel E. Griset, P. Lee Johnson, and Dan Young. Also present were City Manager A. J. Wilson, City Attorney Edward J. Cooper, and Clerk of the Council Janice C. Guy. Mayor R. W. Luxembourger and Councilmember Gordon Bricken arrived at 10:00 a.m. and 10:48 a.m., re- spectively. Councilmember Patricia A. McGuigan was absent. The City Manager introduced Layne Longfellow, psychologist and professional facilitator, who was to present a seminar on leadership, power, and conflict to those present. Participants in the seminar gave self introductions, explaining briefly their backgrounds and involvement on the Council and in the community. Using various media, Longfellow began with a discussion on the current leadership crisis in the United States. He stated that those exercising authority must do so with integrity, explaining that in the public sector, those in power who acted most responsibly were persons possessing a sense of internal adequacy. He presented the sources of power, noting its bases in position, knowledge, behavior and trust or any combination of the four. Longfellow added that a formal organizational structure was based on position only and an informal one, on the other three. Longfellow mentioned that in a healthy organization, the formal and informal sources of power closely aligned, but where a significant gap existed between the two, the organization suffered considerable stress. Councilmembers discussed the concept and then recessed at 11:15 a.m. The Council reconvened at 11:22 a.m., with the exception of Councilmember Griset, who rejoined the meeting at 11:29 a.m. Councilmembers continued their discussion of power, defined as the ability to achieve an outcome, touching on such issues as negative power, changes in society which had impacted government leadership, individual freedom versus social responsibility, and related themes. Longfellow moved on to discuss conflict management describing five different techniques for its resolution. He explained conflict was inevitable, and only when conflict was expressed and the divergent options integrated, could progress be achieved. He expressed the opinion that leaders: 1) must be directly involved; 2) must identify, articulate and meet organizational needs; 3) encourage diversity; and 4) relinquish power when necessary for the achievement of organizational goals. Longfellow further explained that conflict is a sign of caring, and that those involved in conflict are behaving rationally from their personal point of view. The Council recessed to lunch on the patio of the Bowers Museum at 12:35 p.m., and reconvened at 1:30 p.m., in the Educational Center, with the same members present, except Councilmember Acosta, who left the meeting at that time. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 163 MAY 20, 1983