HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-20-1983MINUTES 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
Longfellow's next area of discussion included the sources of stress, i.e.,
physical condition, life changes, tastes of life, feeling of powerlessness,
discrepancy stressors, and "type A" behavior. He explained that stress
and change were closely linked and expressed the opinion that the rapid
rate of social change in this century had resulted in the anti-social
behavior seen today. He also stated that the public sector had done much
to hold the social fabric together, and that it was in the best long-term
interests of the private sector to assist in this process.
Councilmembers discussed these concepts and then recessed at 3:03 p.m.
Following a short break, the Council reconvened at 3:12 p.m., with the
same members present, except for Mayor Luxembourger, who left the meeting
at this time.
Longfellow's final areas of discussion were values and needs of immigrants
in the work force, and three major types of organizations -- coercive,
remunerative, and humanistic. He described how generations of workers
were raised under one set of precepts, which they then attempted to impose
upon following generations who were raised according to a different set
of values, resulting in differences in their thought processes. Longfellow
further stated that, as a result of social change, today's leaders were
faced with managing more diversity than earlier leaders.
Councilmembers discussed the possible application of these concepts in
Santa Ana, indicating their recognition of the challenge to government
leaders to assume the responsibility for understanding and managing
diversity.
At 4:30 p.m., the meeting was adjourned to 12:00 Noon on June 6, 1983,
in Room 831, City Hall, 20 Civic Center Plaza.
/~l~hice C. Guy /-
r/Clerk of the Council
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 164 MAY 20, 1983