21st century skills lacking in many local officials

Whether standing behind the center console on a Boston Whaler or commanding a 1,000-foot Panamax container ship, the view from the bridge reveals the true nature of the waters ahead — sometimes a dead flat calm, other times a treacherous maelstrom. Navigating these conditions relies heavily on competency. But from where does that “competency” originate?

We can contrast command roles: individual judgment or team reliance. A Boston Whaler skipper often depends solely on personal judgment to make crucial decisions in unpredictable waters. In contrast, a specialized crew supports the captain of a Panamax container ship. This crew includes licensed mates and their teams, who manage all deck-related operations, marine engineers who ensure the ship’s propulsion and systems operate smoothly, electronics officers responsible for IT functions, and a steward’s department that takes care of meals and accommodations for everyone on board.

Government, in many ways, mirrors the structure of a ship’s crew. At the federal level, elected officials rely extensively on the expertise and competence of their staff. Two senators represent each state, and the multiple congressional districts result in 435 seats for members of Congress. From firsthand observation and through the experiences of colleagues who have worked for elected officials in Washington, D.C., a senator’s office can employ a staff of 30, with additional personnel in offices throughout the home state. Congress members might have a staff of 18 and maintain a couple of district offices with smaller teams.

These elected roles function much like vessel operations or small businesses. The staff includes specialists in legislation, communication, and constituent services, with even more refined expertise within each category. Despite these differences, the mission remains straightforward: represent constituents’ interests and advance the official’s political and policy objectives.

While federal and state officials often benefit from robust staffing, local elected officials rarely have access to such resources. There are fewer resources, yet greater demands. This scarcity requires local representatives to possess strong skills in data acquisition, management, interpretation, and analysis — on top of all the other responsibilities essential for effective representation.

Lists of desired talents for local officials are common. However, they seldom mention practical technical skills such as word processing, spreadsheet modeling, audio-visual presentation capabilities, or familiarity with Parliamentary Procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order. The absence of these foundational skills can hinder and embarrass even the most accomplished professionals, whether former CEOs or Wall Street experts.

In larger organizations, the lack of certain skills can often be mitigated by the support of expert staff. Local government, however, does not enjoy this luxury; elected officials merely discussing issues does not provide solutions. Paying only lip service to a concept, coupled with an inability to cogently model ideas, leaves an elected official appearing embarrassingly ignorant. And it deprives constituents with support for why the official was elected in the first place. Analytical and presentation skills, among others, are mandatory.

In the early 1980s, as an engineer at an electric utility, I witnessed firsthand the importance of adapting to technological advancements. When the IBM personal computer was introduced, my employer anticipated its impact and ensured every engineer received one. Rather than using these computers in the office, we were instructed to take them home, set them up ourselves (using a boxload of manuals), and learn to use them, because they truly were the future.

I have had a presence on Shelter Island that spans almost five decades and an East End family presence since 1953. Over those years many Shelter Island Town supervisors have come and gone. We have had retired U.S. Navy officers; a couple of CPAs with broad experience in big firms along with their high-powered university MBAs; Wall Street lawyers/national company CEOs; college educated local business owners; and others. They either came in with the skills necessary for the job, or they quickly honed those skills. One, just a few days on the job, came out of his office and asked who did a particular function. He was promptly told, “Why you do, Mr. Supervisor. That job has always gone with your office.”

The good fortune to be a twice-elected property assessor was given to me by Shelter Island citizens years ago. When I was first asked to run, those supporting me said my experience as a licensed professional engineer coupled with my work on commercial real estate projects was a good foundation for the job. Nonetheless, once elected, New York State required me to take a bevy of courses and successfully pass numerous State written exams to gain certification as a property assessor … and do it all within a tightly defined timeframe.

While such is not the case for local elected officials in governing roles, certain minimum skills are abundantly needed for the job these days. Why would those placed in such positions not strive to develop the skills needed to represent those that elected them?