The keys to running a successful local government organisation are giving staff accountability and empowerment, City of Melville CEO Dr Shayne Silcox says.
The proof of Silcox's belief is in the pudding – City of Melville was scored the prestigious Australian Organisational Excellence Award Gold Award.
Seven years ago Silcox was tasked with restructuring the local council's operations.
The organisation, based in the south of Perth, needed clearer leadership lines, stronger knowledge of their products and services, and staff who were more confident in their own decision making.
Managed by the Australian Organisational Excellence Foundation (AOEF), the City of Melville is only the third Western Australian organisation to win the award – and the state's first local government to do so.
Silcox says work towards the prestigious award began in 2008 when the council began implementing the AOEF's internationally recognised organisational framework.
“As the new CEO coming in, you have to do a bit of an audit of the organisation – where it's at, what are its strengths, what its opportunities are, and what the current culture is,” he says.
He found that many of the people in the organisation didn't have an in depth knowledge of their products and service lines.
“It was about sitting down and doing some process mapping with all the staff so they understood their requirements, especially if something crossed between divisions,” Silcox says.
“You need to build an accountability structure through the organisation.
“If you have two people are managing something, you instantly have problems. So you need one accountable person for what's going on.”
From that accountability, staff began to grow in confidence. And with that confidence, tasks were completed quicker.
“You have to empower and trust your staff to do the right thing,” Silcox says
“Arrogance is something you don't want, but a confident team wins.
“It's also very hard to get recognition in the local government. So this award gives my staff recognition.”
It's not the first time the City of Melville applied for the award. They did so in 2012, but the rigorous testing process saw them fall just short of the top gong.
AOEF CEO Ravi Fernando applauded the City of Melville's leadership structure and the way they had addressed issues that saw them win silver, rather than gold, three years ago.
“They have clear leadership and objectives in terms of where they want to go,” Fernando says.
“And they're really making sure the leader drives that at all levels of the organisation.”