Anthony Hooper
Anthony Hooper is a first-generation college graduate with a BA from Willamette University and a MPA from USC. After deferring law school to join Teach for America, he realized that public service was the only choice for him. He is the Support Services Supervisor for Lake Oswego, Ore.
What, in your opinion, makes a good leader? ? I strongly believe in ?Theory Y? management and leadership as outlined by Douglas McGregor in The Human Side of Enterprise (1960). The best leaders get out of the way of talented employees. They believe that employees are intrinsically motivated and that they want to do top-quality work. Great leaders create environments that allow employees to maximize their pursuit of purpose, mastery and autonomy. The exceptional leaders are typically honest, logical, passionate, inclusive, inspiring, humorous and confident. In sum, great leaders seek input, have vision, hire employees for talent and fit, encourage employee development, and communicate openly.
What trends/issues/challenges do you feel particularly apply to young leaders of today and why? ? A trend that my Millennial peers talk about often is that Deputy City Manager and Assistant City Manager positions are being eliminated in communities throughout the nation as a result of budget cuts. The consequence of this is that young leaders are not receiving the same chances to develop as previous generations. There is more pressure for young leaders to jump to a City Manager position that they are not ready for or stay in a position in which they are not developing the skills needed to succeed at the top level.