BALANCING ACT

There is an inclusive way for leaders to balance actions to address shortterm reality with long-term goals. Effective leadership at the interface with underserved populations is demonstrated through an awareness that in working with them

Capacity can be built starting at any point on the continuum of capability.

The best place to start is at a point the people identify.

A starting point identified by the people is more likely to lead to a sustainable outcome.

The following story shows these concepts in action:

The tribal council of a Yupik village was concerned about the manner in which the city government operated public services, including the honey-bucket waste-haul system. Raw sewage spilled onto the boardwalks throughout the village when overfilled waste-haul tubs were transported by all-terrain vehicles and trailers to the dump site. The tribal council proposed an immediate solution to address the problem—buying a closed vacuum pumper unit that would reduce spillage—and approached the federal water and sewer service providers with its idea. But the council found that the service providers were constrained by funding allocations and policies for capital construction of piped water and sewer systems that prevented the service providers from financing a village-identified interim solution.

In time the tribal council sought and successfully secured funds from an organization that was not involved with water and sanitation projects and that deferred to the tribe for a solution to address the immediate need. The tribal council's experience in putting its idea into action acted as a catalyst for the eventual transfer of local authority for water and sanitation services from the city government to the tribal council, leading to improvements in service and human health protection.

No doubt there are parallels throughout business and government where the practice of deference by leaders has had positive results.