The City of Tacoma Pledge for Excellence: A Commitment to Values-Based Leadership

Ramiro Chavez, Director of Public Works, The City of Tacoma

Ramiro Chavez, Director of Public Works at the City of Tacoma

In the realm of local government organizations, the city of Tacoma stands out for its commitment to fostering a positive, inspiring environment through a unique initiative—the City of Tacoma’s Pledge for Excellence. While many organizations articulate their mission and vision, the city has taken a deliberate step towards institutionalizing its core values with a leadership promise that resonates throughout the city's workforce.

The ‘Our Leadership Promise,’ as encapsulated in the pledge, serves as a guiding light for every individual associated with the city, and it states,‘I am a leader at the City of Tacoma. I embody our core values and guiding principles by speaking, acting, and listening with an outward mindset to create a positive, inspiring environment where everyone feels supported, valued, and heard.’

At the heart of this commitment are the guiding principles that define the city's approach to leadership and service:

Service Mindset: The pledge urges leaders to embrace a mindset of service and make timely, ethical, and compassionate decisions that prioritize the best interests of both the workforce and the community.

Equity Commitment: A resolute commitment to equity is evident in the rejection and removal of behaviors, attitudes, systems, and structures that perpetuate discrimination and oppression in all forms.

"The City of Tacoma has truly set a commendable standard for values-driven leadership in the realm of local government"

Integrity in Action: Acting with integrity is emphasized through leading by example by following through on commitments, being accountable for words and behaviors, and treating everyone with equal respect.

Continuous Pursuit of Excellence: The pledge encourages leaders to support individual and team growth by providing and participating in coaching, training, learning, and development opportunities, ensuring a commitment to excellence.

Safety as a Priority: Prioritizing safety involves creating spaces that support the physical and psychological well-being of employees, as well as the people and communities served by the city.

Morale Enhancement: Building trust is emphasized through consistent encouragement and recognition of employee contributions, empowering them to make informed decisions and thereby enhancing overall morale.

Anti-racist Stance: This pledge urges our leaders to hold themselves accountable to examine biases and privileges, and actively dismantle all forms of racism within the systems we interacted with, which is in alignment with the city's commitment to Resolution No. 40622.

Inspiring Communication: The importance of effective communication is highlighted through the modeling of good communication habits, sharing valuable information in a timely manner, respectfully giving and receiving feedback, and practicing active listening.

These guiding principles have evolved into what the city affectionately refers to as ‘SEIESMAC’ or ‘Seismic’ moments. As the city conducts its daily business to provide services to residents, each internal meeting commences with a SEIESMAC moment. During these moments, management and staff take turns reflecting on these guiding principles, discussing how they apply to their daily activities, and reinforcing their commitment to the shared values of the organization.

The SEIESMAC moments serve as a practical application of the leadership pledge, creating a continuous dialogue that reinforces the importance of these principles in the day-to-day operations of the city. By embedding these values into the fabric of our organizational culture, the city ensures that every member of its workforce is not just aware of the principles but actively applies them in their roles.

In conclusion, the City of Tacoma's pledge to excellence is not just a set of words; it's a living commitment to values-based leadership that shapes the culture and operations of the organization. Through the SEIESMAC moments, the city ensures that its guiding principles remain at the forefront of every decision, fostering an environment where everyone feels supported, valued, and heard. The City of Tacoma has truly set a commendable standard for values-driven leadership in the realm of local government.