What traits and skill sets are important to becoming a great public transportation leader? METRO Magazine, where I serve as executive editor, surveyed more than 200 transit executives to find out. Being a skilled communicator and listener were the most commonly cited attribute, while having a good sense of humor and being able to laugh was only mentioned by two respondents, but are just as crucial. Here, in no particular order, are their responses.
[Editor: This article was originally published in the September/October 2012 issue of METRO Magazine. We are thrilled to have Janna as a new contributor to Mobility Lab.]
1. Possess a thick skin.
- To be a great transit manager, you need to be able to handle criticism well from all angles, be it your customers, the press or from within your organization.
2. People person.
- Great transit managers must enjoy working with people.
- Have the ability to relate to customers, legislators, government officials, community stakeholders, staff members and employees in all departments.
3. Persistent.
- Whether it’s the long lead times for projects to come to fruition, or the pursuit of a transit tax referendum, transit managers must be able to survive during challenging times.
4. High level of integrity/ethics.
- Transit managers must be honest and display a high level of integrity as they represent the transit system and serve the public.
- Managers must also be able to admit mistakes and move on to correct problems.
5. Organizational skills.
- Have good project management skills and pay attention to details.
6. Community involvement.
- It’s crucial to be involved in community programs and projects to get to know your customer base.
7. Skilled communicator.
- Must be able to effectively communicate with both policymakers and all levels of employees.
- This includes listening, understanding and responding clearly, concisely and with substance.
- Having the ability to effectively interact and communicate is essential.
8. Good listener.
- When you hear complaints from your customer base, you have to empathize with them and solve their problems.
- Be receptive to good ideas from those working for the organization.
- Listen to those willing to offer constructive thoughts.
- Listen more than you speak.
- Being passionate about the value of public transportation and for public service.
- A great transit manager should be one who loves what he/she does and understands the importance of transit to the general public. It’s more than a job; it’s a calling.
10. Patience.
- Patience is a much-needed asset, especially when dealing with the bureaucracy that has to be navigated for the public transportation industry.
11. Being flexible.
- Have the ability to wisely make compromises.
- Have the flexibility to respond to market changes for the good of your customers and your agency.
12. Be fair and respectful.
- Whether it is with your employees, superiors, peers or the public.
13. Knowledge of regulations.
- It’s crucial to stay current on rules and regulations.
14. Hire good people.
- Ability to hire excellent people for each of the functional areas and mold them into a team that has the same vision/goals for the organization that you do.
15. Selflessness.
- A manager in public service should place their service, passengers’, and employees’ needs beyond their own and act as an agent toward helping others succeed.
- Have a desire to serve others.
16. Business acumen.
- Know how to work with numbers, balancing budgets.
17. Analytical skills.
- Be able to drill down to the essentials of issues in all areas.
18. Technology oriented.
- Whether its exceptional computer and data skills, navigating the Internet or networking via social media, transit managers are called upon to use new and up-and-coming tech platforms to do their jobs more effectively.
- Be up on new technologies and products for operations.
19. Innovative.
- Develop new ideas for the transit system.
- Great transit managers do not rest on their laurels.
20. Politically savvy.
- Must be adept at navigating the politics involved in the industry.
- Be bipartisan.
21. Learn on the job.
- Always remain open to developing more skills and knowledge related to the industry and your job.
22. Problem solver.
- Great transit managers know how to identify problems and implement solutions.
23. Ability to make decisions.
- Do so with assuredness, clarity and sound reasoning.
- Use fairness and consistency with decision-making, particularly with regard to personnel.
24. Have vision.
- Must have a long-range strategic organization visioning, planning and execution.
- Transit needs to be flexible to meet the changing needs of the community; to do this you need to look and plan for the future of your organization.
25. Confidence.
- Knowing when to stand strong and when to be quiet.
- Not afraid to try new things.
26. Leadership.
- Need to set the culture for the organization, and to ensure that staff receives needed resources and training to effectively and efficiently do their job.
- Ability to inspire and set the example you want your organization to strive for.
- Be able to engage employees in the strategic vision for the agency so that they become champions for it.
- Give employees authority to make decisions and support them in their decision-making.
27. Management skills.
- Requires overseeing a variety of departments from operations to maintenance.
28. Financial skills.
- A large part of a manager’s job is to identify and obtain funding.
- Be a good fiscal steward.
29. Handle a heavy workload.
30. Diplomatic skills.
- This goes hand in hand with working with people on various levels. Being tactful is a definite asset in this area.
31. Hands on.
- Be a team player and show your employees your commitment to the job.
32. Goal oriented.
- Set realistic goals and never stop trying to reach them.
33. Consensus builder.
- Manage the wants and needs of customers, elected officials and stakeholders to a positive end result.
34. Compassionate.
- Being able to empathize with your employees and customers is key.
- Riding your system regularly will help you realize what your customers and frontline employees experience.
35. Encourage ideas.
- Seeking input on issues facing the organization from all levels, particularly from frontline employees (drivers and customer clerks).
36. Open-minded.
- Entertain new ideas.
37. Industry involvement.
- Becoming involved with industry associations and being knowledgeable of industry trends.
38. Calm.
- Great transit managers know how to remain calm despite dealing with a stressful situation.
39. Effective networker.
- Seek out colleagues to bounce ideas off of.
- Take advantage of networking opportunities, such as conferences and other industry functions.
40. Negotiating skills.
- Must be skilled in negotiating tactics for various aspects of the job, including working with suppliers.
[Editor: To ensure you explore METRO Magazine’s great magazine and website, please go here to find out traits 41 through 50.]
Photos by Ed Yourdon