The Next Generation of Public Power Leaders
Lanie Mycoff Mycoff, Fry & Prouse LLC
Presentation to TPPA July 24, 2018
The Next Generation of Public Power Leaders X Where are leaders going to come from? X Who else wants this same leadership talent?
X How do we bridge the gap in supply and
demand? X How do we attract, select, and grow future
leaders?
The Supply Side of the Equation
X Baby Boomers = 78 million and declining
X Generation X = 50 Million
X Millennials = Over 80 million
By 2025, 75% of the global workforce will be Millennials
The Supply Side of the Equation
X Strong Economy X Aging population X Exodus of workers
= Severe Labor Shortage
The Demand Side
Who were consumers of talent in 1978?
X Public Power Entities X Rural Cooperatives X Investor-Owned Utilities X Consultants X Vendors
Today’s Demand for Utility Leaders
X Public Power Entities X Rural Cooperatives X Investor-Owned Utilities X Consultants/Vendors X Commercial/Industrial End-Use Customers X Private Equity Players X IPP’s X ISO’s/RTO’s X Reliability Organizations
How Do We Bridge the Gap?
Public Power is Losing the Compensation Battle Western and Northwestern Utilities (2018)
Public Power Utilities by Governance
Rural Cooperatives
Position City Council; City Manager
Board Board IOU’s
CEO $170,000 $263,000 $242,000
Line Crew Foreman
$98,000 $98,000 $99,000 $99,000
Journey Lineperson
$88,000 $91,000 $91,000 $90,000
How Do We Bridge the Gap?
Public Power is Losing the Compensation Battle Southeastern Utilities (2015)
Type of Utility Governance Average GM/CEO Compensation
Rural Distribution Coop
Board of Directors $377,000
Municipally-Owned Utility
Board of Directors $265,000
Municipally-Owned Utility
City Manager/City Council
$179,000
How Some States/Cities are Enticing Workers
X Hamilton, Ohio - $5K to help pay student loans.
X Grant County, Indiana - $5K toward buying a home.
X North Platte, Nebraska- $10K to entice people to relocate for a job.
X Marne, Iowa – free parcels of land.
X Vermont – cash grants/free land.
How Some Utilities are Bridging the Talent Gap
X Aggregating additional services under joint-action-agencies. X Missouri River Energy Services and Oklahoma Municipal
Power Agency – Line Personnel
X ElectriCities of North Carolina – manages four member systems
X LADWP – One of the largest public power utilities in the country can’t hire enough permanent talent!
Attracting Future Leaders
X Pay is a recruiting tool, but a poor retention tool for millennials. X Job hopping = 30% pay increase
X Promote public power’s alignment with many of
these millennial values. X 6 out of 10 millennials chose their current job because
of a sense of societal purpose X Ethical behavior and a commitment to diversity X Inclusion X Co-workers = Happiness X Flexible work arrangements
X Public Power needs more flexibility in the hiring
process/criteria.
Selecting Future Leaders
Self Awareness
Strategic Thinking The ability to see things as a whole, identify key issues, and draw together effective plans that are in-line with
an organization's vision and objectives within a particular economic situation.
Selecting Future Leaders
Leadership
Does he/she inherently inspire and motivate?
Selecting Future Leaders
Selecting/Developing Future Leaders
X Communication Skills
X Interpersonal Skills
X Cultural fit
Trustworthiness
Cultural Fit
Selecting/Developing Future Leaders
Leadership
Operational
Experience
Management
Financial
Acumen
Expertise
Developing Future Leaders
X Leading Strategy X Understanding of Power Supply X Serving as the “face” of the utility in external
forums X Knowledge of/involvement in legislative and
regulatory affairs X Finance and budgeting activities X Substantial managerial responsibilities X Working with a Board or governing body
The Next Generation of Public Power Leaders
Questions?