Court Leader's Advantage Podcast 8/15/2023 Episode: Leading in Tough Times: Leaders as “Influencers”

Leaders deal with multiple circles of individuals. Two that you as a court administrator or Clerk of Court deal with are 1) those who report to you and 2) those you either report to or deal with as fellow stakeholders. Those reporting to you include your team, and the larger office or court staff.

The next circle centers on your Presiding Judge, and your bench; it includes your funding body such as your City Council, County Board, the state administrative office, or the state legislature. It extends to your fellow justice partners such as the Sheriff, the Prosecutor, the bar, and community organizations.

The leadership skills needed to deal with both circles include team building, mentoring, strategic thinking, organization, persuasive speaking, and concise effective writing. But you deal with your fellow stakeholders (principally your judges), differently than with your court staff. Your judges are leaders in their own right; usually, they have their own vision, which may not align with yours; they are well-educated and may not be particularly interested in your counsel. In addition, many judges may have developed their own concepts of managing people, they are used to handing down orders from the bench and having them obeyed, many are elected so they have their own specific constituency, and court staff often have a direct informal pipeline to individual judges. Rick Pierce described the role of the administrator dealing with this circle as being an “influencer.”

This month we’re looking at leaders as influencers of others in power. What is this environment really like? Are there different skills necessary or just different ways of applying the skills you have? What is your mindset when working with your bench?

Today’s Panelists

Rick Pierce: Judicial Programs Administrator, Pennsylvania Administrative Office of the Courts

Melinda Brooks: Grants and Special Projects Manager, Municipal Court, Franklin County, Ohio

Ellen Procida-Fisher: Operations Manager, Superior Court, Cape May, New Jersey,

JoShonda Guerrier: Interim Chief Administrative Officer, Juvenile Court, Fulton County, Georgia, and

Lori Tyack: Clerk of Court for the Municipal Court, Franklin County, Ohio