On a hilltop at the heart of KibbutzZikim in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, the mayors and senior executives ofmunicipalities in the Negev got together for the second session of the growthprogram.
From Zikim they 'traveled' to Kansas,USA: "I couldn't believe my eyes" said Mayor Dixson, after ahorrendous tornado erased 95% of the city of Greensburg, Kansas, in 2007."Everything had simply… vanished." In a matter of hours, all hubs ofthe municipal administration – the courthouse, the hospital, business centersand public institutions – had been erased from the face of the earth.
But that was not the end of Greensburg's story.
Prof. Vered Holzmann led us into the depths of the challenges and solutions of project management during a crisis:
· How to formulatea strategy of change that leads to growth
· How to plan and manage projects under uncertainty
· How to measuresuccess when everything has changed
We focused on the importance of implementing an organizational culture of monitoring events and operations and drawing conclusions – a critical process ensuring that every step forward isalso a step upwards.
What did welearn from Greensburg?
· Involving the community is the key.
· A crisis canserve as a catalyst for change – the city became a global model of sustainability.
· Long-term thinking pays off – today Greensburg is stronger than ever.
Many years later, Dixson said in aninterview: "I knew I had a critical role to play. Not just restoring the city to functionality but also leading it to a better future."
Together we learned that even in times of crisis – the real challenge is to raise your eyes and see the opportunities.
The session was one more step inbuilding a shared toolbox for local leadership in the Negev - because in moments of crisis, it is the ties between local authorities and the regional outlook that can lead to real growth.
The journey toward building regional resilience in the Negev continues.
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