Athenian Leadership Dialogue

Live-Streamed via Zoom | October 20, 2020

Athenian Leadership Dialogue are conversations that go beyond the usual knowledge recall and application process familiar to all municipal clerks in training institutes and conferences. They are unique because they explore leadership principles and practice, drawing on the insights contained in a book that all participants have read. Dialogue are conversations in which clerks share their experience and understanding as it relates to the ideas of the author and the relevance of those ideas to their public leadership role.

The premise of the Athenian Dialogue Society is the idea that clerks are leaders in very profound yet subtle ways. Leadership here is not the transactional vending machine citizens seem to believe about public management. The interest and involvement of the participants, as well as the author’s specific focus and emphasis, require that the facilitator move with purpose using language of meaning, feeling, and power.  Clerk leadership is more transformational in nature, it allows for municipal leadership change in the perception of colleagues and citizens about the role and purpose of government.

Participants devote a full day to a Dialogue and come away intellectually enriched by this communication experience.  Participants will obtain 3 points towards their International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) education points.

Athenian Dialogue

The University of Alabama will hold its first Athenian Dialogue on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 live-streamed via Zoom.  This session will discuss the book title, Opening the Doors, by B.J. Hollars.  A discussion of the desegregation of The University of Alabama and the fight for civil rights in Tuscaloosa during the 1960s.  All registrants will receive a complementary copy of the book.  If you have registered and have not received a copy of your book, please call Mrs. Jordan Todd at 205-348-9937.

Instructor

photo of Kathie NovakKathie Novak

Katie is an Assistant Teaching Professor for the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. She also serves as the Institute Director for the Colorado Municipal Clerks Institute.  Kathie has almost 19 years of elected public service, 11 as a member of the Northglenn City Council, and an additional 8 years as Mayor.  She was term-limited in 2010.  During her time in public office, she served as President of the National League of Cities in 2009, and held numerous other leadership positions.  Kathie earned her Master of Science in Management from the University of Colorado at Denver, and has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and has been teaching management at the graduate and undergraduate level since 1991.  Her awards include the 2012 John V. Christensen Award for exemplifying the tradition of John V. Christensen in promoting and working for good, strong, representative local government and regionalism in solving mutual problems; “9NEWS Leader of the Year” for 2003; “Businesswoman of the Year” awarded by the MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce; “Excellence in Teaching Award” from Regis University; the 2019 “Institute Director Excellence Award” from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks; and was awarded an American Marshall Memorial Fellowship, for travel in Summer 2002.

Register for the Athenian Dialogue