Miami’s City Manager Noriega can usher in an era of civility at City Hall | Opinion
The recent appointment of a new city manager in Miami has spurred my hopes for a new commitment from elected leaders, the administration and the community to work together to achieve a greater good.
I congratulate Mayor Francis Suarez for nominating and city commissioners for approving Art Noriega for the position. He will oversee an administration with an annual budget of more than $1 billion and be responsible for thousands of city employees.
I been impressed with Noriega’s professionalism, integrity and, most important, his dedication to public service. My voice has been one of a few that has preached to my generation and to my children’s generation the importance of serving this community, regardless of how that service is manifested. I am energized to see one from my generation willing to take on the responsibility to serve.
Miami holds a special place in my heart. The city is filled with the love of children and people of faith, built by immigrants of all nationalities, home to daring innovators who were not afraid to take risks. Brave men and women transformed it into the global city it is today.
It is my love of Miami that frames the current environment of discord resembling that of a family conflict, where insignificant details can kindle unnecessary conflict.
We seem to be living in a time where everyone speaks their mind, without considering the potential effect it can have on someone else. Now, more than ever, civility matters, and the concept should go beyond just being polite and listening. Being civil includes sharing ideas and beliefs with others while maintaining a sincere respect for their opinions and points of view.
Civility also requires a willingness to have our views challenged. As we are eager to share with others how we see the world, we must also be prepared to listen and fully digest the comments or reactions of others that may not align with our perspectives. These different views can be enlightening and enriching.
What happens when we are not civil and open with each other? We create discord, which kills potential and stalls momentum. Instead of dedicating our energies to building something positive, discord takes this same energy and runs it through a negative lens. It separates people who should be united.
A Georgetown University study revealed that people were 59 percent more willing to share information with and 71 percent more motivated to work harder for a civil person compared to an uncivil one.
In other words, we mirror people. When we are treated kindly and with respect, we tend to extend those same courtesies to that person and those in our circles.
In his farewell speech, President Obama spoke of how our country’s potential could work “only if our politics better reflects the decency of our people. ” Perhaps the same applies closer to home.
It is time to lower the volume and the temperature at Miami City Hall. Our new city manager will have plenty on his plate. I am rooting for him and stand ready to help him in any way I can so that he can succeed. When Miami succeeds and there is harmony at City Hall, we all win.
Bernie Navarro is chairman of the board of trustees at Miami Dade College. He is founder and president of Benworth Capital Partners, a private equity fund in Miami.