Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann addresses the IAAP Chapter
based at BYU–Hawaii (photos by Monique Saenz,
courtesy of BYU–Hawaii)

The mayor of the City and County of Honolulu presented the Mahalo No Ka Hana Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), which includes Koolauloa and is based at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, with a special proclamation on April 14, 2010, and also shared some of the guiding principles and values he follows in leading one of the larger cities in the United States.

His honor Muliufi "Mufi" Hannemann, who has Samoan family ties in Laie and other parts of Koolauloa, first presented local IAAP chapter president Ualani M. Nagy, CPS, BYUH Campus Safety and Security Department Secretary, and Georgette Ching Ane, CPS, President of the IAAP Hawaii Division, with a proclamation declaring Administrative Professionals Week.

In introducing his topic of good leadership values, Hannemann, who is a lifelong Mormon, first noted that in 2008 Thomas S. Monson — President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known popularly as the Mormons), which founded BYU–Hawaii in 1955 — spoke of "the importance of teaching principle-centered leadership" that promotes faith, hope and courage.

He also noted that the late Latter-day Saint President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of "the be" principles: "Be grateful, be smart, be clean, be true, be humble…be prayerful, be positive, be still and be involved."

The mayor explained over his past two terms in office he has put together "similar maxims of leadership" drawn from his experience in business, other government work and lessons learned from his parents and extended family members:

• Be bold, be decisive, and then be flexible: "I can tell you that every decision I make, I pray about," said Hannemann, who’s often asked how he reached various conclusions. He also said he often tells his staff to pray about decisions. "I made it clear from day one that this will be a prayerful administration. This administration will always seek guidance of the Lord."

"If it [a decision] feels good, you’ve prayed about it, yet you can retain that flexibility so you can incorporate other ideas or other people’s beliefs.

• Do your homework: "That’s important," the mayor continued. "Be prepared."

He also cited President Hinckley, who "challenged us not to be the weak link in the chain of generations. What that means to me is, you need to make sure you’re not the one lagging behind, that you’re always looking out for your family, number one."

• Bring good new fast, and bad news faster: "You should always deal with adversity. It happens," he said. "I want the bad news to come faster, because we need to get on top of it. We need to make it better. Also, it forces you to use your creative capacity…to forge solutions and make things better than what they really are and move things forward."

• Problems are not as important as solutions: "I’ve always said the easiest things to identify in life are the problems; the hardest things are the solutions — that’s what you want to focus on, as opposed to dwelling on what’s wrong with things. No man is an island: A leader brings people together."

• Write it down: "Nothing destroys credibility, in my mind, of a church, government or business leader than if you don’t get back to people, when you do not follow up and follow through. That’s very important. We live in a day when there’s no excuse not to get back to someone."

• Always set the record straight: "It’s important that we do this, because there’s so much misperception out there," Hannemann said about how others sometimes incorrectly view his Mormon faith.

He told how every year he’s usually asked to give the opening or closing prayer at the Honolulu prayer breakfast, "and every year people come up to my staff and say, can we have a copy of his prayer… They tell them, you know what, the mayor doesn’t write his prayers down… That’s how members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are taught to pray."

• Never base decisions on fear: For example, Mayor Hannemann told of the unpopular decision he had to make of dumping millions of gallons of wastewater into the Ala Wai Canal near Waikiki when 42 straight days of heavy rains in 2006 overwhelmed the city’s aging sewer capabilities. "I knew what I had to do was going to be very messy and negative in people’s minds, but I knew I had to dump that sewage into the Ala Wai Canal. That’s what we did."

• Public money is not to be viewed as a personal piggy bank: "One of the things I’m personally proud of is we’ve had the cleanest city audits. We have had the highest bond ratings of any entity in the State of Hawaii."

"When we manage the city…we always ask three questions: Do we need it, can we afford it, and can we maintain it. Then, we’re very open and transparent."

• Emphasize the mahalo principle: The mayor encouraged everyone to thank their families and the Lord for their blessings. "You’ll always see me go up to a police officer or a firefighter, a paramedic… I want them to know, especially when 911 calls them, that our prayers and thanks are with them, and that we appreciate the work that they’re doing."

• Lead by example: "Live by core values, remember family first, treat people fairly, watch your health, and make the job fun," Hannemann continued. "I tell my cabinet and senior staff, there is no more important entity in your lives than your family — not the mayor nor the people of Honolulu, because if something is amiss at home… they will not be able to solve problems."

"If you’re running a good organization as an administrative professional, president, director or what have you, you shouldn’t miss a beat if someone has to miss work. That’s what good teamwork is all about," he added.

In reference to fun, Hannemann said, "That’s why I’m also known as the singing mayor, as well as the tallest mayor [6’7"] in America. You need to find whatever that niche is for you so that you can create joy in everything you do."

• Leave the place better than you found it: The mayor said the next person who fills a position should think that it’s hard to fill his or her predecessor’s shoes.

• When adversity strikes, don’t get mad — get even: "Use it as motivational force," said Hannemann, who recalled in his political life "two things would always be held against me, and it would be difficult for me to win in elections: One, I’m LDS [a Latter-day Saint or Mormon], and I’m Samoan. I’ll be frank with you, I can’t tell you how many people have told me that."

Referring to his Mormon faith, for example, Hannemann said during his days in Washington, D.C., he was told he would drink alcohol before he left, "but I’m proud to tell you I haven’t…to this day."

On being Samoan, the Harvard-educated Hannemann said, "A lot of people put up roadblocks: Use that as a motivational force."

• Do what is right, not necessarily what is popular: "There’s a tendency for us to always try not to do things that offend people, but I can tell you right now, those are only short-term, feel-good aspects of being a leader."

In closing, Mayor Hannemann stressed he didn’t know where he would be "without the foundation of faith and values" he grew up with in his family. "I’ve tried to make it clear where I stand, and I’m very proud of the fact that I’m the first mayor to have a regular prayer circle."

The BYU–Hawaii chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), which includes members from throughout Koolauloa, will hold a meeting and luncheon in BYUH Aloha Center 155 ($)