Watch out, Lebo. You're starting to act like Greece.

I'm 100% Greek and because of my Greek heritage, I'm very concerned about what is happening in Greece. I'm not an economist and have no idea what Greece needs to do, but an article in Pittsburgh Business Times caught my eye this morning. What to do when employees start acting like Greece (arrogant, self-important) Those two words, "arrogant, self-important" come to my mind, at least, about the attitude exhibited by our local governments.

In business, arrogance and defiance are lethal combinations, too. Fortunately, you don’t find this much, but you do with employees who, like Greece, overestimate their importance to the organization.

The article talks about employees, which is exactly what our local governments are. We are the employer (taxpayers) and they are the employees.

Once employees become arrogant, it almost always leads to defiance. They think they are bulletproof because of their great significance to the organization. The sad part is this condition almost always afflicts people with outstanding performance. Rainmakers, if you will. 

If there is one thing I learned over the years, it's not to tolerate arrogance from an employee just because he is a rainmaker. Trust me on this, the collateral damage a rainmaker causes is not worth the rain. They treat other people badly. They ignore policies and rules in the organization. They do whatever they want without regard to the consequences. And that is because, many times, rainmakers have no consequences.

Our public servants think they are bulletproof.  They are arrogant and ignore the rules. Incurring more and more debt is a way of life in our community.

I saw this during the high school renovation. I saw it with the toxic turf project. I'm seeing it with the deer issue and even the block party policy. The commission will be deciding whether to put a referendum of the Home Rule Charter concerning the number of commissioners required to incur debt. I believe Mt. Lebanon is headed in the wrong direction. We better get our act together before we end up like Greece.