The Readiness Paradox The Call to Step Forward

Two years ago this week, I attended a meeting with two associates to discuss who should run for mayor. By the end of the meeting, the conversation had turned toward me.. There was just one problem. I had never run for office. Like most people facing something new, my first thought was, "Now what?" Fortunately, there is plenty of help available online, at City Hall, and from former councilpeople.

I was thinking about that meeting this week because nomination papers for Carmel's November election open July 13th. In less than a month, we'll know who is stepping forward to run for mayor and city council.

Before going any further, let me be clear about what this column is not. It is not a comment on any particular candidate. Anyone willing to put their name on a ballot deserves respect. Those already in office understand the responsibility and scrutiny that come with public service. This column is about something larger.

Over the years, I've noticed something curious. The people most qualified to help are often the people who spend the most time convincing themselves they aren't ready. They don't have enough experience. They don't know enough about City government. Someone else would be better. Maybe in a few years.

The truth is that most people don't feel ready when they first step forward. I knew I had a vast amount of business experience and had attended hundreds of public meetings, but still didn't feel truly ready. When I decided to run for mayor, I wasn't a former mayor, councilmember, commissioner, or political insider. At the time, I was a volunteer wearing the same safety vest I'd worn while planting flowers, building pathway barriers, hauling trash, picking up cigarette butts, and delivering meals during COVID. Like most people who take on something new, I learned by doing.

The lesson is simple: most worthwhile things begin before you feel completely prepared. Carmel itself is proof. The artists, architects, business owners, and dreamers who shaped this village were not waiting for permission. They saw something worth creating and got to work. They did not know exactly how things would turn out. They started anyway.

That spirit still exists today. You see it in volunteers who care for our pathways and beaches. You see it in nonprofit leaders, commissioners, and neighbors who quietly improve this community every day. You saw it when this council implemented street addresses on a tight timeline, even though none of us had ever done anything like it before. Working with staff, the county, and other partners, we figured it out.

I've written before about how complicated local government has become. Housing mandates, infrastructure needs, financial sustainability, public safety, water constraints, and environmental regulations are real challenges. But complexity is not a reason to stay away. It's a reason we need thoughtful people willing to engage.

In fact, the timing could hardly be more important. By year's end, Carmel will likely have a new Planning Director, Public Works Director, and City Administrator. Few councils get the opportunity to help shape an entirely new leadership team at once. Whoever is elected this November will help influence Carmel's direction for years to come.

Carmel's future will not be shaped by people waiting until they feel perfectly qualified. It will be shaped by people willing to step forward despite their doubts.

Nomination papers open July 13th and close August 7th. If you've been waiting for a sign, this is it and an email to CityClerk@cbts.us will answer any questions.

To hear a podcast generated from this column, go to cli.re/noperfecttime.

Dale Byrne, Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea

dbyrne@cbts.us