Blogs / 2011 ICMA Annual Conference / MIT Session Not Just for MITs

MIT Session Not Just for MITs


Don’t let the session title fool you. “Managers in Transition: Perspectives and Strategies” is not just for those currently between jobs. It is for every manager or aspiring manager who may face transition in the future, who are not quite sure what the next council or commission meeting will bring, or who are currently in transition. In other words, this session is for everyone! 

Join our panelists to hear their stories and ask questions. As one panelist said on a recent conference call, transition was nothing like he expected. Come to learn what to watch for, how to handle job loss when it occurs, and what to do if you find yourself out of work for an extended period.

Session title: Managers in Transition: Perspectives and Strategies

Session Leader:  Dick Hierstein, Iowa Range Rider

Panelists: James A. Bennett, City Manager, Presque Isle, Maine; Cara L. Pavlicek, Manager in Transition, Illinois; James M. Twombly, City Manager, City of Tulsa, Oklahoma

Date: Monday, September 19, 2011

Time: 2:30-3:40 p.m.

Room: 101AB

Comments

Amanda Relyea

This session went really well. Panelists talked about the importance of positioning yourself for the next job from the very beginning. Take the high road and remember that it's the council's right to let managers go without cause. Practice what you'll say to the media and how you'll say it before you find yourself facing a termination vote. That way you'll be ready even if it's a surprise. Keep it short, sweet, and positive and hold your head up high so that your future council can see you did nothing wrong.

Also don't be afraid to take interim jobs or jobs in smaller communities. And, if you've been in transition a while, consider department head positions. It's okay to regroup and work your way back up.

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