Justin Weiland
City Administrator
Dell Rapids, South Dakota
justin.weiland@gmail.com

The answer to this question may seem obvious, but public service is what has always driven me. What is so perfect about our profession, especially in today’s hyper-politicized environment, is that managers can remain apolitical and focus on what our experience informs us is best for the communities we serve.

Along with my community, the people I bump into at the grocery, coffee shop, or hardware store are another motivation to continue making the Dell Rapids community the most successful and livable in our region.

I've reached the point as a mid-career manager where the bigger and better opportunity isn’t a major motivating factor. Therefore, focusing toward long-term goals to make the community I serve the safest and best place to raise my two daughters trumps any long-term career goals.

 

 

Elizabeth Hansen, ICMA-CM
City Administrator
Nevada, Iowa
ehansen@midiowa.net

Every other year I assist in the facilitation of a leadership goal-setting retreat, including the mayor, councilmembers, and department directors.

During the event, we discuss our impressive list of accomplishments, review the goals from the past retreat, and discuss organizational effectiveness. At the conclusion of the event, we have a road map—a dozen or so ongoing projects and the top five new initiatives.

Once the dialogue has occurred, consensus has been built, and the report has been approved, I am inspired to get going on the plan of action.

It is motivating to get publicly praised when the list of accomplishments has surfaced in the local newspaper or discussed at local businesses, community service clubs, events, board meetings, and other places.

 

James Davidson, ICMA-CM
City Manager
Orem, Utah
jpdavidson@orem.org

Over the course of my career, I have had a number of mentors who have been willing to invest in me and my development as a management professional. They were willing to give me difficult assignments, allowing me to stretch beyond what I thought my professional abilities were at the time.

While not everything went perfectly with a number of the assignments, these mentors were patient with me, offered constructive feedback, and allowed me to stumble in order to learn. They reinforced to me that character and the manner in which I did my work was just as important as the competence associated with doing the work.

While city management, as a profession, can be a challenge, I have learned that you are never alone in tackling the issues you face. The network of peers, mentors, and friends that you develop during your career can make all the difference.

 

 

Keith Campbell
City Administrator
Stayton, Oregon
kcampbell@ci.stayton.or.us

The philosophy that motivates me was created by Fred Emery, an organizational development psychologist. His work created a framework that identified key components necessary for employee satisfaction in the workplace. The summarized principles of the theory are:

1. Work that provides a minimum of variety and is reasonably demanding.

2. Ability to learn on the job and continue learning. 

3. Social support and recognition.

4. Relate what one does to one’s social life.

5. Job leads to some sort of desirable future (not necessarily promotion). 

 

My success is directly dependent on the people with whom I work. This philosophy motivates my values and interactions with my employees.