It’s tough being a city/county manager today. Increased polarization, problems without real solutions, employees switching jobs quickly, more avenues of social media and disinformation, reduced public trust, threats to public officials, major fiscal problems with stagnant revenues, convoluted intergovernmental relations, the rapid rise of AI, and more all combine to put pressure on those in the top job. The need for talented, highly ethical professionals as city/county managers has never been greater.

A truly professional manager brings many advantages to local government. This has been the case for more than 100 years. Yet, what defines a professional from just the holder of the title has changed over time. While the ICMA Code of Ethics and Declaration of Ideals have much to offer on this subject, this article delves a little deeper into some of the less discussed skills, understandings, and characteristics needed by today’s city/county manager.

The previous generation of managers often came up through the ranks of the operating or administrative departments and did stints as assistant to the city manager, deputy city manager, or assistant city manager before being tapped for the top job. Often these baby boomer managers hold advanced degrees in public policy, public administration, or business administration.

That route remains today, but the path is now so much wider, which expands the pool of available leaders. More people are coming to the top job from department director positions, and individuals from outside local government are transitioning to city/county management. Private industry, nonprofit, or community leadership credentials are increasingly common in city/county manager appointments. This adds to the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives, while also introducing a need to learn the unique aspects of the role.

Most city/county management professionals are highly skilled people of character and integrity who have a good idea of the job they are moving into. It is a point of pride to be a member of this profession. Some people, though, have moved into the position of manager without enough grounding in the role to be successful. Some are attracted by the salary and may severely underestimate the demands of the position. When they do not succeed, they not only fail for themselves, but they set back their communities, organizations, and even the reputation of the profession. It is damaging to staff and council alike to have unprepared individuals appointed into the top job.

Unique Roles and Tips

So, let us suggest some unique roles and a few tips for those aspiring to join the ranks of top local government managers and be most successful:

1. Come to the Job with Enthusiasm. 

The top job in a city or county is about leadership. Staff, council, and community members look to the manager for inspiration. Find the fun in the work and create an environment that encourages people to want to be part of building something together. No one wants a “downer” boss at the top. Inspiring others to greatness is a big part of the manager’s job.

2. Know and Commit to the Values of the Profession. 

Values define any profession. It’s important for a city/county manager to understand and really believe in these. We need to lead with these values and set the example. The local government management profession is defined by these core values:

• Respect for council/manager roles.
• Transparency.
• Accountability.
• Social equity.
• Environmental responsibility.
• Community as partner.
• Civility.
• Ethics.

These values shape our professional behavior. Our communities count on us to model these values, our staff look to us for how to behave, and our governing bodies watch how we work.

3. Know Your Lines in the Sand. 

Your commitment to representative democracy, the council-manager form of government, and the ICMA Code of Ethics must be unshakable. During your career, one or more of our core values is likely to be sorely tested by elected officials, community leaders, or even members of your own staff. You need to know what your clear lines are so you can act with principle and resist pressure. It can mean being willing to be fired or to resign, depending on the situation. There are many examples of managers having to take such stands.

Personal realities (family obligations, loss of income, or more) can cloud a response to a situation that a manager needs to make. For some individuals, it may be that stepping back into a different job is better on a personal level if the hardest decisions are not realistic for you. Local governments need talented department directors, assistants/deputies, and others, and nonprofits need skilled executives.

Examples where managers have had to take a stand include severe interference with administration in the form of directives to hire or fire officials, approve contracts outside the purchasing process with those politically well-connected, pressure to provide inequitable service to one part of the community, or demands to ignore council decision-making to pursue pet projects of individual councilmembers. City/county managers have to resist these pressures and be consistent in doing so. If you can’t, then you may not really be able to provide the leadership that is needed in the top job, or at least in that community.

In our experience, managers who have had to leave due to taking a principled stand on an ethical issue have been able to promptly rebound for the better.

4. Know a Fair Amount About a Lot of Things. 

The old idea about knowing a little bit about a lot of things isn’t really enough in local government management. You don’t have to be the expert, but you do need to have a firm handle on some of the best practices in a wide range of disciplines.

It means continuously learning about finance and budget, human resources, police, fire, emergency management, streets, water, waste water, storm drainage, traffic control, capital projects, leisure and cultural services, parks and open space, libraries, human and social services, planning and land use, code enforcement, economic development, redevelopment, homeless strategies, information technology, climate issues, housing, intergovernmental and community relations, sustainability, and risk management. The list goes on.

Then there are the soft skills of negotiation, conflict resolution, team building, effective listening, and leadership. Becoming proficient enough in these technical and adaptive skills for the manager role requires continually assessing your knowledge base for gaps and filling them with training, attending conferences, asking questions of experts, reading, and direct observation.

Knowing your own knowledge gaps is also important as you hire or promote assistants who can bring complementary skillsets and abilities. Seeking out coaches and mentors can be helpful.

If you are lacking some knowledge of the key areas of local government, you may overly rely on department staff to interpret for you. While it’s essential to hire the best subject matter experts and expect them to lead their operations, you need to know what questions to ask and what constitutes complete answers. Your council also expects you to understand the community’s perspectives as you bring forward professional recommendations or answers to residents.

5. Be Adept in Supporting Elected Officials—Fairly. 

Much of a city manager’s time is spent advising and assisting elected leaders. You must bring out the best in the council as a body, while treating each member with courtesy and respect. This doesn’t mean treating everyone exactly the same because each elected official is different, but it does mean supporting them fairly. And it means always providing equal information to all councilmembers. They come to their position with different backgrounds, needs, and styles. It is crucial that you do not play favorites or are not even perceived as playing favorites or acting in a “political” fashion in your dealings with councilmembers.

Supporting the council also means helping them establish norms and expectations for how they work together and how they work with you and staff. Supporting the council also requires helping them set goals that they can rally around in their policy roles. This may not come naturally to elected officials who are more focused on constituent issues, but it is an important role of a city/county manager.

As chief executive, your role also includes providing advice and guidance that isn’t always welcome. Or it may be welcome by some and not all members of the council. It means saying “no” regularly. It demands emotional maturity and a calm disposition. If you are conflict averse and want to please everyone, this job is not for you. Sooner than later, that will catch up with the manager and conflict will result, regardless of attempts to avoid it.

6. Constantly Strengthen the Senior Leadership Team. 

It takes a committed and effective team to get things done, whether in a small community or a large one. Experienced and knowledgeable department heads are key to success. Hence, the city manager must cultivate the best possible group of senior leaders—people who work well together, strive for excellence, and support each other’s success.

It means giving candid feedback to your direct reports that helps them improve and achieve their career goals in a constructive manner. It requires insulating them from council politics and standing up for them so that they may focus on essential functions. It involves leading continuous improvement and providing consistent support. It also entails developing the next departmental leaders by “growing your own” in-house. Sometimes, it requires letting someone go who has served the city/county for a long time, but despite coaching and training, cannot consistently get the work done or who generates too much organizational broken glass.

7. Become a Civic Engagement and Public Information Ninja. 

Today’s public can range from supportive and happy to suspicious, angry, disengaged, and divided. How do you gain and retain trust and confidence in today’s world, especially when things go sideways? How do you get everyone into the act and still get action?

Holding hearings, sending newsletters, and curating an engaging website are baseline methods and important, but they are not enough. These days, the manager must be social-media savvy, energizing staff to find creative ways to engage a busy and possibly hostile community. Staying focused on the goal of getting accurate factual messages out to residents and businesses and showing eagerness to try new approaches to reaching people is an important role of today’s city/county manager. The most enlightened policy or program can be misunderstood or rejected by the public without engagement as it is being created or good information about its intent and impact.

Most importantly, you must be willing to engage in authentic conversations with different stakeholder groups and listen to all perspectives. You must be truly open to these conversations and be willing to modify your course of action based on what you hear.

8. Acquire alligator skin. 

This work is tremendously rewarding but is not for the faint of heart. You may have your integrity, intelligence, loyalty, and motives challenged by loud advocates and even elected leaders. It is not always pleasant. You must remain calm. Rarely is it personal when anger is directed toward you. Many of your critics will not understand your role. The noble meaning and purpose of your work must sustain you.

9. Lead in emergencies. 

There will be rough times. Human-made or natural emergencies, scandals, very public mistakes, and occasional tragedy may befall your city. You must stand up as a leader in these times of testing. Everyone needs to see that the manager has a plan and is moving ahead in the face of the storm. You may be tied in knots inside, but your public face is positive, determined, steady, and focused on solutions. Your messages must inspire confidence without giving false hope. It is a difficult line. The true professional shines in times of distress.

10. Live self-care and resilience. 

There is no end to the work of a professional city/county manager. Done right, local government management takes sustained effort. There can be regular crises and multiple fires burning at any given time. Cumulative stress can take its toll. The city council is unlikely to monitor your activity and tell you to take a vacation. (Lucky if they do!) You must self-regulate.

All the usual advice about the need for sleep, decent diet, exercise, healthy habits, partner/family time, hobbies, and time away apply—times three! Take care of yourself as a city/county manager.

11. Stand Up for Local Democracy. 

Unfortunately, local democracy is under assault. In some jurisdictions, we have angry mobs trying to disrupt and take over public meetings. Democracy in America has been built over time on an intergovernmental system and that is now changing in ways that impact local governments, such as federal agencies withholding funding authorized by Congress to our communities. City/county managers and other senior leaders need to help elected officials stand strong and counter threats to local democracy.

Be Prepared, But Not Deterred

Serving as manager is filled with possibilities to make a lasting positive difference for thousands of people. It also brings with it innumerable chances for conflict and controversy. Our local governments need effective managers—people to run our organizations.

In today’s environment, maybe more than ever, the top leader must navigate ongoing change, be a guiding light for staff, assist the governing body in their policy role, and step up during crises. And, by the way, to sustain yourself, you must enjoy the job along the way. People who enjoy what they are doing are more likely to have others enjoy working with them.

The good news is that city/county managers are made, not born. It takes considerable effort to prepare for this high-impact profession. Effective managers embrace the challenge, continually seek to learn and grow, and provide leadership that others wish to follow.

ROD GOULD, ICMA-CM, is chairman of the board of HdL Companies, a former ICMA Executive Board member, retired city manager, consultant, and supporter of all those who toil in local government service. (rodgould17@gmail.com)

DR. FRANK BENEST, ICMA-CM, is a retired city manager and currently serves as a local government trainer and ICMA’s liaison for Next Generation Initiatives. (frank@frankbenest.com).

JAN PERKINS, ICMA-CM, is vice president of Raftelis, a local government management consultant and facilitator, retired city manager, and a believer in good government and in the city management profession. (jperkins@raftelis.com)