Trust is a precious asset. Any relationship that extends beyond the purely transactional relies on trust to be productive, mutually beneficial, and successful. In a democracy where the public entrust their very lives and well-being to elected and appointed officials, trust is oxygen. With it we thrive, without it we perish.

Local government managers and their staff can influence the conduct of elected officials, but they certainly cannot control it. These professionals can take concrete steps though to protect the public’s interests and to build trust with the public they serve, the staff they lead, and yes, the elected officials for whom they work.

Each March, we devote the contents of PM to ethics. We invite our members and experts in the field to share their perspectives, research, and techniques on building ethical competency at the personal and organizational level. This reflects ICMA’s and the profession’s commitment to the highest of ethical standards in public service. A common theme among our guest contributors in this edition is the critical need for conduct that builds, and in some cases restores, trust in government.

The indictment of three Cincinnati councilmembers in 2020 inspired our colleague, Jerry Newfarmer, to share his ideas on how managers can promote ethical behavior. Jerry’s ideas are born of practical experience having served as the city manager in Cincinnati, San Jose, and Fresno. In his article, he reflects as well on the value to good government of having a professional manager, who adheres to the ICMA Code of Ethics, serving in a council-manager structure. As Jerry observes, “The role requires managers to stand up without fear or favor to inappropriate political interference with good government practices, even when their jobs are on the line.”

Dr. Michael Gillette, an ethicist and former elected official, shares a four-step process for analyzing your actions through an ethical lens. Dr. Gillette observes that critical thinking is especially needed in the public sector where the ramifications of missteps can be profound. In what is just a great quote, Dr. Gillette noted, “It will not do to rely on kindergarten-level ethics concepts when dealing with calculus-level ethics problems. But before we get to the ‘how,’ perhaps we should spend some time thinking about the ‘why.’”

Rounding out the contributions for our experts, Dr. Patrick Malone reminds us that human beings are not angels by nature. Exploring principles that can help guide us all to make ethical decisions, Dr. Malone challenges us to “commit to a journey of ethical discernment in our thinking and behavior.”

Our mission to promote ethical conduct is a global one. The final article on ethics highlights ICMA Mexico’s work to provide ethics training to elected and appointed officials.

We close out the edition with three important resources for our readers: the ICMA Code of Ethics with Guidelines, FAQs on ICMA’s ethics enforcement process, and an up-to-date timeline on revisions made to the Code over its 97-year history.

In closing, I encourage you to do two things. First, please take a moment to renew your commitment to the profession’s ethical standards by reading the ICMA Code of Ethics. And second, assist your staff and elected officials on their journey to making ethical decisions and building trust by sharing this content.

 MARTHA PEREGO, ICMA-CM, is director of member services and ethics director, ICMA, Washington, D.C. (mperego@icma.org).