“In Our Region” is a special column in PM Magazine written by ICMA’s regional directors. In this edition, Pam Brangaccio, southern regional director, reviewed two books on navigating crises as a leader, staying grounded in personal values, and helping local government organizations adapt under pressure.

As a reminder to ICMA Credentialed Managers, you can receive 10 hours credit for each professional book that you read.

Pam Brangaccio, Southern Regional Director

What books did you choose to highlight and why?

I chose two closely connected books: Seven Lessons for Leading in a Crisis by Bill George and True North: Emerging Leaders Edition by Bill George and Zach Clayton, an update to the earlier True North, which remains a personal favorite. 

Both books profile leaders navigating moments of pressure—whether guiding teams through crisis or identifying the values that define their leadership. Emerging Leaders makes the point that “when you are forced to make value-based decisions with a lot to lose, you learn what is most important in your life.”

Many managers in transition (MITs) will tell you their MIT status resulted from standing firm in defense of their personal values. My MIT experiences came from refusing to promote or terminate specific staff members when an elected official “strongly suggested” it, and from declining to change recommendations to council based on who would continue to benefit from an existing procurement or construction management practice. 

My “true north” values were shaped 20 years earlier, when I was a young assistant city manager in West Palm Beach. I watched my mentor, city manager Ron Schutta, model transparency, honesty, and defense of professional staff and their recommendations.

Bill George’s seven lessons for leading in a crisis are:

1. Face reality, starting with yourself.
2. Don’t be Atlas—get the world off your shoulders.
3. Dig deep for root causes.
4. Get ready for the long haul.
5. Never waste a good crisis.
6. Follow your true north when you are in the spotlight.
7. Go on offense and focus on winning now.
    

George defines “crisis” as an opportunity for leaders to reinvent themselves and their organizations, and “true north” as the values and principles that guide leaders as they engage, support, and inspire others. True North: Emerging Leaders calls for “emerging leaders to settle upon their values and beliefs that will guide them throughout their lives. 

Throughout centuries, leaders have been judged by their character, courage, and capacity. Those remain core values in navigating though today’s rough waters.”

How did the books encourage you to think more broadly or change your mind on an issue?

The books reminded me that local government leaders need to seek help from their teams and personal networks, and to be honest, open, and vulnerable. We often try to shield our work teams and families from crises, even though the best solutions often come from their involvement.

The books also reinforce the importance of personal resilience: keeping our bodies in reasonable shape, our minds clear, our spirits high, and our sense of humor intact—even when our NFL teams are struggling before the regular season begins.

I especially appreciated Dov Seidman’s “pause moment” that was included in Emerging Leaders. In addition to keeping a daily journal, Seidman pauses to ask himself:

• Did I make a difference in someone’s life today?
• Was I helpful to my team today?
• Am I thinking about where we are going and looking around corners?
• Am I living my values?
• Am I leading by example and making a positive difference through the way I lead?
   

What practical strategies from the books can local government leaders apply?

Managers should always consider a crisis as an opportunity to make lasting organizational improvements. During a crisis, local government leaders are in the spotlight, so they need to stay grounded in their true north, clearly communicating their values and principles. 

Managers need to be transparent with their team and community, tell the truth without minimizing or exaggerating the impact, and remain visible rather than hunkering down.

Crises are also an opportunity for managers to learn about themselves. Examples from Emerging Leaders include working hard and doing your best, caring for people, treating everyone with respect, and demonstrating ownership and accountability. The book also emphasized that authentic leadership requires clarity about values, leadership principles, and ethical boundaries. Staying true to those values takes moral courage, especially when professional managers can face adverse consequences for doing the right thing.

Did you find anything in the books that was relevant to your region?

Our members need to sustain hope for the future and identify practical professional solutions rather than feeling powerless in the face of changing landscapes they cannot control. The Southern Region is feeling the effects of national policy shifts that are placing stress on local governments. These challenges include state mandates on funding priorities; ballot initiatives to reduce local property tax revenue; limits on community diversity initiatives; mandates affecting building codes, zoning, planning, and economic development authority; and growing pressure on retirement and pension fund financing. 

A sailing proverb says, “If you can’t change the direction of the wind, adjust your sails.” The same applies to local managers, who must continue to face new challenges while remaining the calm center for staff.

Have you already implemented any ideas from the books?

I applied lessons from Leading in a Crisis during a severe global and state economic downturn, much like the fiscal pressures communities later faced during COVID-19, and the 2023 hurricanes. Over three years, my community lost 30% of its tax base because of sharp declines in property values, requiring significant budget reductions. We responded with transparent community engagement, clear communication, outcome-based budgeting with department teams, negotiated contract adjustments with employee unions, position freezes, new revenue sources, and departmental work-process reviews.

These efforts made the city leaner and stronger and helped build a unified team during the fiscal crisis. As Bill George writes, “This is a great opportunity to strengthen chemistry within your team because the strongest bonds are built in crisis.”

Did any part of the book spark a memory or experience you would like to share?

As mentioned earlier, as a young assistant city manager in West Palm Beach and then as a first-time city manager in Safety Harbor, Florida, I found my true north through the ICMA and FCCMA mentors I could turn to for guidance. Several of those mentors now serve as ICMA senior advisors and remain valuable one-on-one resources for ICMA members. 

Whether through a coach, mentor, peer network, or by serving as a true north for new managers, it’s important to help one another find direction.
 

KATE FITZPATRICK is ICMA’s eastern regional director (kfitzpatrick@icma.org).