The significance of being the first female city manager in Staunton, Virginia—the very birthplace of the council-manager form of government—is not lost on me. But I don’t often dwell on it, and I’ve never felt the need to “prove” myself simply because I am a woman.

What I do feel compelled to prove is that I can be an effective leader who cares deeply about the community I serve. And sometimes that means getting out of the office and into the work itself—learning how things actually function, seeing how services are experienced by residents, and hearing from our employees firsthand.

A lot can be learned from boots-on-the-ground experience. The service delivery you imagine from behind a desk is rarely the whole picture. Employees often have the best ideas for improvement. You just have to show up and listen.

Last year when the city was preparing to roll out brand new trash cans and updated collection policies to our residents, I wanted to see firsthand what our refuse crews face every day. I arranged a date, pulled together my protective gear and my trusty pink public works beanie, and showed up at the public works yard at 6:00 a.m. on a cold, dark March morning.

Now, I don’t know if I’m the first woman to ride on a refuse truck, but I do know it’s not something the crews see on a regular basis. I had no idea what to expect. I told them simply I’m here to learn, I’m a hard worker, and please, no special treatment. Then I climbed into the truck with Roger and Marty, and we rolled out just as the sun began to peek through the morning clouds.

At the start of our route, Marty wasted no time. He instructed me to watch for passing cars when exiting the truck, then showed me how to pull the trash cans and empty them using the tippers. It became clear almost immediately that there would be no sitting in the truck observing. I was expected to pull my full weight. At the same time, Roger and Marty looked out for me, reminding me to watch for traffic, check on each other, and hold tight to the back of the truck while it moved. Several hours later, we finished the route and headed to the landfill where Marty let me operate the mechanism that empties the truck. What a rush!

It was, without question, one of the best days of my career in local government. Five hours of hard, focused work—no emails, no meetings, just the job—gave me something no briefing memo or report ever could: a ground-level understanding of how refuse collection actually works. I came back to the office a better planner and a more grounded leader.

What struck me most, though, was the pride these two men take in serving their city. They want Staunton to be beautiful. Their tenure with the city was impressive enough, but it was their positive spirit—their genuine care for the community they serve—that was truly infectious.

I talked to Marty not that long ago at our recycling center. He asked when I was coming back out on his route. “As soon as possible,” I told him. “And I can’t wait!”

LESLIE BEAUREGARD, ICMA-CM, is city manager of Staunton, Virginia.