What happens when three town administrators from Massachusetts get together to share war stories and survival tips? It's called "Boot Camp for Small Communities" -- a dynamic forum at the ICMA Annual Conference.

I just attended this forum featuring: Kate Fitzpatrick, town manager of Needham, Massachusetts; Jeffrey Nutting, town administrator of Franklin, Massachusetts; and John Petrin, town administrator of Burlington, Massachusetts. This utilitarian session gave local government managers survival tips that included everything from communicating effectively with elected officials to maintaining work/life balance.

There were many points that reasonated with me during this forum. Unfortunately, I can't list them all in this space, but here are a few:

- "Today's annoying citizen can be tomorrow's boss!" The take-away: Treat everyone with respect.

- Little things mean a lot. The take-away: Pick up the trash on the sidewalk in your community. Shovel someone's driveway. People will see this and take notice.

- Become personally involved. The take-away: Larger municipalities have staff for community outreach. Smaller communities do not, so personal involvement is your job. Send cards and talk to people one-on-one.

- Take care of yourself. The take-away: Find balance and reach out to other managers who understand what your challenges are. There is a community of support out there for you.

And, now, I invite other attendees to post their take-aways.