PM Magazine, November 2025: The Local Government Workforce
LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKFORCE
DuRocher
Reimagining Retention: Purpose, Positivity, and the Power to Stay
Practices that strengthen executive retention in local government leadership
Dr. Corrin Spiegel, ICMA-CM
Tackling the Local Government Talent Shortage
Public sector staffing challenges are substantial, but so are the opportunities to overcome them.
Caitlin Lewis 20
Building Your Executive Team
Attracting, keeping, supporting, and developing these key players is essential to a well-run organization—and to your own success.
Rod Gould, ICMA-CM, Dr. Frank Benest, ICMA-CM, and Jan Perkins, ICMA-CM
Living Where You Lead
The impact of residency and residency requirements on the recruitment and retention of the city manager
Mitchell Berg, PhD, Heidi Voorhees, and Ian James
Anchoring the Profession through ICMA Student Chapters
Securing the future of local government management through mentorship, networking, and community building
Brandon Ford
Let’s Think Differently About Why Local Government Can’t Think Differently, Part 2
In this response to Part 1, we contemplate the challenges preventing innovation in the public sector.
Ed Everett, ICMA-CM
How Gainsharing Allowed Baltimore to B’more Efficient
Baltimore’s gainsharing experiment shows how government efficiency can be a win-win.
Andrew Kleine
2 Executive Director’s Corner Workforce Front and Center 4 Ethics Matter! Asked and Answered on Political Neutrality
8 Future of Professional Management Fund “Why I Give to the Fund” with Bob O’Neill 10 Senior Advisors
Professionalism, Political Awareness, and the Importance of Asking Questions 40 Ethics Worldwide Leading with Integrity: Lessons from the 2025 Global Exchange 44 Assistants and Deputies
Creative Talent 46 Women in Leadership The Importance and Impact of Board Service 48 Insights Love Poems to Local Government 50 Mindful Leadership
Emotional Intelligence for Local Government Leaders 52 Professional Services Directory
Workforce Front and Center
The local government workforce challenge threatens the future of the profession, and ICMA is addressing it head-on.
BY JULIA D. NOVAK, ICMA-CM
Imagine a local government where every position is filled by impassioned, skilled individuals dedicated to their craft and their community. What would that mean for your organization? This month’s magazine is dedicated to workforce issues. The future of our profession and the future of local governments require a skilled and ready workforce. Attracting top talent to local government has always been challenging, and rising incivility makes it even harder.
JULIA D. NOVAK, ICMA-CM, is executive director of ICMA.
At last month’s ICMA Annual Conference, Bob O’Neill, Kendra Stewart, and I presented an update to some research into the profession that was originally done by John Nalbandian, PhD, and Bob in 2018. The workforce challenge was the number-one issue identified in 2025! What’s stunning about this is that it was not an issue identified in 2018. The local government landscape is changing, the workforce challenge is multi-faceted, and we need to identify bold solutions to meet future and emerging needs.
From 2022 through 2024, I facilitated an interdisciplinary initiative of local government professionals called Local Government 2030. This initiative was envisioned by Wally Bobkiewicz, city administrator of Issaquah, Washington, and brought together 40 individuals under the age of 40 representing all disciplines of local government. This diverse group also identified the workforce as a critical issue facing their communities in every discipline. Two of their initiatives were designed to move the needle in
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November 2025
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creating a pipeline of individuals interested in working for local government—one by eliminating barriers to hiring justiceimpacted individuals (Promised Pathways), the other by focusing on local governments as a top employer (Grow a Resilient Workforce). If you are interested in those initiatives, there is more information available at localgov2030.com/initiatives. Building the pipeline of professional local government leaders has been a focus for ICMA as well. More than 20 years ago, we launched a NextGen initiative to build the pipeline and encourage career development. We continue this work through our Local Government Management Fellows program, and in recent years, grant funding has supported our work with the U.S. military to prepare veterans to lead local governments through their SkillBridge program and veterans fellowships.
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ICMA
Creating and Supporting Thriving Communities
ICMA’s vision is to be the leading association of local government professionals dedicated to creating and supporting thriving communities throughout the world. It does this by working with its more than 13,000 members to identify and speed the adoption of leading local government practices and improve the lives of residents. ICMA offers membership, professional development programs, research, publications, data and information, technical assistance, and training to thousands of city, town, and county chief administrative officers, their staffs, and other organizations throughout the world.
Public Management (PM) aims to inspire innovation, inform decision making, connect leading-edge thinking to everyday challenges, and serve ICMA members and local governments in creating and sustaining thriving communities throughout the world.
Another program that ICMA offers is our Bob Turner Scholars Internship Program. As city manager of Boulder, Colorado, Bob Turner hired a high school kid as a summer intern, who went on to begin his career in local government. Many years later, that individual, James Kean, endowed a scholarship in Bob’s name that allows ICMA to partner with communities to place high school students in their organizations. (Learn more at icma.org/page/bob-turner-scholars-internshipprogram.) You never know how passion for public service can be ignited, and ICMA is eager to partner
PRESIDENT Michael Land* City Manager Coppell, Texas
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Andy Pederson*
Village Manager Bayside, Wisconsin
PAST PRESIDENT
Tanya Ange*
County Administrator Washington County, Oregon
VICE PRESIDENTS
International Region
Meighan Wark
County Administrative Officer Huron County, Canada
Lungile Dlamini
Chief Executive Officer
Municipal Council of Manzini, Eswatini
Jānis Lange
Chief Executive Officer
Riga City Municipality, Latvia
Midwest Region
Jeffrey Weckbach*
Township Administrator Colerain Township, Ohio
Cynthia Steinhauser*
Deputy City Administrator Rochester, Minnesota
Cori Burbach*
Assistant City Manager Dubuque, Iowa
Mountain Plains Region
Pamela Davis
Assistant City Manager Boulder, Colorado
Sereniah Breland
City Manager Pflugerville, Texas
Penny Postoak Ferguson*
County Manager Johnson County, Kansas
Northeast Region
Steve Bartha* Town Manager Danvers, Massachusetts
Brandon Ford
Assistant Township Manager Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania
Kristy Rogers* Town Manager Milton, Delaware
with you in addressing the local government workforce challenge issue.
The local government leadership role that we carry is as complex as the issues we face. This month you have an opportunity to learn from colleagues and consider proven and emerging best practices that have relevance in your own context. As I said in Tampa, we will shape the future of local government by what we do today. We must do that with intention. I encourage you to think about how your local government is experiencing the workforce challenge and how you can address it.
Questions from members on Tenet 7 illustrate the importance of political neutrality to the local government management profession.
BY JESSICA COWLES
JESSICA COWLES is director of ethics at ICMA (jcowles@icma.org).
November is the height of all things fall and giving thanks for our family and friends. For our profession in the United States, the month also means local, state, and federal elections. This can bring different personalities to leadership positions that results in member questions about the profession’s commitment to political neutrality and how to forge effective working relationships with these individuals.
Members have asked me these questions about Tenet 7. My answers follow that are based on the ICMA Code of Ethics. Note: I edited identifying information to honor the conversation’s confidentiality.
Is it okay to financially contribute to a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in my state? Could I be part of this nonprofit’s organizing effort?
Donating. In these times, it is extremely difficult to have nonbiased information in local government campaigns, and this seems like a great instrument for doing so. Tenet 7’s guideline on personal advocacy states that you can be involved in issues of personal interest as long as it does not conflict with your job responsibilities. On the surface, I think it is fine to donate. I’m sure their list of funders will be made public so you should consider whether this is something you should disclose to council.
Can you assist in organizing it? Yes, with caveats. An organization whose mission is to provide accurate, nonpartisan election information with a commitment to democracy should
not be considered controversial, but some elected officials and community members may mistakenly interpret your involvement through a political lens.
Consider whether voicing your personal and financial support could affect your ability to be effective in your role. Are you the convener who brings together disparate interests in your community? The moderator? Viewed as an objective voice in the community? While the cause does not seem to be aligned with a particular political party, what is the perception? Finally, tone and respect matter enormously here—both your own and that of the those associated with the organization.
I would like to wear an LGTBQ pin and display an “Everyone Welcome” sign in a local government facility. Would these activities be considered political?
In your circumstance, your governing body adopted a Pride month resolution and the local government’s personnel policy says that the organization is accepting and encouraging of all. Since the governing body has adopted statements of support, you have responsibility for policy implementation since they are the council’s view, not your own personal opinions, on the matters at hand.
Additional information that wasn’t included in my response to the member: Remember that balancing political neutrality with personal advocacy is always challenging! Members never need to face this one on their own. For example, several practitioners tackled this issue in a recent, free webinar for members and provided a resource list on this topic: icma.org/ page/advocacy-issues-personal-interest. These resources included a link for an ICMA project several years ago that culminated in its participants writing an article that laid out several questions to consider before engaging on issues of personal interest: icma.org/articles/pmmagazine/what-if-i-want-march.
I have a friend who is running for a local governing body in a different community from the one where I am the manager. I stay out of any politics, but I have been invited to gatherings for them and would like to attend. Since this does not involve my organization, can I?
If the candidates are hosting gatherings, even though they are not in the community you manage, you should not attend or contribute to their campaigns. The gatherings are likely fundraising events and that compromises your political neutrality even if they are nonpartisan races. Your councilmembers or residents may hold different viewpoints and that could cause trouble for you.
The Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a candidates forum for the five candidates for the local governing body. Three of the five are
Tenet 7’s guideline on personal advocacy states that you can be involved in issues of personal interest as long as it does not conflict with your job responsibilities.
incumbents and they are running for three at-large seats. This is the organization’s first election since I became manager. Is it okay for me to attend the forum?
If I did, I would stand at the back of the room just as an observer and would not participate in any way. I want to get a sense of where policy direction might go if there is a change in the governing body, and this will be the only forum since it is not available online.
It is okay to attend in-person. Your approach of keeping a low profile by sitting at the back of the room is spot on so you learn what the council candidates are discussing without highlighting your presence.
I have a former governing body member that has decided to fill a vacant county commission seat in a district that covers our community and the surrounding area. This seat will be filled by appointment to serve out the remaining term of the former elected commissioner. As part of the appointment process, the candidate needs to submit letters of recommendation, and they asked me to write one. I am unaware of any other potential candidates for the position. Also, the appointment must be from the same party as the original elected member.
You should not write a letter of recommendation for this elected office candidate, even if it is filled by appointment. You should explain that your commitment to political neutrality prevents you from doing so. If a member of your governing body, employees, or residents disagree with positions/policies of this candidate (and there will likely be at least a few), it puts you in a very difficult situation.
I have been asked to speak at a women’s health event that our local federal elected official is organizing. My governing body is divided along political lines so I am concerned this could be viewed as political.
You wouldn’t think a woman’s health event would be controversial or political. These are the times we live in, and your instinct is right to decline given the composition on your governing body and that the invitation to speak
is coming directly from a congressional office. Local government management jobs are hard enough that you do not need this to be any fodder for your community or governing body.
As I was preparing to send a letter to the state municipal league to alert them of federal cybersecurity funding/resources being cut and the impacts on the community I manage, it occurred to me that perhaps this may be interpreted as me engaging in political activities. To be clear, this communication is meant to alert our professional associations of the impact of the loss of these resources and to ask them, as our advocates, to work to restore this important funding. What do you think?
Your letters addressed to your state municipal league are both factual and professional. The letters are fine to send as-is with the caveat that your governing body is supportive of the organization’s efforts because you would not want to land in hot water. You may have done so already, but I advise you to provide notice to your governing body since you are sending them to the state league. I will explain a few areas that would require you to do some further assessment:
• If you wrote these letters in your capacity as manager directly to federal representatives without your governing body adopting a resolution to ask you to
One
is
ethics advice. Have a conversation with me to ask before you act.
do so or otherwise informing them. The difference here is they are going to the league as a professional association. My recommendation is to have the league advocate for local government needs so one community is not feeling any direct effects from those efforts.
• If the letters were your own personal opinions because these are clear impacts on the community you manage.
• If you have a very divided governing body on this and other federal spending issues, it may not be wise or good timing to write these letters.
One of the benefits of your ICMA membership is free, confidential ethics advice. Have a conversation with me (jcowles@icma.org) to ask before you act. Don’t go at it alone. Keep the questions coming!
Calendar of Events
Emerging Leaders Development Program 2.0
January 27–June 30
Elevate your career with ICMA’s Emerging Leaders Development Program 2.0, a six-month experience designed for early- to mid-level local government professionals aspiring to leadership roles. Through interactive workshops, flexible learning tracks, mentorship, and networking opportunities, participants develop essential skills in adaptive leadership, digital innovation, and community resilience. Build your leadership portfolio, connect with peers, and gain the tools to lead effectively in today’s evolving public sector. Scan to register today!
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Current State of Student Debt and Forgiveness | Savi
November 6 | Free Webinar
Payments Procurement Best Practices to Simplify the Process and Maximize Value | Tyler Technologies
November 6 | Free Webinar
What Is Changing in Public Sector Recruitment, Retention, and Retirement? | MissionSquare
November 12 | Free Webinar
Efficiency, Compliance, and Control: The Case for Modernizing City and County Financial Operations | SAP Concur
November 13 | Free Webinar
Modernizing Budgeting: A
Workforce Revolution: Trends Transforming the Workforce and What You Can’t Afford to Overlook
November 19 | Free Coaching Webinar
The Manager’s Prescription for Curing Leadership Malpractice
November 20 | Webinar
How AI-Powered Budgeting Is Empowering Government | Tyler Technologies
November 25 | Free Webinar
Transformational
Shift to Priority-Based Budgeting
January 14–28
Empower your organization to make smarter funding decisions with Modernizing Budgeting: A Transformational Shift to Priority-Based Budgeting, ICMA’s interactive Priority-Based Budgeting program.
Learn how to align resources with community priorities, create data-driven budgets, and make transparent, strategic decisions that reflect resident needs. Through real-world exercises and expert guidance, you’ll gain the tools you need to turn budgeting into a catalyst for meaningful community impact. Scan to register today!
For a full listing of events and details, visit icma.org/events. Shop all courses at learning.icma.org.
“Why I Give to the Fund” with Bob O’Neill
“I believe we have an obligation to give back to the people, programs, and places that helped us.”
As the ICMA Future of Professional Management Fund turns 40 in 2026, we’re connecting with longtime donors about why they’ve given so much to the fund for so long, their hopes for the future of the profession, and how the fund can support that vision. We spoke with Bob O’Neill, ICMA-CM, about his inspiration to give.
Bob is a former executive director of ICMA and served as city manager of Hampton, Virginia, and county executive for Fairfax County, Virginia. He is currently a fellow and executive in residence at the Riley Center, College of Charleston.
What inspired you to become a donor to the Fund?
Fundamentally, three reasons. First, this is a profession that has been very good to me. I have been able to channel the things that are important to me through both my work and the profession. I have worked in great places, and I believe we have an obligation to give back to the people, programs, and places that helped us.
Second, the work of local government has never been unimportant, but today the efforts of ICMA members and local government professionals are arguably more important than at any time since 1914. Building community, making connections, and fostering great places to live, work, and play help counter the challenges we are experiencing. Especially when people question the value of experience and expertise, professional managers demonstrate the importance every day when serving their communities.
Lastly, there is value to the structure of the council-manager form of government. It may not be right for every community, but it is right for many.
What advice would you give to younger professionals about supporting the Fund and the profession?
As long-term donors and tenured professionals, we should connect with younger members of ICMA about why the Fund should matter to them. Defending the council-manager form of government matters, but in today’s environment, that alone is not sufficient. I think promoting the profession is something we can get more people engaged in, like the work of Life, Well Run.
Given the increasing partisanship and incivility in public dialogue, we must do more to provide personal support and enhance the resilience of local government professionals.
There is extraordinary value in social networks for supporting personal resiliency. We should encourage everyone to leverage ICMA and state associations as much on the personal side as the professional. Contributing to your association through participation, including giving to the Fund, keeps you engaged and helps everyone grow together.
What are your hopes for the Fund given today’s challenges, including political and social change?
Political upheaval is a matter of when and not if, and therefore should be predictable. We need more research around early warning signs for community instability, including managing governing boards. Research on predictive indicators that could help managers navigate the rapid changes and political upheaval in their communities could allow us to be more proactive rather than reactive.
About ICMA’s Future of Professional Management Fund
The Future of Professional Management Fund empowers communities nationwide by advancing professional local government management. The Fund invests in advocacy, education, and leadership development, ensuring the adoption and retention of the council-manager form and professional administration to build public trust, raise public awareness, and cultivate current and future leaders. Contributions directly sustain research, outreach, and support for the vital work that keeps our communities efficient, accountable, and resilient.
Elevate Your Path: Now Accepting Applications for Leadership ICMA 2026
ICMA's flagship members-only program for aspiring leaders is back, launching in April 2026.
Leadership ICMA is an intensive, one-year program designed exclusively for local government professionals who aspire to lead with impact. Through immersive learning, peer networking, and hands-on projects, you’ll strengthen essential competencies in leadership, ethics, team building, communication, equity, innovation, and more.
APPLY BY DECEMBER 5, 2025
Scan to learn more and apply today!
Professionalism, Political Awareness, and the Importance of Asking Questions
BY JOHN DUROCHER
Musings from a career well spent in local government
“Let the public service be a proud and lively career.”
—John F. Kennedy, January 1961
“Public service is a noble calling, and we need men and women of character to believe in their communities, in their states, and in their country.”
—George H.W. Bush, January 1997
“I know that you grew up in a corrupt city, but not all cities are like that. There are communities run by professional, ethical individuals and they are smart, hardworking people who really care about community service. They are members of the Illinois City Management Association. There’s also a national association.”
JOHN DUROCHER served as manager of a number of small towns, several as their first administrator, as well as executive director of the Northwest Water Commission. He is also a former officer in the United States Navy. His superpowers include sarcasm and causing ropes, lines, and cords to get tangled in his presence.
—Barbara Kleisner, Fall 1987
I walked into my first manager gig on May 1, 1989. Then seemingly, all of a sudden, it was January 2023, and I was making the decision to retire. After nearly 800 board meetings (not including planning commission or committee meetings) and 35 budgets, I was spent. As the April elections were looming, I made the decision not to announce my retirement until after the elections. I did not make either of these decisions in a vacuum. In addition to consulting with my wife Barbara, I called Martha Perego, then the ethics guru at ICMA, to discuss the timing of my announcement. She concurred with my thoughts on holding off as I did not want this to be an election issue.
Retirement came in June 2023, and I did not look back. I did the first-year retirement thing—longneglected home projects and a ton of travel. However, the big highlight was looking out my front window with a cup of coffee in hand while watching a snowstorm from the comfort of my living room and not caring
about snow plowing, overtime, or water main breaks. (It was glorious!)
These were things planned way before I retired. Initially, I thought that I would take a couple of months off and get back into the swing of things, perhaps consulting, maybe some interim work, maybe a gig as a greeter at Walmart. None of these happened. The home projects are still ongoing, and I am still traveling. However, I did start to miss the feeling of being in service in organizations that reflect what I hold dear: ILCMA, Rotary International, and the Waldorf School of DuPage. Be careful what you wish for.
Within a month of each other, I found myself involved with all three. I became a senior advisor with the encouragement of my friend and now fellow senior advisor, Robin Weaver, who suggested that I apply. I was honored and a bit humbled to be considered. I applied, and it turns out that I am now one of the three newer senior advisors for ILCMA/ICMA.
Throughout my career, I’ve only worked for small organizations. I never managed a town of more than 6,000 or had a staff of more than 35. In all but one organization, I was the first professional manager (or the first one in 22 years). The work of transitioning an organization to being run by a professional manager was tricky and required patience and a keen sense of what to change at once and what could hold off for the long term. It really helps if the entire council is behind the initiative to have professional management. Outlining the process during the interview/contract negotiating phase is necessary. Getting a handle on expectations is critical.
Engaging in conversation and truly listening to what others have to say can help lessen the barriers in today’s divided world.
Enough of my background. I picked the first two quotes at the beginning of the article as they reflect my views of public service. Only after I picked them did I realize that one was written by a democrat and the other by a republican. To this day, I still believe that true public service is not partisan based but rather for the common good. Though when we take our oath accepting the ICMA Code of Ethics to be apolitical/nonpartisan, it does not mean that we should be unaware of the political climate or unaware of the ramifications of decisions or recommendations that we make. Political awareness is just another way of learning where someone is coming from when looking at the situation from their point of view.
Neither political party has a lock on clever ideas just as neither political party has a lock on bad ideas. I know that this goes against the political reality of today at the state and national levels. And unfortunately, this is starting to creep in at the local level as well. My comments are not the be-all-end-all in words of advice, but my hope is that they might inspire deeper thought on the ICMA Code of Ethics.
I think that the most important thing is to have a reputation for having unimpeachable ethics and a commitment to doing the right thing for the right reason, all the time, even when nobody is looking. To develop a reputation as being a person who gives thoughtful consistent guidance whose statements are based on facts and hard evidence and not what “everybody is saying” at the moment.
I also think that asking probing questions as to why a person has a
particular point of view is necessary. This can be a tough habit to develop, especially when trying not to be confrontational when asking those questions. It really helps if you can ask the questions by being genuinely interested in learning about the other person, their background, and what brings them to the table. This is something that cannot be faked. It is also something that must be honed over time.
Admittedly, this might be a bit easier at the local level than at the state or national levels. But it is just as important and probably a bit more so. Endeavoring to ask the hard questions and attempt to understand one another is a fight that we cannot turn our back on as I believe that service at the local level is the most critical component of our democracy. We do what we do because we believe it to be important. This is not an easy task to say the least.
Democracy is not easy, and compromise is often the only way things can happen. Our country would not exist without it. Remember that several of our country’s founding fathers had to compromise some of their strongest held beliefs for the greater future good and hold certain issues to be fought for later.
Engaging in conversation and truly listening to what others have to say can help lessen the barriers in today’s divided world.
And for those of you who wondered who the third quote was from, it’s from Barbara Kleisner, now
REIMAGINING RETENTION Purpose, Positivity, and the Power to Stay
Practices that strengthen executive retention in local government leadership
BY DR. CORRIN SPIEGEL, ICMA-CM
xecutive continuity in local government isn’t just a paperwork issue or HR statistic; it’s the difference between stability and turmoil for communities. When a city manager, county administrator, or department head leaves, it’s not just an empty office. It means critical projects stall, institutional wisdom walks out the door, and the sense of direction that teams and residents rely on starts to wane. These departures hit staff morale and public confidence in ways that salary spreadsheets rarely capture. The truth is, every leadership transition leaves a mark, not just on the organization, but on the everyday lives of the people that governments serve.
The realities driving this climate of volatility are complex. Local government leaders must negotiate relentless public scrutiny, resource constraints, shifting political currents, and increasing operational demands. These pressures coincide with workforce shortages and ever-rising expectations from both residents and elected officials. Traditional retention tactics—salary adjustments, expanded benefits, or recognition programs—have been deployed with limited success. While these measures are important, they too often fail to address the deeper motivational dynamics underlying executive tenure.
Recent research moves this conversation beyond transactional solutions. It interrogates not only why executives are leaving, but also what enables those who remain to persist, thrive, and lead with vision under strain. The analytical foundation of this research focuses on two distinct yet complementary psychological domains: Public Service Motivation (PSM) and Psychological Capital (PsyCap).
PSM refers to an enduring commitment to serve the public good, often driving individuals to public sector careers despite disproportionate challenges. Executives with strong PSM are drawn to the meaningfulness of their work, deriving satisfaction from advancing the common good, demonstrating compassion, and experiencing a sense of civic duty. In this context,
Every leadership transition leaves a mark, not just on the organization, but on the everyday lives of the people that governments serve.
PSM explains the initial attraction to governmental leadership and the investment of personal energy in navigating the complexities of local administration.
However, this research identifies PsyCap as an equally vital, and perhaps more decisive, predictor of sustained executive retention.
Psychological Capital is a multidimensional construct that encompasses four key psychological resources: hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism (known collectively as HERO). Executives high in PsyCap are not merely idealistic;
they demonstrate a robust ability to set and recalibrate goals, maintain confidence in their ability to overcome obstacles, bounce back from setbacks, and view workplace adversity as temporary and manageable. In short, PsyCap provides the renewable internal resources necessary to transform conviction into sustained engagement, the essential quality required for endurance in turbulent administrative environments.
A quantitative analysis of more than 400 local government senior executives underscores these findings with compelling data. PsyCap demonstrated a considerably
stronger influence on turnover intentions than PSM, accounting for 22.5% of the variance compared to just 4.7% for PSM. To put this in context, even highly motivated leaders, those driven by service, may be at risk of leaving if their psychological resources are depleted. It is the presence of hope, optimism, and efficacy that most powerfully enables executives to persist through adversity and remain committed to their roles. Stepwise regression analysis identified these key subcomponents of PsyCap as the most significant psychological predictors of an executive’s intention to stay or leave, alongside a lesser but still notable effect for PSM’s attraction to policy making. This model ultimately explained nearly one-third of the total variance in turnover intentions among surveyed leaders.
The implications of these findings are profound for both practitioners and policymakers. While PSM remains an important cornerstone for attracting and initially engaging talent in public service, its influence decreases under ongoing hardship if unaccompanied by the presence and cultivation of strong psychological capital. A leader’s capacity for hope, optimism, and resilience shapes their ability to turn organizational values into real, lasting results for the community.
With executive vacancies on the rise and continuity of public services increasingly at risk, these findings call for a fundamental shift in retention strategies. Simply increasing pay or benefits isn’t enough to keep high-level leaders committed and on the job. Lasting retention depends on
Lasting retention depends on fostering the inner resources and workplace culture that truly enable leaders to navigate adversity, sustain engagement, and stay the course.
fostering the inner resources and workplace culture that truly enable leaders to navigate adversity, sustain engagement, and stay the course. The following practices offer a blueprint for transforming these insights into action.
Practices That Strengthen Executive Retention
Sustained retention of executive talent in local government is rarely the result of a single policy or incentive. Instead, it depends on a deliberate approach to cultivating psychological resources, reframing organizational culture, and forging alignment with public service values.
1. Develop Psychological Capital Intentionally
Resilience, optimism, hope, and efficacy are not static traits but learnable, renewable skills. Evidence shows these elements measurably predict executive staying power and
organizations. Executives have a unique role in shaping microclimates that either replenish or exhaust the workforce. This is accomplished by inviting managers and department heads into policy design, not only implementation, fostering true engagement and a sense of shared ownership. Emphasizing and celebrating incremental progress, facilitating collaborative problem-solving, and communicating a clear line of sight from daily work to community impact helps create climates where people want to persist.
effectiveness. Hope manifests as the ability to set clear goals and find alternative pathways when challenges arise, while efficacy is built through mastery and collaborative learning. Optimism enables leaders to see setbacks as temporary, and resilience allows rapid recovery from difficulties.
Investment in these capacities should be prioritized. This can be achieved through structured professional development, evidencebased coaching, mentorship, and intentional recovery practices. Approaches such as executive coaching, peer support, mindfulness, and ongoing leadership training offer practical ways to strengthen psychological capital, preventing depletion in high-stress environments.
2. Cultivate a Culture That
Energizes Culture is continuously shaped by leadership behavior and the stories shared within
These positive microcultures do not emerge by accident— they result from intentional involvement and messaging at every level of leadership. When trusted to influence direction, leaders report deeper commitment and resilience.
3. Normalize Executive Well-Being
Persistent expectations of toughness among senior leaders can create a culture ripe for burnout. It is essential to dispel notions of indefatigability and foster transparency about stress, workload, and recovery. Regular, stigmafree conversations at the executive level about personal and organizational wellbeing help move practices from hidden exhaustion to shared responsibility.
Leaders who model sustainable work habits, not just hard-driving output, send a powerful signal to their teams, legitimizing similar practices for staff across the organization and reducing stigma about self-care.
4. Anchor Recognition in Meaningful Contribution Recognition has greater impact
when tied to purpose rather than perfunctory ceremony.
Senior leaders report that being acknowledged for their role in meaningful, communityfocused outcomes deeply reinforces motivation and resilience. Organizations should move beyond symbolic rewards to highlight how executive work advances real progress for residents and staff, explicitly linking appreciation to core values and lived results.
Purpose-driven recognition strengthens both public service motivation and psychological capital, reinforcing retention not by external reward but by a sense of belonging and effectiveness.
5. Reconnect Regularly with Purpose
Periods of budgetary constraint or political unrest can erode morale and clarity of mission. In such times, organizational
leaders benefit from structured opportunities to revisit and discuss the original motivations that brought them to public service and the ways their work is making a difference. Facilitated reflection on foundational values and review of tangible achievements reinforce a forward-looking identity, fueling engagement even in turbulent conditions.
Setting aside time for these conversations, both individually and collectively, offers executives and their teams a chance to maintain perspective, renew resilience, and stay connected to the long-term vision.
These strategies, drawn from both empirical research and executive insight, underscore that enduring retention involves more than recruitment and compensation. It is about building the psychological and cultural conditions under
which leaders and their teams choose to remain, adapt, and advance the mission of public service, even when challenges mount. By investing in psychological capital, shaping positive cultures, prioritizing executive well-being, grounding recognition in real impact, and frequently reconnecting with purpose, organizations position themselves to preserve and rejuvenate leadership talent for the long term.
Moving Forward: The “Stay Factor” as Civic Mandate
Retention of executive talent in local government isn’t just a personnel matter; it’s become a foundation for community resilience. Every leader who chooses to stay carries forward not only essential services but trust, continuity, and the connective tissue of civic life. When that stability is lost,
the impact ripples far beyond the government building— costs rise, progress fades, and community confidence falters.
This research makes one thing clear: sustaining leadership isn’t about plugging leaks in the pipeline or stacking up incentives. It’s about fueling the day-today capacities—like hope, purpose, and optimism—that allow leaders not just to survive, but to be meaningfully present and engaged despite relentless demands.
Facilitating environments and mindsets that help executives stay—renewed and resilient—is the real lever for bolstering institutional memory, cultural coherence, and public trust. Investing in psychological capital isn’t a side strategy; it’s the heart of modern retention. It takes personal reflection, peer support, and most of all, daring to remind ourselves why leadership in local government is, at its core, an act of hope.
Retention is purpose-driven leadership in action. Your choice—to stay, to keep leading, to keep believing— matters. Your leadership shapes not just what gets accomplished today, but how your community endures tomorrow. Because in the end, communities do not simply need public services. They need public servants—leaders who stay, who dream, who carry the future forward. They need you.
DR. CORRIN SPIEGEL, ICMA-CM, is president and CEO of Arete Strategic, and cohost of AuthentiCity FM podcast.
TACKLING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
TALENT SHORTAGE
Public sector staffing challenges are substantial, but so are the opportunities to overcome them.
BY CAITLIN LEWIS
A Moment of Crisis and Opportunity
America stands at a government workforce crossroads. As the size and scope of the federal government decreases, tens of thousands of public servants with deep expertise are seeking new pathways to apply their talents and commitment to service. This represents a once-in-a-generation chance for local governments to recruit skilled professionals who can strengthen community services at a time when they’re needed most.
The magnitude of this moment is remarkable. At Work for America, we launched Civic Match (workforamerica.org/ civicmatch) to help campaign staff and federal workers typically displaced during administration transitions in public service connect with high-impact local government jobs. Within months, the program exploded in scale and scope. As of fall 2025, Civic Match operates in more than 250 cities across 48 states, engaging more than 11,000 job seekers and 1,000 government hiring managers.
While this influx of talent presents an extraordinary opportunity, state and local governments are already grappling with roughly half a million vacancies and longstanding recruitment challenges that now must be addressed simultaneously. Meanwhile, the retirement of the Baby Boomer generation, combined with shifting career preferences among younger workers, has accelerated critical staffing gaps across the public sector.
If local governments are to serve as the frontlines of service
delivery and adapt to changes at the federal level, they need immediate, practical solutions to their staffing crisis.
To better understand these obstacles and identify effective interventions, we conducted in-depth interviews with
mayors, city managers, chiefs of staff, and people leaders representing jurisdictions that total approximately 780,000 state and local employees, 53.9 million constituents, and a combined annual budget of $533 billion.
representing 20.3 million Americans.1 As retirement-age employees exit the workforce en masse, those who remain are burdened with increasingly unsustainable workloads, leading to burnout and even more vacancies. The numbers paint a stark picture: with less than 7% of full-time civil service workers under the age of 30 (compared to 20% of the overall workforce) and onethird of government workers eligible to retire this year, it’s clear the public sector is hurtling down an unsustainable path.2 The results are real—and really serious:
If local governments are to serve as the frontlines of service delivery and adapt to changes at the federal level, they need immediate, practical solutions to their staffing crisis.
During this research, one public servant shared, “We need to change the narrative on a nationwide level. People look at government and see some form of evil—too big, wasteful, slow, inequitable. Those things can all be true, but there is a core piece of government which is a net good thing and can make you feel really good about contributing to your community.”
These insights sum up the contradictory challenge local governments face today— the public’s perception of government is often marred by negative stereotypes, yet its services are indispensable. From ensuring clean water and safe roads to driving economic development, government work is the backbone of our communities.
What We’re Up Against
One in eight U.S. jobs is in state and local government,
It’s about public safety. In cities like Oakland, Kansas City, Dallas, Boston, and others, we’ve seen lengthy 9-1-1 hold times, with some emergency calls not getting picked up at all. It’s about public health. Jurisdictions from Texas to D.C. to New Hampshire have been forced into boil advisories, sometimes with just one employee managing an entire water and sewer department.
It’s about financial stability. Dozens of municipalities have faced financial reporting delays due to staffing shortages, with some even receiving credit rating downgrades as a result. In Marion, Ohio, such a downgrade prevented the financing of a new emergency services facility the community desperately needed.
Americans feel these impacts nationwide, driving a self-perpetuating narrative of inefficient government, failing democracy, and communities left behind. This not only makes it more difficult to recruit new employees into public sector
roles but also erodes public faith that government can provide for them at all.
5 Key Obstacles to Attracting and Retaining Top Talent
Our conversations revealed several recurring challenges that impede the effective recruitment, hiring, and retention of public-sector talent.
1. Lack of Recruitment Infrastructure
“My wife works in the private sector, and when she needs to hire, she calls their internal recruiters, who give her candidates and schedule the interviews for her. An internal recruiter?! Government doesn’t have that.”
Unlike the private sector, many government agencies lack a standardized approach to recruitment. Hiring managers often start from scratch, writing job descriptions and figuring out where to post them without centralized guidance.
2. Limited Marketing and Brand Identity
“People don’t know what government does—particularly the younger generation. We don’t have a strong employment brand.”
Government agencies are struggling to present themselves as desirable employers at a time when competition for attention is fierce. Having a strong employer brand would help government stand out and convey the unique benefits of public service.
3. Struggle to Convey the Full Value Proposition
“We have barely scratched the surface of being able to crosswalk how benefits work and explain the value of these jobs.
As federal priorities shift, cities and counties have a chance to step up in unprecedented ways — but only if they can find the talent to help them do so.
We need to help people better understand what it means to be in government. We say ‘MM17’ and offer them a ‘Step 1’—we don’t tell them what that means.”
Public sector compensation often lags behind the private sector, particularly for technical roles. However, government jobs offer significant benefits like retirement plans, job security, and work-life balance. These advantages need to be better communicated to potential candidates.
4. Inflexibility
“There has been a massive surge in the way people value themselves and their time and how they want to work, and that’s making it hard to hire.”
The demand for remote and flexible work arrangements has skyrocketed, especially among younger workers. Yet, many government roles require in-person presence, making it difficult to meet these expectations. There’s a need for data to support flexible work arrangements where possible.
5. Civil Service Constraints
“You hear about the civil service exam because you know someone who has done it, and they whisper you the tips and tricks to go through the process. Cops tend to have parents who were cops. We need to place a big focus on reaching more people.”
The civil service system, while merit-based, is often slow and cumbersome, leading to prolonged delays in hiring. Reforming these processes to be more efficient and communicating them appropriately could make government jobs more accessible and appealing.
Creative Solutions Already in Action
The challenges are substantial, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Many cities and states have already implemented creative solutions that—taken together—begin to shape a broader framework for public sector recruitment and hiring.
1. Centralizing Recruitment Efforts: Several agencies have centralized their recruitment and hiring functions, often under a dedicated chief people officer or other senior talent leaders. This approach allows for better data tracking, resource allocation, and the adoption of best practices from the private sector.
2. Developing an “Employer of Choice” Brand: Some governments are working to position themselves as the “employer of choice” in their region by clearly communicating the
benefits of public sector work. This includes conducting compensation studies and executing local recruitment campaigns that express the total value proposition of government careers.
3. Revising Job Narratives: Many are making job descriptions more transparent about salaries, benefits, and the day-to-day realities of the roles. User research is helping to create clear, compelling narratives that attract qualified candidates.
4. Expanding Total Rewards: Some governments are enhancing benefits and rewards by front-loading vacation time, offering signing bonuses, and increasing parental leave. These initiatives help make public sector jobs more competitive.
5. Same-Day Hiring Initiatives: Cities are finding success with same-day hiring events, particularly for roles like 9-1-1 call takers. These events streamline the process, allowing candidates to apply, interview, and receive job offers on the spot.
Gaps and Opportunities for Further Exploration Drawing from the critical needs and creative solutions
Keith Wilson, USDR talent engagement manager.
The next step is to unite these organizations into a cohesive and powerful ecosystem. By coordinating efforts and pooling knowledge, we can create a trusted hub for best practices and innovative solutions. This community would empower leaders and advisors to collaborate more effectively, share resources, and address challenges more swiftly. Additionally, it would enhance the ability of leaders within government to advocate for critical interventions and drive meaningful change.
2. Enhance Recruitment and Hiring
“We want help, but what sometimes happens is that people
to their unique needs. The U.S. Marine Corps, for instance, has mastered recruitment with a gold-standard system that emphasizes mission, pride, and clear pathways to success.3 These principles can be adapted for civil service with impressive results.
Tools like this can help make the process more efficient and streamlined while still maintaining merit-based principles—and giving back valuable time to managers and leadership.
3. Improve Communications and Branding
“We’ve made a concerted effort from a communications and marketing perspective to help people better understand the
include creating marketing campaigns tailored to localities, developing plain language job description templates, and launching programs to highlight the benefits and mission-driven nature of public sector work. Eventually, there will be a need for a dedicated tech platform to showcase job opportunities nationwide and enhance the search engine optimization of local job boards to make them more accessible to job seekers. Ultimately, these efforts could contribute to a national campaign aimed at changing the narrative around government jobs and inspiring all Americans to pursue careers in the public sector.
remain safe, healthy, and prosperous. The stakes may be high, but the people on the ground are ready. It’s time to get to work.
CAITLIN LEWIS is the executive director of Work for America, a nonprofit organization providing hands-on support and resources to local governments, ensuring they can recruit and retain the next wave of public servants.
Building Your Executive Team
Attracting, keeping, supporting, and developing these key players is essential to a well-run organization—and to your own success.
BY ROD GOULD, ICMA-CM, DR. FRANK BENEST, ICMA-CM, AND JAN PERKINS, ICMA-CM
The strength of your executive team may be the biggest factor in whether you are successful as a chief executive. Skill, synergy, and alignment are essential for an effective executive team, which, for the purposes of this article, includes assistant or deputy city or county managers in the organization, as well as department heads. This is sometimes easier said than done. Feeding and weeding the executive team is essential to your success as city manager or county executive.
Even in the smallest cities and counties, the executive does not have the bandwidth, time, or expertise to manage all departments. Highly skilled, professional directors are selected to lead these departments and are responsible for the services, projects, and activities provided by them. Attracting, keeping, supporting, and developing these key executive managers is essential to a well-run organization. They can also make your job satisfying. Importantly, a highperforming executive team is critical for effectively addressing the adaptive challenges that cut across department silos and often have no right or wrong solutions—but rather the need to find the right ones for that organization and community at that time. Some of these adaptive issues include homelessness, affordable
As the chief executive leading the organization and head of your executive team, you first must know what you stand for. What are your values? Do you practice the ICMA Code of Ethics? Do you state what you expect of your executive team members? Are you an “each department head for themselves” chief executive or a “we are fully one team and I expect us all to act that way” leader?
If you are the “one-team” type, then what are the behaviors you expect of your executive team? For your team to function as a unit, all team members need to understand your values and expectations. Can you state what they are?
Assess Your Team
Upon accepting a position as a city or county manager, whether being promoted from inside or coming from another organization, one of your first tasks is to get to know your department heads. This means spending significant time learning what is important to them, their aspirations, experiences, current challenges, support needs, leadership and communication styles, and a bit about their lives outside of work. As you start, assume good intent of all and expect that they are competent professional executives. The reality may be that you are probably dealing with a mixture of competencies and leadership
abilities. But first, see for yourself and expect everyone to shine.
Over time as you work with your team members and hear observations about them from others, you will begin to develop a sense of each of them. Where do they excel and what are their limitations?
Individuals who comprise an executive team are often one of three types:
1. Top Performers: Top directors who have the drive, expertise, and skills to operate their departments with little of your involvement while consistently delivering strong results. These are also ones who work well with others, do not only think about their own departments, and tend to be the “go-to” directors with whom others wish to work.
These department directors just need your focused listening, encouragement, and general support. They will perform at high levels consistently without requiring much of your time.
2. Adequate and Growing: These are directors who possess basic competency, yet need coaching, guidance, and significant assistance to generate good results in their departments. This group is comprised of people who want to do the right thing, have potential, and need more development.
Directors in this group may benefit from more check-ins than the first group, additional training, and occasional course corrections to get acceptable results. Some may become top-tier managers over time with support and coaching. Some may not but will continue to perform sufficiently in their role.
3. Multiple Problems: This group is comprised of
department directors who are poorly suited for their positions for any number of reasons. These are the ones you find delivering subpar performance and may even be causing turmoil within the organization. They often do not get along well with others, typically demand a disproportionate amount of your attention in cleaning up their problems, and do not lead their departments in a way that delivers results.
When you find that coaching, training, and clear instructions do not change behaviors, it’s probably time to acknowledge the individual is not a good fit for the job. Your responsibility, as difficult as it may be in the moment, is to put the organization first and move the person out.
Making the decision to let a department head go can be easy to postpone. It is far better for all involved to make the hard decision and move ahead. Time doesn’t make it any easier and prolongs the negative effects of poor performance on the staff and community. If you don’t take action, your ability to lead is likely to suffer. Keep in focus the question, “Will the organization be better off without this person?” If so, act with compassion and clarity and move on.
Recruit Great Talent
The wisdom of surrounding yourself with people smarter than you can serve you well as you build and assess your team. Recruiting or promoting a high performer into the vacant department position is your chance to strengthen the team for years to come. Get it right. Don’t settle for any applicant who doesn’t appear highly likely to thrive and
succeed in your organization. Recruit again if necessary.
As you recruit and promote, be intentional about what sort of executive team you are building. It is rarely wise to have all people who think or look like each other. Rather, having diversity on your executive team brings a variety of viewpoints and experiences to the table. Decisions and solutions that are informed by a wider range of perspectives can lead to more lasting results. As the chief executive, you can lead with the intention that divergent views are valued and that “group think” is not going to solve the emerging problems our local governments are facing.
Underrepresented groups see a diverse team as proof that hard work and skills can result in promotion to influential positions, thus expanding the talent pool. The community sees reflection of more of its diversity in the city leadership, which conveys legitimacy and builds trust. Who you hire reflects your values in many ways.
As a chief executive, you need team members with character and the courage to tell you when they think you are about to walk off a cliff.
Teamwork Is Nonnegotiable
Having an all-star team of individual performers may sound great, but it is not the best benchmark. To truly get big things done, what is needed is the championship team that functions as a whole—the team that plays best together. Set this as an expectation.
Model your value of excellent group work, with plenty of opportunity for people to disagree with each other in coming up with solutions to complex problems. Don’t be in a rush to offer the answer to a question in the executive team meeting. Let the team work it out. You will be amazed at what you learn. Also, do not let one person dominate the discussion and exclude divergent views. The best results often come from challenging the easy answers or the first ideas in getting to the solution that will actually make a difference.
Meet regularly with your department heads as a group to debrief after governing body meetings as well as to discuss priority issues that cross multiple individual departmental missions. Get the team comfortable with everyone offering suggestions on policy and program areas for the benefit of the whole, regardless of individual responsibilities. Work against the silo effect.
If you value a “one team” approach, then that also means that all team members should welcome their colleagues’ opinions offered in good faith about each other’s department’s efforts—in the spirit of doing important things for the organization. No department is an island, and the team should reflect the spirit of the collective.
Your department heads are smart people with considerable life experiences and knowledge of the community served. Use the team as your brain trust. They will enhance your decision-making if you let them.
This is particularly true at budget time. While it is understandable that each department will wish to advocate for the maximum resources or minimum cuts for his or her department, remind them that they are all stewards of the organization and the community as well as subject matter experts. Ask the executive team to grapple with the various budget options to come up with a recommendation that can be supported by the whole team for council/ board policymaking. This can be difficult, but it builds muscle memory for better group decision-making and strengthens the team. Encourage the department heads to attend training, conferences, and professional organization meetings to keep up with best practices and new innovations in their fields. Support their leadership in professional organizations. Use the department heads in internal training offerings for staff. Build the bench and invest in new knowledge for multiple collateral benefits.
Nurture team spirit by providing avenues for the department heads to work together and get to know one another. Task forces and special committees are good platforms. Holding a lunch once a month of just the department heads and yourself with the rule that no government business can be discussed is a good way to build ties amongst the
team. Research indicates that high-performing teams spend 25% more time talking about personal non-work topics than lesser-performing groups.1 Celebrate successes together and be generous with praise and encouragement. Buffer your department heads from governing body politics as much as possible to allow them to focus on their jobs. Stick up for them publicly when they are attacked. Be supportive when they are struggling with work or life issues. You will be well rewarded. Their success is your success and vice versa. Take care of the team and the team will look out for you.
Develop a First-Team Mindset
Earlier we discussed the “oneteam” approach: all members of the executive team viewing the organization as one team, and they as department directors modeling that for their staff. The “first-team” mindset takes it one step further. Often, department directors come to the executive group with a “second-team” mindset. They regard their department as their first team and thus advocate for the needs of their department
and the resources desired by their units. A first-team mindset is when department heads arrive at an executive team meeting, and everyone sees their primary affiliation as a member of that higher-level management group. With a first-team mindset, department directors view issues through the lens of the chief executive and are leading the whole organization.
First-team members at the executive level suspend their primary advocacy role of stressing the needs of the groups that they represent and take on a big-picture view and larger strategic role for the organization. By presenting adaptive challenges cutting across separate functions and creating an environment conducive for the executive team to grapple with developing collaborative approaches, you can slowly help develop a first-team mindset for the executive group.2
The True Test of Loyalty Loyalty from our department heads is not just about them saying yes. Avoid having people on your team who operate just on the surface, keep their head down, or are flatterers. As a chief executive, you need team members with character and courage to tell you when they think you are about to walk off a cliff. Department heads who do not do that are actually not doing their entire job. They have a responsibility to come to you, close the door, and directly tell you when they think you’re making a mistake. These department directors are priceless.
Your Executive Team Is Your Legacy
The measure of success in your career is not the number of plaques on your wall, service
awards, balanced budgets, or capital projects with your name displayed on them. Your legacy is the strength of the teams you build along the way. How the department heads work together, especially in your absence, tells the tale of what kind of leader you are. Use every chance to strengthen and support the team you lead. Express your appreciation to them. Building your team is likely to be your greatest contribution as a city or county manager.
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. He resides in Palo Alto, California. (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)
LIVING WHERE YOU LEAD
The
impact
of residency and residency requirements on the recruitment and retention of the city manager
BY MITCHELL BERG, PhD, HEIDI VOORHEES, AND IAN JAMES
In writing this article, we heard from a few managers who told us they had either chosen purposefully to quit their jobs, not apply for jobs, or withdrew a job offer due to an inability to find housing, the inability to relocate due to their spouse or significant other, or the impact the job would impose on their children as barriers to applying for a municipality with a residency requirement.
Conversely, we also heard from several managers who felt that living in the community they manage gave them greater
insight into local issues and increased credibility with their elected officials and residents. Many expressed that residing in the community also helps them stay connected with residents, as they are affected equally with residents and elected officials in their decisions.
In this first of a two-part article on how residency requirements affect the recruitment and retention of city managers and administrators, we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of cities imposing residency requirements, a brief history of how residency requirements became part of the HR fabric, the number of states that mandate or allow communities to set such requirements, and the influence that residency requirements have on attracting and keeping city managers and administrators.
A 2006 International Public Management Association for Human Resources report found that mandating residency requirements increased the likelihood for their employees, such as their city managers/ administrators, to become more invested in the community, make more conscious decisions, and be more likely to interact with community officials and residents.1
In a 2017 PM magazine article on residency recommendations, Steven Vinezeano makes several supporting arguments for residency requirements among public employees, including that they enable them to take a greater interest in the results of their work and increase public confidence.2
According to a University of Wisconsin Extension article and PA Times article,, the disadvantage of requiring
Many states enable their municipalities to impose a residency requirement on the CAO, and in some cases, their department heads.
residency is that, although preferred by elected officials, it may decrease the number of interested applicants.3
Additional research suggests that not only is the applicant pool more limited, but that residency could also lead to a less qualified pool of candidates. Also, the effect of residency on a city manager can result in a poor work-life balance, which may negatively impact retention.
Understanding the early history and reasoning behind residency requirements can also explain why some states and municipalities mandate that their chief appointed officers reside in their community.
According to a 1983 article by Peter Eisinger, “Municipal Residency Requirements and the Local Economy,” residency requirements originated from the early machine era and spoil system, where elected officials often rewarded their neighbors with public sector jobs for supporting their election.3,4 Therefore, the civil service and reform movement
made significant efforts to eliminate and repeal those laws in order to establish the city manager/administrator as a career profession.5
However, by the 1970s, municipalities again began to impose broader residency requirements on their employees. During that decade, larger cities and those with declining economies were more likely to require residency for economic reasons to help address their communities’ distress. Even today, many states enable their municipalities to impose a residency requirement on the chief administrative officer, and in some cases, their department heads.
Four states have outright banned residency requirements: Georgia, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio. The remaining 46 states either allow municipalities to impose residency requirements, permit only home-rule or charter communities to enact residency requirements, or impose a distance requirement of how far a manager can live from the city where they work.
Having explored the reasoning behind why municipalities impose a residency requirement and the states and jurisdictions that can or cannot impose one, we now focus this article on the results of our nationwide survey on the impact of residency and non-residency requirements on recruitment and retention within the city management profession.
With the assistance of several ICMA state chapters, Indiana University’s Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Heidi Voorhees from MGT Consulting, and Ron Holifield from SGR Consulting, a
26-question survey was distributed using the online platform Qualtrics through email blasts and social media. A total of 446 city managers responded to the study.
Survey Results
Of those who completed the survey, here are some of the initial findings:
• Regarding the type of community they managed, 30% identified as municipal managers or administrators of rural areas, 57% as suburban, and 13% as part of urban communities.
• Concerning the size of the community where they worked, 5% were from municipalities with 100,001 or more residents, 11% from those with 50,001–100,000 residents, 16% from municipalities with 25,001–50,000 residents, 28% with 10,001–25,000 residents, and 40% from municipalities with fewer than 10,000 residents.
• Regarding tenure, 9% had one year or less, 9% between one and five years, 44% between five and 10 years, and 22% had 10 or more years.
• When asked whether the manager lived in their community, 52% answered “Yes,” and 48% responded “no.”
• Of those who responded “yes” to having lived in the community, when asked if the community they worked in had a residency requirement, 57% answered “yes,” and 43% responded “no.”
The remaining questions aimed to explore some of the earlier reasons regarding the pros and cons of living in a community where someone is the manager. Some of
When asked whether a residency requirement ever discouraged a manager from applying for a position, 48% said “yes.”
these questions revealed the following:
• When asked how well a manager understands their community and constituents’ needs, the results showed that 90% of those who live in the municipality they managed responded “very” favorable to “slightly” favorable, compared to 83% of city managers who do not live in the same community where they work.
• When asked whether a manager believes their local elected officials view their residence in the community favorably or unfavorably, city managers who live in the community reported that 89% perceived a “very” to “slightly” favorable view from their mayor and council. In contrast, only 14% of city managers who do not reside in the community feel their elected officials have a “very” to “slightly” favorable view of them not living there.
• When asked whether a residency requirement ever discouraged a manager from applying for a position, 48% said “yes.”
• Regarding retention and community residency requirements, responses were nearly evenly split; those reporting a residency requirement indicated that 5% had been in their position for less than a year, 38% for 1–5 years, and 56.6% for five or more years. Among those
not in a community with a residency requirement, 7% were in their position for less than a year, 36% for 1–5 years, and 56.5% for five or more years.
• The results when asked if they live in the community where they work (not necessarily due to a residency requirement) show that in this group, 6.5% had been in their position for less than a year, 38% for 1–5 years, and 56.7% for five or more years. Conversely, among those not living in the community, 7% were in their position for less than a year, 36% for 1–5 years, and 35.1% for five or more years.
Finally, when asked about the reasons why residency negatively affected a manager’s decision to apply, accept, or stay in their position, the most common responses, listed from most to least frequent, are housing costs, children needing to change schools or the difficulty in finding childcare, the political instability of the elected body, a partner’s inability to find a suitable job, and the (poor) quality of the school system.
What Is the Data Telling us?
Residency and residency requirements for the municipality’s chief appointed officer have positive and negative aspects.
On the positive side, the survey results show that city managers who live in the community they serve are viewed more favorably by elected officials than those who live outside that community. Managers also believe that living in the community gives them a better chance to be more visible, helps them understand their needs more effectively, and allows for better connections with residents. They also feel that interacting with elected officials and constituents can be easier because they know firsthand the community’s conditions.
Additional comments from the survey indicate that, as with the residents, the manager is affected in the same way—whether through taxes, service delivery, or land-use decisions—and sharing the same experiences as other residents means the manager becomes a stakeholder in the outcomes being made, which can create greater accountability and credibility with the residents. Another comment from the survey notes that the council views you as a longterm partner when you live in the community.
The adverse effect of residency and residency requirements from the survey aligns with the non-survey data, indicating that a municipality requiring residency may result in fewer applicants for the top position. This shortage of candidates can also harm the quality of the hiring pool.
Specifically, the comments from the survey responses mentioned that the lack of privacy and proper worklife balance are barriers for managers who have or have declined to take a position with a residency requirement.
Others noted that residency requirements limit the number and quality of applicants due to various factors, including but not limited to the inability of a manager to relocate because of the cost or difficulty of selling a house, difficulty for a partner to find a suitable job, and as previously mentioned, the lack of privacy and work-life balance.
The survey also examined how residency affected their tenure. The results measured the difference between managers who voluntarily chose to live in the community they served and those who were required to live in the community. The results showed that those who voluntarily or were required to reside in their community tended to have a longer tenure, especially for those managers who have remained in their position for five years or more.
Strategies to Enhance the Recruitment and Retention of the Local Manager Position
Again, this article does not take a position for or against residency requirements, especially since many managers have little control over this issue. However, when recruiting qualified talent, enough data supports the idea that residency requirements can decrease the number of applicants. This is important, given that a 2024 MissionSquare report showed that filling executive-level local management positions was 42% more difficult, only slightly less challenging than filling firefighter/emergency medical or IT roles.6
When recruiting candidates, 48% of the managers who responded to this survey indicated they had not applied for a manager position within a municipality requiring
Consider language such as, “Residency in the community is desired, but not mandatory.”
residency. Furthermore, one survey respondent expressed concern that a residency requirement might unintentionally be discriminatory against people of color or based on sex.
Additionally, this article does not necessarily need to focus only on the chief appointed official; the data also supports the challenges of recruiting and retaining middle management and front-line employees required to reside in the community.
Therefore, instead of mandating residency requirements, municipalities should reconsider removing such mandates and, if legally permissible, consider implementing a residency requirement within a certain radius or offering incentives for employees to relocate to their community. These incentives could include a salary bonus or a low-interest or forgivable housing loan to facilitate relocation.
Actionable Recommendations
1. When considering whether to eliminate a residency requirement, first assess whether the current
requirement has been (or could be) a barrier to recruiting and retaining the most talented and qualified candidates. If it has, identify and evaluate the obstacles, then develop a new policy to address them.
For example, if the municipality is an isolated rural community with fewer than 1,000 residents, even replacing a residency requirement with one that mandates the manager to live within 15 miles might still create a greater barrier than imposing a 15-mile radius requirement on a large city with more than 100,000 residents.
2. Be realistic about housing costs. Many elected bodies consist of residents who bought their homes decades ago. It is important to stay informed about current housing costs and the variety of available housing.
3. Be proactive when revising or removing any policy, as many communities find that their residency language, if included in their charter, is a significant hiring barrier.
4. Removing a residency requirement does not have to be an all-or-nothing approach. If legally permitted, consider offering employees incentives to live in the community, such as a low-interest or forgivable home loan, daycare subsidy, or relocation bonus. Also, consider language such as, “Residency in the community is desired, but not mandatory.”
Additionally, the survey results indicated that one out of every four city managers or administrators felt that they had a “very poor” or “poor” work-life balance. Several comments specifically cited this as a
contributor to not wanting to reside in the community where one works, as well as an overall job challenge. As a result, in the second part of this article, we will focus on the impact and solutions for maintaining a healthy work-life balance, especially for those managers and administrators who either reside or are required to reside within their community.
MITCHELL BERG, PhD, is a clinical assistant professor at Indiana University’s Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
HEIDI VOORHEES is a former village manager and consultant and is now retired. She serves as a volunteer coach through the ICMA Coach Connect program and continues to write and speak on issues pertaining to local government.
IAN JAMES is a recent graduate of the IU Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs program and is currently completing an internship in the town management office of Plainfield, Indiana.
Anchoring the Profession through ICMA Student Chapters
Securing the future of local government management through mentorship, networking, and community building
The “silver tsunami,” the “gray wave,” and numerous other allusions have all been used to describe the transformational shift our local government workforce now faces as the last of the baby boomers and a majority of Generation X set sail toward retirement. Nautical wordplay aside, a new generation—millennials like me, with Gen Z right behind us—is rising to take the helm and steer the profession forward. Yet this defining transition poses a pressing question: who will follow in our wake and how do we keep them in the profession? One solution may be closer than you think: your local ICMA student chapter.
BY BRANDON FORD
A Profession in Crisis: Who Comes Next?
Workforce retention and recruitment in local government have long been a challenge, one that has only intensified in the post-pandemic era as remote work and the rise of AI continue to reshape workplace expectations and career choices. Anchoring the future of local government management requires more than simply filling today’s vacancies or supporting the development of current entry- and mid-level professionals. The profession must look outward, intentionally cultivating those who have yet to enter the field—the next generation of local government leaders. Internships are a valuable tool in advancing this goal, but on their own they lack the scale and reach necessary to secure the long-term future of the profession. ICMA student chapters open the door to a broader, more enduring pipeline of emergent leaders, engaging dozens of prospective professionals at a time, fostering longterm interest in the field, and forging a powerful sense of community and shared purpose among their members.
As ICMA members, we have a duty to strengthen and sustain the field.
Launched in 2010 as part of ICMA’s Next Generation initiative, the student chapter program was created to attract rising talent and strengthen early- and mid-career development by connecting students who share an interest in local government with one another and with experienced practitioners. Today, the program has grown to more than 140 ICMA student chapters worldwide, representing more than 1,000 student members. Many of these chapters host numerous events throughout the year and actively participate in state and national conferences, giving
student members invaluable opportunities to expand their bourgeoning networks, learn directly from practitioners, and gain a deeper understanding of the profession. ICMA student chapters represent a promising talent pool that has yet to be fully leveraged and could very well be one of the keys to securing the next era of local government professionals.
Charting a Course with Villanova’s ICMA Student Chapter
I first came across the ICMA student chapter program more than a decade ago at a moment of transition in my
own life when I was searching for direction and a sense of purpose. In 2013, I stumbled upon the field of public administration, discovered my passion for local government management, and made the momentous decision to change careers. The fear and uncertainty of that transition were compounded by my own internalized anxiety: I didn’t know anyone in the field, nor did I have a clear sense of how to take the first step in building a brand-new professional network. Fortunately, my advisor—who also served as the faculty advisor for the ICMA student chapter at
Villanova University, where I was pursuing my master of public administration degree— encouraged me to get involved with the chapter.
My time as a member of Villanova University’s ICMA student chapter, including my tenure as chapter president in 2015–2016, provided me with both guidance in navigating a new career path and a strong sense of community that supported my growth along the way. Through the chapter, I found a structured way to connect with peers and learn from seasoned local government professionals, transforming the uncertainty I once carried into a clear calling and a deeper sense of purpose. The relationships I built and the mentorship I received during that period became the foundation of my professional journey into local government management, opening doors for internships, conference opportunities, and lasting connections within the field.
Today, I am proud to call many of my former classmates and chapter members colleagues, and I take great comfort in knowing that the bonds we forged have strengthened our growth and capabilities as professionals, leaving local government management in our region stronger for it.
Strengthening the Profession through ICMA Student Chapters
The ICMA student chapter program represents a dynamic, yet largely underutilized pipeline of emerging talent. These chapters bring together students whose curiosity and growing passion for public service are just beginning to take shape and whose growth depends on the guidance of those already leading in the field. By actively engaging with ICMA student chapters, today’s professionals can nurture that passion and ignite the kind of inspiration that lasts well
It is our responsibility as current practitioners to nurture, guide, and empower these emerging leaders.
beyond the classroom.
After graduating with my MPA from Villanova in 2016 until I joined Lower Merion Township in mid-2023, I must admit that I gave little time or thought to the idea of giving back to the chapter and program that had been so instrumental in launching my career in local government. As I suspect is the case with countless other public administrators who care but have not extensively engaged the next generation, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, workplace and
family commitments consumed my time and attention. That dynamic changed with my move to Lower Merion in 2023, and a chance reacquaintance with the Villanova ICMA student chapter.
When Alexandra (Allie) Garrett and Mia Badman, two newly enrolled MPA students and the freshly elected leaders of the Villanova ICMA student chapter, reached out they weren’t just looking for advice. They wanted to hear from someone who had once stood exactly where they were—uncertain
but eager, full of questions about what it really meant to step into the field of local government management. For them, connecting with a program alum, former student chapter president, and practitioner working just three miles away from the Villanova University campus must have felt like a tremendous chance to bridge classroom lessons and real-world experience in the profession. What struck me most, however, was that their outreach wasn’t just about their own growth. They were thinking bigger, seeking to create opportunities that would benefit their classmates and strengthen the chapter as a whole, ensuring the support they received would ripple outward to others. In that moment, I realized their initiative was also a call to me—to re-engage, to give back, and to help anchor the profession with the same kind of support that once meant so much in my own journey. That initial touchpoint did in fact ripple; it fostered a stronger connection, one that had been weakened since the pandemic, between the Villanova ICMA student chapter and the local council of governments, the state local government management association, and countless municipalities across the Philadelphia suburbs. This reinvigorated relationship has resulted in expanded professional networks, increased student attendance at conferences, and new colleagues in the field. Both Allie and Mia are now full-time municipal employees in nearby communities.
Same Message, New Student Chapters
One of the main motivations behind my decision to seek a position on the ICMA
Executive Board was a desire to amplify the message of engaging our ICMA student chapters and investing in the next generation of professionals. Serving as one of ICMA’s Northeast Regional vice presidents has given me the incredible opportunity to do just that: sharing my own story, encouraging others to get involved, and helping to strengthen the pipeline of emerging talent that will carry our profession forward. And the impact is evident.
Just last year, I was able to reconnect with former Villanova student chapter classmate Dr. Adam Kuczynski, who recently joined the faculty at Seton Hall University. Together, we worked to guide students in launching a brandnew student chapter at Seton Hall, the first and currently only student chapter in New Jersey. The chapter’s formation has already welcomed nearly two dozen student members, who will undoubtedly benefit from ICMA’s local and national networks, mentorship opportunities, and the wide array of other professional resources available to members. This achievement was a fullcircle moment for me that
underscored just how powerful ICMA student chapter connections can be, not only for students but for the profession as a whole.
A Call to Action: Anchoring the Profession
I share my story and experience not only as a powerful testament to the incredible value that the ICMA student chapter program offers, but also as a call to action to my fellow practitioners. As ICMA members, we have a duty to strengthen and sustain the field. The challenges our profession faces from the tidal wave of retirements and post-pandemic shifts in workforce expectations make securing the future of local government management an essential priority. By engaging with ICMA student chapters, current professionals have the opportunity not only to mentor and guide the next generation but also to infuse the field at scale with fresh perspectives, new ideas, and renewed energy.
The passion and commitment demonstrated by Allie and Mia of the Villanova Chapter, Adam and the students of the new Seton Hall
Chapter, as well as the students I have encountered from SUNY Brockport, Arizona State, the University of Pennsylvania, and chapters across Florida and beyond, represent the future of our field. It is our responsibility as current practitioners to nurture, guide, and empower these emerging leaders. The connections we make today will shape the managers of tomorrow, anchoring the future of local government management and leaving a lasting impact on the communities we serve. Every conversation, mentorship, and opportunity we provide strengthens the foundation of our field, reminding us that the growth and vitality of local government management as a profession is a shared responsibility, one that begins with fostering the talent, curiosity, and passion of those who will follow in our footsteps.
BRANDON FORD
is assistant township manager of Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, USA, and serves as ICMA Northeast regional vice-president.
Let’s Think Differently About Why Local Government Can’t Think Differently, Part 2
In this response to Part 1, we contemplate the challenges preventing innovation in the public sector.
Background
In the January 2025 issue of PM, I published an article titled, “Let’s Think Differently About Why Local Government Can’t Think Differently.” The article lists four reasons or barriers:
1. How our brains work.
2. We are a monopoly.
3. Our culture and government model.
4. Our lack of leadership.
At the end of each section, which articulated my reasoning and arguments, I posed a question:
1. If everyone’s brains generally work the same, then why is the private sector more creative and innovative than the public sector?
2. How does local government overcome its monopolistic lack of incentives and become more innovative?
3. How do we go about changing our deep-seated risk-averse culture and our old government model?
4. How does our profession recruit and develop more leaders?
BY
ED EVERETT, ICMA-CM
This article is a response to my January 2025 article. To fully understand this article, it would be helpful to read the January 2025 article at bit.ly/4h0f9h1 or by scanning the QR code on the following page.
Introduction
I tried a new approach in the January 2025 article by asking readers to respond to my questions so I could “crowd source” their answers. I only asked for brief replies, no more than a few sentences. What happened to the experiment?
It was a spectacular failure, as I received only five responses, none of which were from current city or county managers. Only three active local government employees responded, resulting in a .06% response rate.
The five respondents identified the following barriers to local government being more innovative: (1) ineffective programs and procedures, (2) state and federal government rules, (3) managing from crisis to crisis, (4) lack of rewards
for successful innovation, (5) no seed money, (6) it all starts and ends with leadership, and (7) elected officials must start demanding more innovation.
What Does This Response Rate Say About Our Profession?
I love the local government profession and think we provide valuable and indispensable services. I also loved being a city manager and strived to make my community thrive, as do you.
I wrote the “Let’s Think Differently About…” series in PM because I believe our profession needs to think differently and be more innovative if we want to have a greater impact on our communities and earn trust in our divided society. In the January 2025 article, I assert that no individual, organization, or team can significantly improve their performance until they acknowledge their weaknesses and failures. There are several possible reasons why we and our professional
organizations resist discussing our weaknesses and failures and how we can overcome them.
• We don’t think our profession has any significant failings.
• We think is it more important to talk about our successes versus our failings.
• We are afraid of or uncomfortable about being critical of our profession.
• We don’t believe that we need to acknowledge our weaknesses to improve performance.
• We believe we have weaknesses and failures but don’t know what to do about them, so we remain silent.
Where Do We Go from Here?
Let’s start with a basic, foundational question: Is local government less innovative, less creative, more risk averse, and more status quo–oriented than the private sector?
My answer to this question is an emphatic yes! Most, but certainly not all, private sector organizations are more
Read Part 1 here.
creative and innovative than the public sector. My response is based on more than 35 years working in local government with 24 of those years as a city manager. After retirement I spent 15 years training, consulting, coaching, and writing about our profession, plus five years working for a tech start-up. Since “crowd sourcing” didn’t work, I was curious how AI would answer, so I posed the same question to perplexity.ai and this was its response: “Current research suggests that city and county organizations often face greater challenges in fostering innovation and creativity compared to the private sector.” It cited some key factors that influence innovation in the public sector, including risk aversion, cultural challenges, and structural and financial constraints. It also cited some opportunities for improvement, including:
• Leveraging private-sector methodologies.
• Building workplace cultures that encourage risk-taking while balancing accountability.
• Collaborating with private entities to bridge gaps in expertise and resources. It would be crucial to know how ICMA would answer this question. If their answer to this foundational question is no, then it is time for me to shut up. If the answer is yes, then we need to consider why and determine what we can do about it.
Some Possible Answers to My Questions in the Original Article
Since the response rate to my questions was so low and hence there was no crowd sourcing, I have provided my own thoughts. I also posed the first three questions to perplexity.ai and have provided those AI responses as well.
1. If all our brains work the same to form patterns, repetition, and habits, then why is the private sector more creative and innovative than the public sector?
• Local government’s hiring process could be attracting individuals who are more interested in security, consistency, and stability than individuals attracted to the private sector.
• The public sector doesn’t seem to seek out and hire risk takers.
• Local government doesn’t have carrots or sticks to motivate employees to disrupt our status quo culture.
• Most elected officials and top executives are risk averse, which permeates their culture.
AI Response: “The private sector’s greater creativity and innovation compared to the public sector can be attributed to several factors, even though all human brains form patterns, habits, and routines similarly: incentives and competitive pressure, risk aversion in the public sector, cultural differences, resource allocation, and leadership dynamics.”
I believe our profession needs to think differently and be more innovative if we want to have a greater impact on our communities and earn trust in our divided society.
2. How does local government overcome our monopolistic lack of incentives to become more innovative?
• ICMA could collaborate with state leagues, think tanks, and foundations like the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation to research potential effective incentives, and market and assist local government to implement these incentives.
• Local government must implement these incentives to encourage and reward innovation.
• ICMA and state leagues/ affiliate organizations should consider honoring, identifying, and showcasing elected officials who have endorsed and implemented innovation. This would be similar to how ICMA honors and rewards outstanding city managers.
• Is there a legitimate way to create a “stick” by providing a ranking of local governments who fail some basic, generally accepted innovation guidelines?
AI Response: “The private sector’s ability to innovate stems from external pressures (competition), internal cultural practices (disruption), and resource availability to encourage risk-taking and creativity. In contrast, the public sector’s monopolistic structure, risk aversion, and rigid routines inhibit similar levels of innovation. Overcoming these barriers will require fostering a culture of experimentation, courageous leadership, and rethinking incentives within government organizations.”
3. How do we change local government’s deep-seated risk-averse culture and our old government model?
• First, we must admit that this is our existing culture before we can change it.
• We must eliminate our “bitch and fix” model and replace it with a “partnership” model.1
• ICMA and state leagues could devote more articles, research, and forums to
addressing our existing risk-averse nature and best practices to break through this culture.
• ICMA could consider providing one keynote speaker at every conference who is able to call out our profession’s weaknesses and challenge us to rethink and remake our culture.
• Top executives need to speak out in articles, conferences, social media, and podcasts about our shortcomings and what we should do differently.
• ICMA’s new Innovation Bootcamp is an excellent example of how our professional organizations are starting to address this issue.2
AI Response: “Local governments often operate within a deeply ingrained risk-averse culture that stifles innovation and creativity. Addressing this issue requires:
• A multifaceted approach that targets structural, cultural, and leadership challenges.
• Understanding root causes: structural factors, cultural norms, and leadership gaps.
• Steps to foster change: model courageous leadership, promote transparency and accountability, invest in workforce development, break down silos, and shift public perceptions.
Key challenges include:
• Overcoming fear of failure among staff and elected officials.
• Balancing the need for innovation with accountability requirements.
profession recruit, develop, and promote more leaders?
• We need quality research to learn if those with leadership potential are more drawn to the private sector than the public sector and, if so, why.
• ICMA and state leagues should consider expanding their valuable training programs to provide more leadership training, which differs from managerial training.
• We need a better understanding of how organizations can recognize potential leaders earlier so they can develop and promote them sooner.
• State leagues and senior city managers need to convince elected officials that their city/county would be more successful if they hired strong, dynamic leaders who are passionate about innovating rather than just capable managers.
pursuing public policy.
Our Challenge
To ICMA: Address the foundational question: Is local government less innovative, less creative, and more risk averse and status quo–oriented than the private sector? If so, then what do you recommend we start doing differently and what additional steps can you take to help us become more innovative and creative?
To the wise elders in the profession: It is time to weigh in. We need your voice, experience, ideas, and wisdom. We need your leadership on this issue.
To state leagues and affiliated organizations: You are closer to elected officials and need to play a big part in educating them on the fact that small beta test mistakes are necessary for their organization to be innovative. You are our profession’s best hope in convincing
threatened by hiring strong, You have a responsibility to raise your voice and address this issue within your own organization.
organization and council by being more innovative and
To the younger stars in We need you to push the rest of us to
We need your new thoughts, ideas, and courage to push
of us must get out of our comfort zone to challenge both our profession and our individual organizations to face our weaknesses and failures. We must change our own organization’s culture to become more creative and innovative to better serve our communities and earn their trust.
If you are moved to respond to me, please do so. This discussion must begin somewhere, or we will forever delude ourselves about how well local government is doing.
2 The next ICMA Innovation Bootcamp begins February 17, 2026. Stay tuned for more information. ED EVERETT, ICMA-CM, is a retired city manager (everetted@comcast.net).
BY ANDREW KLEINE
How Gainsharing Allowed Baltimore to B’more Efficient
Baltimore’s gainsharing experiment shows how government efficiency can be a win-win
It’s not every day that a Baltimore mayor visits the city’s fleet garage—in fact, it’s practically unheard of. So when Mayor Catherine Pugh showed up on February 15, 2019, along with a gaggle of other downtown dignitaries, the wrench turners (that’s shop-speak for automotive technician) were anxious. Their anxiety turned to delight when she presented an oversized check in the amount of $444,750.67 made out to “Department of General Services Fleet Team Members.” Each of the 250 fleet employees, including technicians, supervisors, clerical staff, and data analysts, would see an extra $1,750 in their next paycheck. It was the first dividend from an unusual experiment called gainsharing.
That February day was emotional. “Guys were shellshocked,” remembers Brian Jones, who was a supervisor in the fire department shop and is now maintenance supervisor at large. When fleet staff had been told some six months before that they would share in cost savings they produced, provided they met key performance metrics focusing on fleet availability standards, many were skeptical, even hostile. They did not trust the higher-ups, pointing to years of broken promises.
“I thought it was a joke and they were trying to trick us into working harder,” says Domenic DeMarco, a lead mechanic in the truck shop. “That first check changed my mind. I was surprised.”
For Vetran Johnson, a welder, $1,750 meant buying four tires all at once for the first time. Others used the money to pay bills, take a vacation, or go shopping. The gainsharing payment did something else, too: It began to change the culture of the fleet division. At a time when “government efficiency” has become a focal point, the story of how Baltimore’s gainsharing plan came to be, and how it transformed the fleet division, is both inspiring and instructive.
Inspired by Indy Historians trace the origins of gainsharing all the way back to the late nineteenth century, but the practice was popularized in the 1940s by Joe Scanlon. Scanlon was an accountant-turned-openhearth-tender whose wastecutting initiatives at Empire Steel eventually landed him a staff job in the industrial engineering department of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), where he organized labor-management production committees at some 50 companies. What came to be known as the “Scanlon Plan” was first tried at The Adamson Company, a maker of steel storage tanks. There, savings from reducing the ratio of labor
costs to sales were split 50-50 between salaried management employees and hourly workers. Scanlon later joined the faculty at MIT, where he became a sought-after labor relations consultant and helped install gainsharing programs in dozens of firms.
The person credited with bringing gainsharing to local government is Steve Goldsmith, who was elected mayor of Indianapolis in 1991 on a platform that included privatizing city services. He quickly learned that it is competition, not privatization, that improves service. Goldsmith’s “managed competition” strategy put city services out for bid, inviting proposals from both incumbent city workers and private vendors. To Goldsmith’s pleasure, the city’s labor unions proved to be incredibly innovative and resourceful, winning over half of the contracts. In the case of the fleet services contract, the Indianapolis Fleet Services union’s proposal offered to forego four years of previously negotiated pay raises in exchange for a split of savings generated beyond those guaranteed in the proposal. In addition to the workers earning extra pay, the results included large reductions in lost time due to injury, parts shrinkage, and employee grievances. Fleet services even attracted new public sector customers, including local townships.
greater employee engagement in making government work better and cost less. Sadly, these initiatives faded as politicians backed away from giving “bonuses” during tough economic times.
A quarter century after Steve Goldsmith’s bold experiment, Baltimore included an Indianapolis-style gainsharing program as part of its firstever 10-year financial plan and hired Skip Stitt, one of Goldsmith’s former lieutenants, as a consultant to help bring gainsharing to life.
From Idea to Implementation
and negotiation as well as the science of financial modeling. Even with his gregarious personality and data-driven mind, Attila would be challenged on both fronts.
Baltimore’s fleet employees are represented by three different unions, one each for front-line technicians and laborers, administrative and supervisory employees, and managers. At the first meeting to discuss gainsharing, union leaders were disbelieving. They asked question after question, searching for the “gotcha.”
Gainsharing became a hallmark of Indianapolis’s cost savings and reform efforts, inspiring a boomlet of city and county gainsharing programs around the country. While some of these are best described as glorified employee suggestion programs, they represented a shift toward
The gainsharing notion was born in Baltimore’s budget office, which assigned a team of Duke University graduate students to research gainsharing best practices, including financial and performance measurement and legal issues. The Duke report was handed off to Berke Attila, then the CFO of the department of general services (DGS), which oversees the fleet division. Attila, who is now the director of DGS, was hired into city government as a budget analyst, in part because of his enthusiasm and in part because of his private sector experience shaving pennies off the cost of custom countertops.
Making gainsharing work requires the art of persuasion
From a technical standpoint, gainsharing is predicated on three things: a measure of cost, a standard of performance, and a formula for sharing savings. The basic bargain of gainsharing would be that savings below a defined cost baseline would be split between the city and employees, provided that the agreed-upon performance standards are met. Agreeing on these details took a series of meetings between city and union officials. According to Stitt, the unions were very perceptive about the cost and performance baselines. They were concerned about how the baselines would account for factors outside of their members’ control, such as vehicle abuse, planned fleet electrification, and employee vacancies.
For the cost baseline, the two sides landed on a four-year
moving average of total salaries (including overtime), contractual costs, and supplies, adjusted for inflation. A portion of funded vacancies was excluded from the baseline to allow for required staffing up while also encouraging “rightsizing.” Vehicle abuse costs were also taken out, because fleet employees have no control over customer agency abuse. Each month, actual expenses would be compared to the baseline, with any surplus becoming part of the gainsharing pool.
The primary performance standard was fleet availability because it is what mattered most to fleet customers. Availability is measured on a daily basis. For essential vehicles, such as fire trucks, ambulances, police cars, and trash packers, a pre-set number must be available. For the rest of the fleet, the target is 87.5% of all vehicles. Under the gainsharing agreement, which is enshrined in a side letter to the labor contracts, fleet can miss up to three days in a month of meeting the availability standards before losing gainshare. A fourth missed day reduces the share of the pool to 75% and any more misses mean zero share.
The gainsharing formula works like this: the first $190,000 of savings over the six-month gainsharing period goes to fleet employees. Any savings in excess of that amount is divided equally among employees, a DGS training account, and the city’s general fund. The employee share is allocated in equal amounts to all fleet employees, regardless of rank, seniority, or salary.
As the negotiations progressed to more complex policy decisions, which involved vehicle abuse, parts inventory management, fuel operations, internal chargebacks for the city’s shared services (e.g., facilities, IT), and disposition of surplus vehicles, both the unions and fleet management proved hard to move. Stitt, who had a long track record of gainsharing experience, was “the adult in the room,” according to Attila. He connected the Baltimore team with their Indianapolis union counterparts, played cheerleader, and spent time observing fleet operations and suggesting “low hanging fruit” savings opportunities. He ultimately convinced the group to stop studying gainsharing to death and get started, assuring
them that they could make adjustments later on.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road Jones, the maintenance supervisor at large, has been a mechanic pretty much his whole life. Upon joining Baltimore’s fleet operation, he found the culture to be much more relaxed than what he was used to. “Guys didn’t have to be conscious of costs, and there wasn’t much oversight,” he recalls. “They would slow roll jobs, taking 4-5 hours for a repair that should only take two.” Jones wasn’t sure his crew was up for the challenge of gainsharing. The biggest savings would come from doing more of certain types of jobs in-house, where fleet had a cost advantage, instead of sending them to outside vendors. To capture those savings, the technicians would need to be more efficient, complete more jobs, stay focused on their tasks, and hustle from job to job.
A key measure of productivity in the garage is direct time, which is time that can be billed to customers. According to Jones, before gainsharing, direct time ran about 40% of total time logged. It would double to over 80% after the incentive was
introduced. This didn’t happen overnight, but the statistical rundown of the first six months of gainsharing is eye opening.
A memo from DGS to Mayor Pugh spells out that, compared to the same period the previous year, fleet technicians completed 25 more work orders a month with internal staff, worked more than 3,000 additional direct labor hours, took 10% less leave time, and reduced the parts inventory without disrupting speed of service.
Initially, management imposed stricter rules for sending repair jobs to vendors. Technicians used to be able to send work out; now it required approval from higher-ups. As Jones puts it, “We were no longer an open checkbook for vendors.” Some of the slack in the system was being taken up by way of policy change; after the first gainsharing check, culture took up the rest.
Talking to technicians, there is no doubt that the first gainsharing check flipped a switch. With the promise of extra pay now very real, Terrence Washington, a supervisor in the truck shop, saw a shift. “Where before some guys would use any excuse to take a break and sit on a job,
now they were moving faster, going to a supervisor when there was a problem, and even asking for more work.” Video monitors installed in the garage allowed technicians to see in real time where they stood on meeting daily availability targets. Making data visible to everyone in this way was an additional nudge for productivity. Peer pressure was another motivator. When welder Vetran Johnson sees fellow technicians wasting time, he yells at them, “Don’t play with my money!”
Little Things Mean a Lot
Beyond insourcing, fleet employees found literally dozens of other ways to save money for the gainsharing pool and keep vehicles available. Antwan Wilson, who was the bike mechanic in his neighborhood as a kid, is now Lead Maintenance Supervisor for the entire fleet operation. When gainsharing was announced, his message to wary technicians was, “We might as well try it. Let’s see if it works.”
From Wilson’s vantage point, generating savings was easy. “After the first check, everyone went out of their way to be resourceful. I didn’t have to say much. Guys were raising their hands for work, coming in on Saturday to keep trash trucks ready to go, and making sure they charged their time properly so we weren’t giving away work.”
DeMarco, who is a hard man to impress, admits that the first check changed his mind about gainsharing. He tells of ordering fewer new parts and instead reusing old ones – rethreading bolts or picking over surplus vehicles. When a part needed to be ordered, technicians asked about the
cost of overnight shipping, because availability numbers and savings are on the line. Waste has become the enemy. Rags and gloves are now used more than once, half-empty cans of fluid are no longer thrown out, and technicians take only the parts they need from the supply room, so that extra bolts don’t get swept up. Johnson, the welder, explains that in his shop, he and his co-workers have become more conscientious about turning off machines when they’re not in use, conserving water, and reusing scrap metal. “Our motto is ‘Waste nothing,’” he says proudly. All this parsimony has made a difference in the bottom line. Quarterly materials costs are down from $70,000 to $19,000.
Something that gets lost in the romantic stories from the shop floor is the role data has played in making gainsharing successful. Fleet uses software called FASTER to keep track of every minute, every part, every cost. These data had long been underutilized; today, operations research analysts like James Trimarco help fleet managers find new ways to cut costs. “For awhile, we had a gainsharing work group to find savings ideas,” he explains. “People would shout out ideas, and I would try to figure out if they would work.” One idea that worked came from the observation that dirty vehicles are more expensive to maintain than clean ones. Fleet moved quickly from thought to action, starting a mobile cleaning service that makes daily rounds to vehicle lots around the city. For his next project, he wants to develop an “apples to apples” cost comparison between vendor and in-house work,
so that Fleet can make better sourcing decisions for each type of repair.
The Human Side of Gainsharing
“What would make for a great day at work?” That question comes from Stitt, who has some answers: “Dignity, respect, feeling like you’re recognized as a human being.” For Jones, the rewards of gainsharing have been more than financial. “Fleet often feels like it gets shunted to the background. It felt good that other agencies were coming to visit us to see what we were doing.”
The appreciation for gainsharing was not just local. In 2019, gainsharing earned Baltimore the National Association of Counties’ prestigious “Best in Category” award for financial management. The award citation read, in part, “This program not only saves money for the government and makes money for its employees, but the allowance for more employee input improved work efficiency, morale, and innovation.”
We have seen how gainsharing changed work habits and sparked new efficiency ideas, but did it make Fleet employees happier? Yes, it seems, though how much happier is a matter of perspective. Renee Johnson, who runs FASTER reports, saw morale shoot through the roof. “The mood on the floor shifted,” she recalls, and the data reflected the mood: there were fewer callouts.
Along with improved morale, gainsharing inspired a greater sense of teamwork. Johnson says the relationship between the technicians and managers became more collaborative,
instead of the “us versus them” mentality that had prevailed before. In Jones’s words, “we were all of a sudden on the same page with management.” Monthly gainsharing meetings between union and city leaders were held to review cost and availability data and discuss how leadership could support the employees. Wilson believes that including floor staff in the meetings helped with buy-in. “The technicians could see that their peers were at the table, which is a big deal.”
The Future of Gainsharing
In August 2021, DGS paused the gainsharing program. Because of the pandemic, technician staffing had dropped to 90, some 30% below the authorized level. As a result, more work had to be sent to vendors and, in the words of a memo from the fleet chief to the city’s labor commissioner, “Fleet cannot successfully pursue cost avoidances while continuing to meet its availability targets.”
Baltimore’s current mayor, Brandon Scott, would not only like to see gainsharing revived for fleet, he would like to try it with other city operations. If that is done successfully, gainsharing could evolve from a bold but brief experiment in one city’s fleet division to a shining example of government efficiency for others to follow.
ANDREW KLEINE is a former budget director for Baltimore, Maryland, USA, and author of City on the Line: How Baltimore Transformed Its Budget to Beat the Great Recession and Deliver Outcomes.
Leading with Integrity: Lessons from the 2025 Global Exchange
Ethical leadership, professionalism, innovation, and the fight against corruption
As the world marked Global Ethics Day on October 15, local government leaders, practitioners, and advocates were called to reflect on the values that shape our communities. The 2025 ICMA Global Exchange, held in Eswatini and South Africa, offered a powerful platform for this type of reflection, bringing together voices from across continents to share best practices in ethical leadership, professionalism, and the fight against corruption in a rapidly changing world.
Visionary Leadership: The Foundation of Thriving Communities
Speakers and attendees at the Global Exchange emphasized that ethical leadership is not just about a single individual making “good,” “right,” or “moral” decisions—it’s about inspiring trust in others, supporting innovation, and building resilient communities.
ICMA President-elect Michael Land celebrated Eswatini’s commitment to sustainable development, highlighting the importance of love and knowledge as guiding principles. He noted, “Knowledge will forge the country’s future, working with the resources that are available, and love will drive its commitment to the community.” Values in a community are the bedrock of visionary leadership, driving decisions and actions. As public servants, we’re reminded that local government work is ultimately about people. It’s about creating thriving communities through those shared values.
On The Ground: Building Trust and Capacity
Professionalism in local government is more than a set of standards; it’s a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement. Throughout the global exchange, panelists stressed the critical need for professionalization as a bulwark against corruption and inefficiency.
Julia Novak, ICMA CEO/executive director, traced the roots of professional local government in the USA to early 20th-century reformers who sought to combat corruption through ethical city management. Today, ICMA’s credentialing program and Code of Ethics set the bar for ongoing professional development and ethical conduct. Novak reminded attendees that “professional local government is built on leadership, management, innovation, and ethics, and requires ongoing commitment to professional standards.”
South Africa’s journey mirrors this commitment. In 1998, a delegation of ICMA members and staff traveled to South Africa, met with President Nelson Mandela, and provided input into the development of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government, South Africa’s foundational policy for democratic local governance, establishing municipalities as engines for service delivery, social and economic growth, and community empowerment.
The 2025 revision of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government, discussed by Dr. Namane Dickson Masemola, deputy minister, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, is a “policy refresh” aimed to strengthen financial management, enhance service delivery, and reinforce oversight and accountability to meet the changing times and rejuvenate local governance in South Africa.1 The Public Service Commission Bill, currently under consideration in the South African National Assembly, seeks to restore integrity and rebuild public trust through professionalization—especially in municipalities where confidence has eroded.2
Anti-Corruption: Ethics as the “Saucer” to Professionalism
During the Municipal Managers Forum in South Africa, ethics and anti-corruption were central themes in the remarks by Seth Mazibuko, chief operations officer, Moral Regeneration Movement. He explained that ethics is the “saucer” holding the “cup” of professionalization— upholding ethics is essential for value-driven communities and effective service delivery. Mazibuko’s call to “gather stones to build the South Africa we want” resonated as a metaphor for collective action against corruption and for ethical governance.
Panel discussions at the Eswatini Sustainable Urban Development Seminar explored practical strategies for embedding ethics and combating corruption:
Adaptability: Cindy Steinhauser, ICMA regional vice president, Midwest region (deputy city administrator, Rochester, Minnesota), emphasized the role of government as a “constant North Star” during crises. Her “four Ps”— people, planning, partnership, and performing—guide her team’s work, ensuring that adaptability and ethical decisionmaking are at the core of service delivery.
Integration: Sipho Cele, deputy municipal manager, Ethekwini, South Africa, described how adversity forced
his city to rethink traditional management, focusing on coordination and responsiveness to community needs. This integrated approach, where all departments work with a single agenda, is key to preventing corruption and inefficiency.
Financial Resilience: Panelists advocated for dedicated financial reserves, development levies, and surcharges to fund resilience initiatives transparently. Consolidated planning and data-driven decision-making were highlighted as tools to prevent waste and ensure ethical stewardship of public resources.
Digital Transformation: Ethics in the Age of AI
As cities embrace digital transformation, ethical leadership becomes even more critical. Gciniwe Fakudze, CEO, Municipal Council of Mbabane, shared Eswatini’s journey toward smart city status, emphasizing that technology must serve people first and foremost. Partnerships, change management, and community education are essential to align digital innovation with ethical values.
ICMA Global Engagement Committee vice-chair Yulia Carter (assistant city manager, Pacifica, California) introduced an AI virtual assistant that provides multilingual access to city services. She stressed that “policy is more important than technology,” and that sustainability lies in frameworks and governance, not in any single tool. Strong guardrails and transparency are vital to building public trust and preventing misuse.
Panelists also warned against “solutions in search of problems” and the risk of digital divides. Inclusivity and digital literacy must be embedded prior to implementation, ensuring that marginalized groups are not left behind. Ethical digital transformation requires people-centered approaches, sustainable partnerships, and governance transparency.
Organizational Culture
Talent retention and development were highlighted as ongoing challenges by attendees, especially in rural and smaller municipalities, at the 7th Annual South African Local Government Association Talent Management Seminar. Diversity management practices aim to bridge social and institutional barriers, driving business outcomes through strategic human capital initiatives. Social cohesion, supported by value-driven leadership, is essential for building inclusive organizations. Transforming institutional culture and ensuring culture fit are key to attracting and retaining talent, and progress requires creating space for uncomfortable but necessary conversations.
Creative partnerships, internships, and knowledge exchanges, such as the ICMA Global Exchange, help to keep staff motivated and learning. Karen Pinkos, city manager, El Cerrito, California, spoke passionately about the importance of representation in leadership. “You can’t be what you can’t see.” Her city’s strategic planning,
policies, and recognition events are infused with equity and inclusion principles, fostering belonging for staff and community members alike. She noted that leadership and professionalism are inseparable from culture. Organizational agility, modeled through leadership values and open communication, is essential for adapting to change, while maintaining ethical standards.
Presenters from the commissions on employee wellness and diversity management underscored the human side of ethical leadership. Promoting wellness is essential for individual effectiveness and building resilient municipalities. Psychological safety and open dialogue foster healthy work environments. They also noted that even though AI can enhance interaction with community or staff, it cannot replace empathy, emotion, or consciousness.
Measuring Impact: Leadership Development
ICMA’s Global Engagement Committee chair, Betsy Keller (county administrator, El Paso County, Texas), led a discussion on measuring the return on investment of leadership development. She noted that investment in leadership drives engagement, innovation, productivity, financial gains, and public trust. The Phillips ROI Methodology (roiinstitute.net) was presented as a tool for accountability, ensuring that investments in training lead to tangible results and improved service delivery. Networking, reputation, and credibility are additional benefits of leadership development, often overlooked in traditional ROI calculations. Keller shared a personal story of a negotiation tip she learned at an ICMA conference that later earned her county $1 million dollars annually—a testament to the value of investing in leadership development and professional networks.
The Way Forward: Ethics as a Global Imperative
Sizwe Dlamini, head of strategy, Municipal Council of Manzini, Eswatini, shared a closing message, “Importance placed on knowledge exchange and the exchange of best practices was echoed [here], with emphasis on the shared goal of increasing and growing learning platforms for continued connection across the region in Africa and with ICMA.”
The lessons from Eswatini and South Africa remind us that ethics is not a luxury—it is a necessity for building trust, driving innovation, and creating communities where everyone can flourish. Let us lead with integrity, act with professionalism, and stand united against corruption—on Global Ethics Day and every day.
“In my community, ethical leadership means offering clear, evidence-based advice and making administrative decisions that are transparent, objective, and anchored in the public interest. It’s about standing by facts and professional standards, even when it’s uncomfortable or comes with consequences. Rapid growth and shifting governance models, especially under strong mayor powers, test those principles daily against competing pressures.”
What Does Ethical Leadership Look Like in Your Community?
Rene Guzman
Town Administrator
San Pedro Town Council, Belize
“[Ethical] leadership is about doing what’s right for our community: being honest, fair, and transparent in every decision we make. My goal is to serve with integrity, to build trust, and to ensure that every step we take helps San Pedro grow in a way that benefits everyone.”
Learn more about ICMA’s global engagement at icma.org/page/global-future-icma. Ethics training and resources are available at icma.org/ethics.
Lance Joel
Chief Officer, Intergovernmental Relations, Governance and Municipal Resilience
South African Local Government Association, South Africa
“Ethics is about doing the right thing as stewards of communities working towards improving people’s living conditions.”
Paul Shipway
Rene Guzman
Lance Joel
Inspired by lessons from the 2025 ICMA Global Exchange, ICMA asked local government professionals around the world what ethical leadership looks like in their communities. ICMA’s mission and vision to advance professional local government and to create and sustain thriving communities throughout the world is demonstrated by its commitment to global engagement and relationships. ICMA maintains international strategic alliances with like-minded organizationswhile supporting professional development and networking opportunities aligned with our mission and vision.
Jānis Lange
Chief Executive Officer
Riga City, Latvia
ICMA International Vice President
“It means doing the right things in difficult times. Demanding the same from yourself as from others and demonstrating by personal example how to follow ethical norms. A leader should be a buffer between political pressure and the organization.”
Sithembile Simelane
Sithembile Simelane
Chief Executive Officer, Siteki, Eswatini
“Ethical leadership means building trust among communities by prioritizing citizens’ needs in allocating resources, ensuring transparency and accountability, as well as fostering inclusiveness and collective decision-making.”
Nabilla Sophiarany
Health Administrator, Department of Health West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia
“To me, ethical leadership means prioritizing the needs and well-being of the community above personal or group interest. It requires the courage to do what is right, even when it is difficult. This includes stepping back to critically assess whether a program, intervention, or policy truly benefits the community or may be causing unintended harm and being willing to acknowledge and address that.”
Queenie Melody Fullante Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer
Dauis, Bohol Local Government Unit, Philippines
“Ethical leadership means being morally upright. It is leading with fairness and compassion. Where every action uplifts the welfare of our community and inspires others to work on our shared responsibility.”
Andrea Reeves
Todd Hopwood Manager, Customer and Business Integrity
Wollongong City Council, New South Wales, Australia
“Ethical leadership in our community means making decisions that are transparent, inclusive, and grounded in long-term stewardship of people and place. It’s about listening to diverse voices and co-creating policies that reflect respect, equity, and truth. We walk alongside First Nations people, honouring their knowledge, leadership, and connection to country.”
Andrea Reeves Chief Strategy and Finance Officer
Wellington City Council, New Zealand
“A council’s authorising environment is built on public trust and confidence. The residents of our city provide us with significant money (in the form of rates and fees/charges) and they want to know that we will spend that money wisely, while being accountable and transparent.”
Todd Hopwood
Nabilla Sophiarany
Jānis Lange
Queenie Melody Fullante
Cultivating Creative Talent
Hiring, retention, and performance management in local government
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, local governments face a dual challenge: rebuilding their workforce and reimagining their organizational culture. With private-sector employers offering flexible work arrangements, rapid advancement, and dynamic branding, public agencies must compete not just on salary but on purpose, creativity, and impact.
The stakes are high. According to the National League of Cities, the vacancy-to-hire ratio in city government is 3.7:1—more than double that of the private sector. Meanwhile, SHRM reports that 76% of HR professionals say it now takes longer to fill open positions than before the pandemic. To reverse this trend, local governments must rethink how they attract, retain, and manage talent, especially younger professionals seeking meaningful, innovative careers.
Hiring: Reframing Government Work as a Creative Calling
Government careers are often perceived as rigid, slowmoving, and bureaucratic. Yet the reality is far more dynamic. From designing equitable housing policies to deploying smart city technologies, public service offers unparalleled opportunities for creativity and civic impact. To attract top talent, especially Millennials and Gen Z, agencies must:
Tell a compelling story. Job postings should highlight how roles contribute to community well-being, innovation, and equity. Showcase real projects that demonstrate creativity in action.
Expand outreach. Use social media, virtual career fairs, and partnerships with universities and civic tech organizations to reach diverse candidates. Feature employee testimonials and behind-the-scenes content.
MAURICE
S. JONES, ICMA-CM, is deputy city
manager
of Springfield, Missouri, USA
Streamline the process. Simplify applications, reduce delays, and offer conditional offers when possible. Consider revising civil service rules to allow for more agile recruitment.
Create entry points. Paid internships, fellowships, and rotational programs can introduce students and recent grads to government work. These should be structured, mentored, and tied to long-term opportunities.
Retention: Building a Culture That Inspires Creativity
Attracting talent is only half the battle. Retaining it requires an environment where employees feel empowered to
BY MAURICE S. JONES
innovate, collaborate, and grow. Creativity thrives in cultures that value psychological safety, diverse perspectives, and continuous learning. Key retention strategies include:
Empowering autonomy: Give employees room to experiment, propose ideas, and lead initiatives. Avoid micromanagement and encourage cross-functional collaboration.
Investing in development: Offer clear career pathways, leadership training, and access to skill-building resources. Young professionals value growth and mobility.
Fostering inclusion: Diverse teams generate better ideas. Cultivate inclusive cultures where all voices are heard and respected.
Supporting flexibility: Hybrid work, flexible schedules, and wellness initiatives are now baseline expectations. Agencies must adopt policies to support employee well-being.
Celebrating innovation: Recognize creative contributions, share success stories, and build feedback loops that reinforce experimentation and learning.
Performance Management: Coaching for Innovation
Traditional performance management in government often emphasizes compliance over creativity. To support a modern workforce, agencies must adopt coaching-based models that prioritize growth, feedback, and alignment with civic outcomes. Recommended practices include:
Continuous feedback: Replace annual reviews with regular check-ins focused on goals, support, and development. Use data to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Outcome-oriented metrics: Align performance with mission-driven outcomes, not just process adherence. Help employees see the value of their work.
Manager training: Equip supervisors to be mentors and coaches. Strong management is a top predictor of employee satisfaction.
Learning culture: Encourage experimentation, reflection, and knowledge-sharing. Mistakes should be seen as learning opportunities, not punishable offenses.
Rebranding Government Careers: A Strategic Imperative
To compete in today’s labor market, local governments must rebrand public service as a career of choice not last resort. This requires intentional storytelling, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to innovation. Tactics for elevating government careers include:
Narrative shift: Government isn’t just bureaucracy, it’s community-building, innovation, and problem-solving. Agencies should tell compelling stories about their impact.
Civic tech and design thinking: Highlight opportunities to work on smart cities, data analytics, and user-centered service design. Young professionals are drawn to technology and creativity.
Education partnerships: Collaborate with high schools, colleges, and civic organizations to introduce students to public service. Host hackathons, policy labs, and mentorship programs.
Youth engagement: Create youth advisory councils and involve young residents in shaping policy and programs. This builds trust and interest in government careers.
Values alignment: Gen Z is deeply invested in social justice and climate action. Agencies should showcase their work in these areas and invite young people to lead.
Conclusion:
A Call to Creativity
The future of local government depends on its ability to attract, retain, and inspire creative talent. In a competitive labor market, this means reimagining hiring, building inclusive cultures, and embracing performance as a developmental tool. Young professionals are ready to serve, they just need to see government as a place where they can innovate, collaborate, and make a difference. It’s time to meet them where they are and invite them into the future of public service.
Cut through the noise
The only job board devoted to management and management-track positions, the ICMA Job Center is the single best career resource for job seekers and employers alike.
FOR JOB SEEKERS
• Find the top local government management and management-track jobs.
• More early and mid-career opportunities.
• Search by function, geographic location and population, salary, and job type.
FOR EMPLOYERS
• Reach ICMA’s members, the largest audience of dedicated local government professionals worldwide.
• With more than 12,000 unique visitors and over 150,000 page views each month
The Importance and Impact of Board Service
An incredible opportunity to make a difference
BY STEPHANIE LUCASH
Our profession is a calling and our impact is felt in the communities we serve. Sometimes overlooked is the powerful opportunity to make a difference through service on the board of your ICMA affiliate organization.
Serving as president of the Washington City/County Management Association (WCMA), our ICMA affiliate in Washington State, was one of the most impactful roles in my career. I was elected to the board of directors on a platform of increasing the number of women and people of color in our association and am very proud of the board’s work over the last few years. I hope some of these ideas might be replicated in other affiliate organizations in the United States and around the globe. Here are some key ingredients to our success:
Build a Board of Visionary Doers
Mentor the Next Generation of Leaders
My mantra as WCMA President was a question—who are you mentoring?—and that year we launched a WCMA mentorship program to grow our profession into the future. The WCMA continued to support the Northwest Women’s Leadership Academy (NWWLA), which is developing the next generation of female and nonbinary leaders statewide with its seventh cohort this year. I am on the NWWLA board and serve as recruitment and selection committee chair.
STEPHANIE LUCASH is the deputy city manager for Kenmore, Washington, USA, and is the past president of the Washington City/County Management Association. (slucash@ kenmorewa.gov)
Just like on our leadership teams, it’s essential to assemble a board of doers who share the vision and are willing to do the work. This doesn’t happen by chance; my fellow board members and I recruited talented city and county leaders from across Washington into board service. Our efforts to recruit female leaders to run for board seats led to the WCMA board being majority female for the first time since 1960. I was the sixth female president in the association’s history; the seventh and eighth female presidents will follow me over the next two years.
Clearly Articulate Your Goals
The WCMA had challenges: membership was stagnant post-COVID, there were minimal reserves, and membership dues hadn’t been adjusted in 14 years. I formed and led a financial sustainability committee that pioneered membership packages to incentivize adding associate members. The year of our rollout, we hit record membership levels beyond anyone’s memory. Membership was 145% over the previous year. The board approved higher dues and future increases to account for inflation. We also added sponsorship levels and set (and met) bold sponsorship goals. All of these efforts helped build what is now a robust association reserve.
Support Bold and Innovative Ideas and Seize Strategic Opportunities
During my presidency year, the board worked with a vendor to conduct the first-ever Census of the Profession in Washington State to better understand the local government management profession in our state. The census collected information that was collated into a report, establishing a baseline for future analysis.
In partnership with the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, the WCMA launched a new Building Resilient Local Governments Certificate Program for local government professionals.
The Importance and Impact of Board Service
In September 2024, we became the first state association to sign a pioneering affiliate agreement with the International Network of Asian Pacific Islander Public Administrators. We are implementing that important work now.
A Final Note: Consider Running for a Board Seat!
Board work has kept me busy on many evenings and weekends, but it is worth it. I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a statewide impact and for the incredible leaders in my expanded network. When elections come up for your local ICMA affiliate organization, I encourage you to consider running for a board seat. You won’t regret it!
Love Poems to Local Government
A
retired city manager uses poetry, humor, and heart to reflect on the joys, pains, and quiet triumphs of city management.
When I retired recently, I wanted a way to sing the praises of city managers and all local government professionals—to make “my people” feel seen, appreciated, and loved. I hoped to describe the indescribable nature of our work and make sense of the nonsensical.
I set out to capture all of it: the joys, the pains, the quiet frustrations, the small triumphs. My goal was to approach it with honesty, heart, and humor. I needed an art form that could convey “what it feels like” to be a local government leader today, with all the elevated and often conflicting emotions. I realized I wanted to write some love poems.
We turn to poetry during life’s most emotional moments—weddings, funerals, births—but it’s rarely found in the halls of government. To be or not to be would require 400 “whereas” clauses and several hours of debate. But poetry, somehow, felt right, save one hiccup: I wasn’t a poet.
JIM SCHUTZ
is the former city manager of San Rafael, California, and currently is a principal at JMSB Strategies, LLC. As a poet, he can be reached at jim@ localgovernment poetry.com or localgovernment poetry.com.
Learn more:
Learning How
I’d written professional journal articles before, several in PM magazine, but never poetry. After more than 30 years in local government, the final eight as city manager in San Rafael, California, it all came pouring out. I’d take long hikes in the forest, dictating story after story into my phone, still needing to learn how to turn them into poems.
I signed up for a poetry class at my local community college. There, I was certain I’d learn to delight in Dickinson, marvel at Milton, wrestle with Whitman, and maybe even understand iambic pentameter. I arrived eager to take notes and study the great poets and their craft. Instead, the instructor began the class by asking, “Jim, you are new to class. Would you like to start us off?” Start us off? By doing what, exactly? It quickly became clear: this was a poetry workshop, and we were expected to bring original poems for feedback. By the next class, I was ready with my first poem, “The Mayor Has a Hammer.”
The First Poem
You know that feeling at a local government conference where even strangers feel like extended family living a parallel life? I wanted to find those commonalities that bind us as a profession and explore them. Where better to start than with a mayor who likes to flex their muscles?
As a city manager, I sometimes imagined the council or staff with an invisible tool belt holding all the tools they could bring to a particular challenge. Need to establish solid community relations? There are tools for that. Need to work cross-departmentally on complex problems like
BY JIM SCHUTZ
homelessness or climate change? There are tools for that. My first poem was about the kind of mayor who just has one tool: the hammer. To every problem, their instinct is to start whacking at it with brute force; no finesse required. I wrote in one stanza of the poem:
The hammer dangles in a place of pride, an only child, basking in importance. The hammerhead reverently polished by the mayor who loves this tool so much there is no room for any other on his belt, or in his heart.
At first, my poetry teacher would loudly call out “clang,” every time I used a word that sounded bureaucratic or governmental to him. He’d say, “That word does not exist in the world of poetry; that word lives in prose.” And after 30 years of writing staff reports, resolutions, and ordinances, I had a lot of bureaucratic words.
My challenge was to write narrative poems about government that would sing and dance like poetry instead of the dull monotone of a typical staff report or resolution. I also figured local government professionals don’t have time to dissect poems you need to read 10 times to understand. I wanted my poems to be accessible, so both poetry lovers and those who don’t give a hoot about poetry could find meaning in them. By the time my book, The Mayor Has a Hammer: Poems about Life in Local Government, was complete, my poetry teacher, Tom Centolella, wrote for its back cover, “Jim Schutz acts as our Virgil through the not-sodivine comedy of running a municipality.”
The Poems
Many of my poems carry subtle, embedded lessons while others are pure applause for local government staff and the challenging work we do. In one example of the former, “Pride of Lions,” I explore how city managers must balance their time between elected officials, staff, and the community—reimagining those three groups as lions, with the manager as their caretaker. The final two stanzas are:
It’s a mistake to see oneself as a lion tamer. That’s the beginning of the end, one may not tame the untamable.
This is more Serengeti than Siegfried and Roy. We are merely stewards, providing aid for a few years of their immortal lives.
We dote on the lions.
We are thrilled when they are thriving. We stand ready to dispense all they desire, even if it’s ourselves.
The poems tackle topics such as climate change, racial equity, mental health, multiple generations in the workplace, bonds between colleagues, the concept of having a thick skin, working with elected officials, and more. In one poem, I process the unexpected death of a beloved employee.
In another, I portray the bond between city manager and assistant city manager. Yet another reflects on living in the same community where I work and how that sometimes means ducking behind a stack of cantaloupes to avoid someone at the grocery store.
In “Ribbon Cutting,” I muse about the wild complexity of constructing a new civic building such as a library or public safety center. I talk about the stress, cost over-runs, public hearings, and how they all evaporate when it finally comes time to cut the ribbon. It ends with the stanza:
Cameras flashing, we crowd around the red ribbon, beaming with amnesia.
Even when the subjects get heavy, I look for humor in local government life. I may poke fun now and then, but always with deep affection for the profession and our work. For example, “Tragedy of the Commoners” is about a real estate development tycoon who looked down his nose at me as a “bloated bureaucrat” and basically called me a “commoner.” The final two stanzas are:
To him, I am a commoner, living off his taxes, driving my 12-year-old Ford Fusion to night meetings at city hall, fundraisers at the public school. A rube that will never know Aruba. A boor never to see Bora Bora.
A life of service belittled by the self-absorbed world. If a commoner, then the rarest form. The uncommon ones who make the commons work for everyone.
This poem, like many in the collection, reveals the profound humanity of those who keep our cities running. Local government is a life of purpose. It’s not easy. It tests our patience and will daily, and yet, we choose it. We’re called to it. In “Help Wanted: City Manager (Applicants Apply Within),” I write that we “get to make people’s lives better every day,” and so we “have a life worth living.”
Love Poems
In a way, all my poems are love poems, even though I do not compare thee to a summer’s day. Lasting love is not just about flowers and candy; it is complex and deep and even messy at times. Sometimes my love is shown with a knowing poke, at other times it is pure adoration as in “Song to My Local Government People,” which opens with:
You are my people: local government toilers, wicked problem foilers.
I’ll take ten of you randomly and we can crack any crisis, slash the tangled forest of discord. Instead of machetes, we’ll use a whiteboard.
The poems ends with these stanzas:
We are not expectant spectators. We are in the arena, sometimes warrior, sometimes ballerina.
My people — sister, brother, truly known, only to each other.
There is also something about the timing of love poems to government officials that feels right. As federal programs and agencies are cut, with ripple effects hitting state and local levels, there’s no better moment to spotlight the everyday heroes of government.
Your Own Personal Minstrel
I have sometimes described my poems to other city managers by saying, “It is like I’m following you around from meeting to meeting as I strum my lute and sing.” I’m aiming somewhere between Horace glorifying Augustus and the minstrel in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, clapping coconut halves to mimic a horse and cheekily narrating Sir Robin’s adventures. Along the way, I explore the deep meaning of working in local government and pride in the profession, but also the struggles that can wear you down over time. Poems like “City Manager Gulliver” have me feeling like a mighty giant in the beginning of the poem, but by the end, I’m transformed into a bull in the ring, weakened by “the pikes and banderillas of the crises.”
So let me be your minstrel. These poems are for you. If you read them, picture me behind you—clip-clopping coconut halves and singing of your brave deeds. You are the uncommon ones who make the commons work for everyone.
Emotional Intelligence for Local Government Leaders
Lessons from ICMA’s Student Chapter Symposium
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity.” —Dale Carnegie1
We truly are creatures of emotion. Think about it: getting up in the middle of the night to adjust the air conditioning for your dog doesn’t seem logical, but many of us do it because of our emotional attachment to this special creature. And, in politics, every decision has an emotional component. Think about those times when a well-presented, welldocumented agenda item was presented to your city or county board, and they voted against your recommendation with little explanation. Without some grasp of what triggers the emotional aspect of their decision, one could be left befuddled, bemused, and unprepared for future responses that don’t follow “logical reasoning,” whatever that is. So how does one grasp this concept and effectively channel the inevitable emotional influence that permeates our daily decisions in life? How do we become emotionally intelligent?
There are several different models about what emotional intelligence (EI) means and the thinking, like with most concepts, has evolved over the years. However, there seems to be a general consensus that it involves an individual’s recognition of their own emotions, an understanding of the triggers that impact these emotions, the capacity to acknowledge and control their response to these triggers, and an astute recognition of others’ emotions with the ability to effectively listen and respond in a manner that builds positive and productive relationships. Wow! A mouthful, and easier said than done, yet a critical mindset for successful local government managers who must deal daily with humans who are “creatures of emotion.”
DR. ROBERT E. LEE, ICMA-CM, is an associate professor at Florida Gulf Coast University and faculty advisor for the university’s ICMA student chapter.
ICMA Student Chapter Symposium
On April 4, 2025, the ICMA student chapter at Florida Gulf Coast University hosted a half-day symposium in partnership with the Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA) to explore this emotional aspect of decision-making in a program titled, “Emotional Intelligence (EI) for Local Government Leaders.” The student chapter cosponsors a symposium of similar format with FCCMA every semester and student chapter officers serve as moderators with 18-20 MPA students and a like number of area local government professionals attending, along with a select group of local government managers serving as panelists.
The itinerary for this most recent symposium included an overview of the topic by David Ritz, a consultant and former
BY DR. ROBERT E. LEE, ICMA-CM
Florida public administrator, followed by a panel discussion featuring city and county managers from southwest Florida, who provided insights on the “practical application” of EI for local government leaders.
Symposium Take-Aways
Intelligence quotient (IQ) is different from emotional quotient (EQ). One’s IQ can be tested and is influenced by both heredity and environment. It doesn’t typically change much, remaining more fixed. One’s EQ can also be tested, in this case for emotional intelligence and, notably, can be improved and consistently developed.
There are four subconstructs of EI. As previously stated, there are numerous models with somewhat differing nomenclature to explain EI. The symposium presenter, David Ritz, chose to paraphrase the four constructs developed by Daniel Goleman found in an article written by Crystal Ott.2 These constructs include self-awareness, selfcontrol, social awareness, and relationship management.
1. Self-Awareness: Self-awareness is the willingness to honestly and routinely assess how you are “wired” to address the moment. Ritz used an example about when one sees danger, the body is flooded with adrenalin (fight or flight symptoms) and it feels like they are being verbally attacked. How does one address the moment? How does one control their impulses? For example, when one must deal with a fanatic individual—someone who Winston Churchill would say “can’t change their mind and won’t change the subject,”3—how does one understand/plan for the emotional triggers they will inevitably experience?
2. Self-Control: Ben Franklin quipped, “He that can compose himself is wiser than he that composes books.”4 Self-control is the ability to adapt to situations regardless of one’s personal emotions and opinions on the matter, and be able to respond in a calm, helpful, and productive manner. It’s a muscle that can be strengthened by controlling our emotions, celebrating the actions of others, and fostering compassion. Understanding your emotional triggers are a prerequisite to controlling your responses. Panelist Mark Cunninham, assistant administrator of Sarasota County, reminded everyone of the multigenerational cliche that “this too shall pass.” He reminded attendees, “When a manager fights with their board and loses, the manager loses, and when the manager fights with their board and wins, the manager still loses.”
Ritz followed up with advice for managers to “speak in such a way that people love to listen to you and to listen in such a way that people love to talk to you.” You don’t have to be agreeable all the time but, using another muti-generational cliché, “how you say something can be more important than what you say.” Ritz also emphasized the importance of having “credit in the bank.” In this case, “saying positives whenever warranted so that you can occasionally discuss something you don’t like.” Bonita Spring City Manager Arleen Hunter reminded attendees about the importance of “checking your ego at the door,” a concept consistent with the Carnegie quote at the beginning of this article that reminds us of the unfortunate influence of human pride.
3. Social Awareness: Dale Carnegie famously said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested
in you.”5 Social awareness is one’s ability to understand and empathize with others around them. This may be done through communication, conflict management, and adjusting leadership styles that best benefit individuals.
Ritz said, “To be understood, one must first understand.” Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis mentioned his use of Myers-Briggs personality testing to assist him in understanding others in the workplace. He emphasized the importance of managers knowing the personal lives of their elected officials and staff so they can relate on a more emotional level, and, thus, “EI can be managed for good.”
Collier County Manager Amy Patterson reinforced the importance of understanding elected officials individually and collectively and understanding their relationships with each other, as well as the manager’s responsibility to consciously not take board decisions personally.
4. Relationship Management: Relationship management is one’s ability to maintain effective leadership as well as build collaboration and trust among people. Ritz stressed that relationships are primary and the basis of all interactions stem from this initial connection. He explained that many emotions are reciprocated; thus, while it may take more effort to present oneself as positive and uplifting, the effect that this
emotional cue has on others can lead to an overall positive environment. It enables leaders to “set the tone” for their workplace and employees.
Ritz opined that everyone, especially leaders in local government roles, should be working to improve their ability to understand their own emotions and the emotions of others around them, and that curiosity—not judgement—is the key to growing emotional intelligence.
Conclusion
According to one of the MPA student attendees at the symposium, Jaylee Ciaschini, the most important lessons of the symposium reinforced the notion that emotional Intelligence is not a fixed skill, but rather a trait that can and should be developed. Everyone, especially leaders in local government roles, should be working to improve their ability to understand their emotions and the emotions of those around them. Those with emotional intelligence are better able to lead with empathy and cultivate a sense of trust—a skill that will undoubtably be used in any professional setting.
There may still be people who believe that getting up in the middle of the night to adjust your air conditioning for your dog doesn’t seem logical, but I’m certain that twentieth century humourist Will Rogers would disagree. Afterall, he once proclaimed, “I loved a dog. He does nothing for political reasons.”6
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