Early in my career, I had a manager who loved to say, “Don’t confuse my kindness with weakness.” Honestly, I hated that phrase. It sounded defensive and egotistical. But over time—and after 30 years of managing people—I’ve come to realize there’s actually a valuable truth buried in it. I’ve had a lot of performance conversations…
I used to get ticked off at job postings for managers that required 10 or more years of experience. I used to think that the manager title I had held for a year qualified me for the job and that the 10 years of experience the job posting required was excessive; I knew how to…
In municipal government, it’s a given that we often juggle multiple responsibilities simultaneously. However, another common phenomenon is the apprehension towards adopting new technology or making changes of any kind. This fear is partly justified, as the importance of our work demands caution when introducing untested systems, especially when it comes to handling sensitive public…
If your employee doesn’t create the results you were expecting, is it his fault, or is it yours? There has only been one thing I’ve used consistently during my 30 years in management, and that has been SMART goals; Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Or, to put it another way, if your employees don’t…
As city managers, we face a unique challenge: conveying the importance of specialized expertise to the governing body. Many elected officials bring private sector experience to their roles, where it’s common for employees to take on tasks beyond their job description. However, this approach can be problematic in municipal management, where the consequences of mistakes…
Don’t check your smart watch while talking with someone! Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I believe that the person with whom I’m speaking deserves my full and undivided attention. It used to be easy to do that. Nowadays, with smart watches, it’s increasingly difficult. I was recently chatting with a fellow professional. I could hear…
Think back to the mistakes you’ve made at work. How many of them were 100% pure accident? We’ve been fully trained, have extensive experience, understand our jobs, and know our roles. Everyone, once in a while, though, makes a mistake. Call it a lapse in judgment, a lapse in concentration, or simply just a human…
The role of a municipal manager is often misunderstood by both elected officials and residents. Many believe that our work is confined to regular office hours, but the reality is that we are always on call, ready to respond to any major situation or disaster that may arise, regardless of the day or time. My…
I’ve been fortunate to have had managers who offered me valuable learning experiences. While some served as positive role models, teaching me best practices to emulate, others inadvertently showed me pitfalls to avoid. As a management professional, my focus is on continuous improvement, dedicated to learning and refining my skills to become a more effective…
The relationship between a city manager and the governing legislative body is complex. Since city managers often outlast elected officials, they possess valuable institutional and procedural knowledge that elected officials may lack. This raises questions about the manager’s role: should they simply follow the council’s instructions, act as a trusted advisor, or provide guidance based…