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Gov360: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Chris Mann
Hosted by City Manager Chris Mann, Gov360 brings together the leaders, ideas, and candid conversations shaping the future of local government. Each episode goes beyond policy and headlines to explore the real experience of public leadership, including organizational culture, politics, innovation, technology, career development, community conflict, burnout, resilience, and the challenges facing the profession. Gov360 features conversations with city managers, public executives, elected officials, innovators, and other leaders who offer real-world perspectives and practical insights for those committed to stronger communities and better local government. Whether you're a city manager, rising administrator, elected official, or other local government professional, Gov360 provides the ideas, perspective, and leadership insight to help you lead with greater impact.
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- Aug 18, 202635 min
Gov360: Episode 29 - A New Hope
Local government has been through a difficult season. Political polarization. Social media attacks. Burnout. Public distrust. Workforce challenges. Talented professionals questioning whether the personal cost of public service is still worth it. Those challenges are real. But they are not the whole story. There are reasons to believe something better is taking shape. In Episode 29 of Gov360, “A New Hope,” City Manager Chris Mann takes a different look at the state of local government and makes the case for optimism about where the profession is headed. A new generation of public servants is bringing fresh ideas and challenging old assumptions. Local governments are learning how to use social media to communicate more authentically and rebuild trust. Artificial intelligence is creating opportunities to eliminate administrative work and give leaders more time for the human side of leadership. And perhaps most importantly, the profession is finally having honest conversations about burnout, loneliness, resilience, and the personal cost of public service. None of that means the challenges have disappeared. Hope isn't pretending everything is fine. It is recognizing the problems in front of us while believing something better is still possible, and then doing something to help build it. Because the future of local government isn't something that simply happens to us. We get to help shape it. This episode explores: ✅ Why the challenges facing local government don't necessarily mean the profession is in decline ✅ How a new generation of public servants could reshape local government for the better ✅ Why younger professionals are right to question some long-standing assumptions about public-sector careers ✅ How social media could evolve from one of government's greatest challenges into a tool for rebuilding public trust ✅ Why government needs to tell its own story before someone else tells it for us ✅ How AI could make government more efficient, and leadership more human ✅ Why openly discussing burnout, loneliness, and the emotional toll of leadership is actually a sign of progress ✅ The resilience of public servants who endure difficult seasons and keep moving forward ✅ Why a bad chapter, a bad council, or a bad organization doesn't have to define an entire career ✅ Five practical things struggling local government professionals can do right now ✅ Why experienced leaders have a responsibility to mentor the next generation ✅ Why the future of local government will be built one leader, one organization, and one decision at a time 📺 Watch Episode 29 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/56KvatC64Zo ⸻ Join the Gov360 Community Leadership doesn't have to be lonely. The Gov360 Community is a professional home for local government leaders who want to continue the conversations started on the podcast. Members connect through live conversations, leadership resources, Commute with Chris, behind-the-scenes content, and meaningful relationships with professionals who understand the unique challenges and rewards of public service. 👉 Join the Gov360 Community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Gov360 ⸻ Chapters 0:00 The Challenges Facing Local Government 2:02 Welcome to Gov360 4:59 Is Local Government Really in Decline? 6:30 A New Generation of Public Servants 10:53 Is Local Government Finally Figuring Out Social Media? 15:16 Why AI Gives Me Hope 18:38 We’ve Finally Started Talking About the Problems 21:57 The Biggest Reason I Have Hope 24:22 What If You Don’t Feel Hopeful Right Now? 25:53 Five Things You Can Control 28:31 Don’t Wait for Someone Else to Fix the Profession 30:05 Why I Called This Episode “A New Hope” 32:20 Good People Keep Showing Up 33:34 Final Thoughts and How to Support Gov360 35:20 Local Government Has Found A New Hope ⸻ Links & Resources 👉 Join the Gov360 Community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Gov360 📬 Subscribe to The Gov360 Briefing, the free Gov360 email newsletter: https://gov360briefing.beehiiv.com/ 💻 CiviSocial - Social Media Strategy for Local Government: https://civisocial.com/ 📖 The Social Media Playbook for City and County Managers: https://a.co/d/070jQXRe 📺 Gov360 Episodes 3 & 10 re: Social Media for Local Government: Ep.3: https://youtu.be/5MgughL1LuA?is=rp0lKFULYzRn5ssZ Ep.10: https://youtu.be/sJ_NEN7wYr0?is=-_zisW7IpfkfWc6J 👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources: <a hre
- Jul 28, 202648 min
Why Local Government Breaks Your Heart...And Why We Keep Coming Back | Ep.28
Local government can break your heart. Not because the work lacks meaning, but because it matters so deeply. The people who choose careers in public service often carry enormous responsibility for their communities, organizations, employees, and democratic institutions. They celebrate victories that may never be noticed, absorb criticism few people fully understand, and confront problems that may never be completely solved. And yet, they keep coming back. In Episode 28 of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann sits down with former San Rafael City Manager Jim Schutz to explore the emotional realities of local government leadership through one of the profession’s most unexpected lenses: poetry. Jim’s book, The Mayor Has a Hammer, is a collection of poems inspired by more than thirty years in local government. But this conversation is about far more than poetry. It is about the people behind the budgets, ordinances, council meetings, infrastructure projects, and public controversies. It is about why the work hurts...and why it remains worth doing. This episode explores: ✅ Why local government leaders struggle to acknowledge the emotional toll of the profession ✅ The three “lions” every city manager must care for: the council, staff, and community ✅ Why council chambers can feel like sacred spaces for democracy ✅ The cumulative effect of crises, criticism, polarization, and constant public scrutiny ✅ Why admitting that leadership hurts can feel like admitting weakness ✅ The complicated truth behind “Run the city like a business” ✅ What separates exceptional elected officials from ineffective ones ✅ Why city managers must intentionally build joy into their careers ✅ How retirement can challenge a public servant’s identity ✅ Why local government breaks your heart, and why we keep coming back 📺 Watch Episode 28 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e865oDBGHok ⸻ Join the Gov360 Community The Gov360 Community is a professional home for local government leaders who want to continue the conversations started on the podcast. Members connect through live leadership discussions, masterclasses, recommended reading, practical resources, behind-the-scenes conversations, and meaningful relationships with professionals across the country. 👉 Join the Gov360 Community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/Gov360 ⸻ Chapters 0:00 Why Local Government Breaks Your Heart 1:02 Welcome to Gov360 1:11 Introducing the Gov360 Community 1:50 Commute with Chris 2:21 Meet Jim Schutz 3:44 Why Poetry? 5:13 The Emotional Reality of Local Government 6:17 Love Poems to the Profession 7:49 City Council Chambers 9:18 The Council Chamber as a Sacred Space 10:19 The Danger of Cynicism 12:18 Pride of Lions 14:45 The Three Lions of City Management 17:57 Do City Managers Give Too Much of Themselves? 18:50 City Manager Gulliver 20:44 When the Profession Becomes Overwhelming 21:08 Revealing the Human Side of Government 22:37 The Cumulative Weight of Public Service 23:57 Why Leaders Struggle to Admit the Job Hurts 25:19 Vulnerability in Local Government Leadership 25:51 A Generational Shift in Leadership 26:58 Getting Off the Island 27:31 Life After the City Manager’s Office 30:16 Run the City Like a Business 31:45 Why the Phrase Resonates—and Frustrates 34:40 Don’t Run for City Council 36:12 Who Should Run for Office? 36:34 What Makes an Exceptional Council Member? 41:00 Advice for the Next Generation 41:51 Would Jim Do It Again? 42:08 Finding Joy in the Work 44:33 Why Local Government Breaks Your Heart 46:09 Why We Keep Coming Back 46:52 Final Thoughts 47:29 The Mayor Has a Hammer 47:37 Join the Gov360 Community 48:04 Govern Boldly ⸻ Links & Resources 👉 Join the Gov360 Community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/Gov360 📖 The Mayor Has a Hammer by Jim Schutz Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mayor-Has-Hammer-James-Schutz/dp/1421835797 Jim's Website: http://www.localgovernmentpoetry.com/ 👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources: https://www.chrismann.us/gov360 📬 Subscribe to the Free Gov360 Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7320606146577186817/ 📲 Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76 🎙️ Subscribe to Gov360 on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614 🎧 Listen on Spotify: <a href='https://open.
- Jul 14, 202627 min
Leadership Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely | Introducing the Gov360 Community | Ep.27
Leadership can be incredibly lonely. Not because leaders are isolated. But because responsibility often can’t be shared. What if the conversation didn’t have to end when the podcast ended? Over the past year, Gov360 has brought together city managers, elected officials, consultants, authors, and other respected leaders from across the local government profession. Every episode ended the same way: the cameras stopped rolling…and the conversation became even more honest. That’s when people shared the decisions that still weighed on them years later. The difficult council relationships. The personnel issues. The mistakes that shaped them. The moments they questioned whether they could continue in the profession. In Episode 27 of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann shares the three biggest lessons he learned from the first twenty-six episodes and explains why they convinced him that the profession doesn’t simply need more information. It needs more community. This episode explores: ✅ Why leadership can be far lonelier than most people realize ✅ The biggest lessons learned from interviewing local government leaders ✅ Why great professions are built on community, not just conferences ✅ The conversations that happen after the microphones are turned off ✅ How Gov360 has evolved from a podcast into something much bigger ✅ The vision behind the new Gov360 Community ✅ Why the future of leadership is built on connection Along the way, Chris shares several personal stories that reshaped his own approach to leadership, including decisions that still stay with him today and the experiences that nearly drove him out of the profession. This is the most personal Gov360 episode recorded thus far. More than anything, this episode is an invitation. An invitation to continue the conversation. 🎧 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/XwWRFw_LeS8 ⸻ Introducing the Gov360 Community Early access to the Gov360 Community is now open. The Gov360 Community is a professional home for local government leaders who want to continue the conversations started on the podcast through leadership discussions, live events, AI resources, recommended reading, practical leadership tools, and meaningful connections with professionals across the country. 👉 Join the Gov360 Community (early access is available now for viewers of Ep.27): https://www.patreon.com/cw/Gov360/membership 📅 Join us Tuesday, July 21 at 6:00 p.m. Pacific for a special LIVE Gov360 event on YouTube, where we’ll officially kick off the Gov360 Community, discuss the future of local government leadership, give everyone a live tour of the community, and answer your questions. ⸻ Chapters 0:00 Leadership Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely 2:07 Welcome to Gov360 3:50 Lesson One: Leadership Is About People 6:09 A Leadership Decision That Still Haunts Me 8:26 Lesson Two: Leadership Can Be Lonely 10:16 Why Responsibility Often Can’t Be Shared 12:24 Lesson Three: Great Professions Are Built on Community 14:28 The Podcast Wasn’t the Destination 15:23 The Story That Changed Everything 17:19 Local Government Has a Connection Problem 19:28 Introducing the Gov360 Community 19:44 Gov360 Live Kickoff Event 20:09 Early Access Now Open 20:31 What the Gov360 Community Will Become 21:41 A Professional Home, Not a Membership Site 22:58 Why Local Government Still Matters 23:01 The Profession Almost Broke Me 25:07 None of Us Gets Through This Alone 25:51 Building a Stronger Profession 26:15 Final Thoughts and Subscribe ⸻ Links & Resources 👉 Join the Gov360 Community: https://www.patreon.com/cw/Gov360 👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources: https://www.chrismann.us/gov360 📬 Subscribe to the Free Gov360 Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7320606146577186817/ 📲 Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76 🎙️ Subscribe to Gov360 on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa 💻 Visit Chris Mann’s Website: https://www.chrismann.us ⸻ About Gov360 Gov360 is your full-circle view on local government leadership. Each episode explores the challenges, opportunities, and leadership lessons shaping cities and counties across America through convers
- Jun 23, 202637 min
The End of Loyalty | Ep.26
Employees are changing jobs faster than ever. Organizations are experiencing constant turnover. City manager tenure continues to shrink. Political environments are increasingly volatile. Public expectations continue to rise. And leaders everywhere seem to be asking the same question: What happened to loyalty? In Episode 26 of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann explores why that may actually be the wrong question. This episode delves into an examination of how leadership has changed, why incentives matter more than most leaders realize, and how understanding human behavior can dramatically improve your effectiveness as a leader. For generations, organizations operated under an unwritten social contract. Employees provided loyalty. Organizations provided stability. Long-term relationships were rewarded. Institutional knowledge accumulated. Trust developed over time. Today, the environment looks very different. Career mobility has become normal. Political pressure moves at the speed of social media. Public expectations evolve rapidly. Information travels instantly. And the incentives that drive behavior have fundamentally changed. In this episode, Chris examines one of the most important leadership lessons he has learned during his career: People generally act in what they perceive to be their own self-interest. Understanding that reality isn’t cynical. It’s enlightening. Because once leaders stop asking, “Why are they doing this to me?” and start asking, “What problem are they trying to solve for themselves?” people become far less confusing, conflict becomes more manageable, and leadership becomes far more strategic. This episode explores: ✅ Why loyalty looks different than it did a generation ago ✅ How changing incentives have reshaped local government leadership ✅ Why city manager tenure continues to shrink ✅ The impact of social media, political pressure, and public expectations ✅ How understanding incentives can help leaders navigate conflict more effectively ✅ Why leadership is ultimately about creating alignment, not demanding loyalty ✅ Practical strategies for building trust, influence, and organizational resilience Chris also shares a personal leadership story that helped reshape his understanding of incentives, decision-making, and human behavior. At the end of the day, leadership isn’t about demanding loyalty. It’s about creating the conditions where people willingly choose to move in the same direction. 🎧 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/8Pv5Yc2iiak Chapters: 0:00 What Happened to Loyalty? 1:22 Welcome to Gov360 3:18 When Loyalty Was the Norm 5:02 The Incentives Changed 7:28 City Manager Tenure and Leadership Instability 9:25 The Council-Manager Model in an Age of Immediacy 12:20 The Leadership Lesson That Changed Everything 14:22 A Personal Story About Incentives 17:49 Look at the Incentives 18:13 The Question That Changes Everything 21:10 Mapping Incentives Before Taking Action 21:57 Positions vs. Interests 22:44 Never Assume Alignment 23:32 Leadership Is About Alignment, Not Loyalty 25:53 Building Alignment Around Shared Interests 27:05 People Are Going to Leave 28:28 Practical Strategies for Leaders 29:27 Invest in Relationships Before You Need Them 30:14 Communicate Relentlessly 30:55 Build Systems, Not Heroes 31:42 Trust Is the Most Valuable Currency 32:20 The Future of Leadership 34:08 Gov360 Community on Patreon 35:19 Is Loyalty Dead? 36:41 Final Thoughts and Subscribe Links & Resources 👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources: https://www.chrismann.us/gov360 📲 Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76 📬 Subscribe to the Free Gov360 Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7320606146577186817/ 🎙️ Subscribe to Gov360 on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa 💻 Visit Chris Mann’s Website: https://www.chrismann.us About Gov360 Gov360 is the show for local government professionals who want to lead with impact, master their craft, and rise to the top of the profession. #LocalGovernment #CityManager #PublicAdministration #GovernmentLeadership #Leadership #MunicipalLeadership #PublicService #Gov360
- Jun 9, 20261h 5m
Different Systems, Same Problems: Local Government Across the Pond | Ep.25
Before we talk about the differences between American and British local government… It may be more important to talk about the similarities. Different governmental structures. Different political systems. Different laws. Different traditions. But remarkably similar challenges. In this episode of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann is joined by Lewis Anderson, a local government practitioner from the United Kingdom whose career spans roles as Clerk, Responsible Financial Officer (RFO), Councillor, Internal Auditor, consultant, governance advisor, and trainer. Lewis entered local government at just 18 years old and has spent his career working across parish councils and local authorities throughout England. Together, Chris and Lewis explore what local government looks like on the other side of the Atlantic and discover that many of the pressures facing public servants today are universal. They discuss: • How local government is structured in the United Kingdom • The role of parish councils, district councils, county councils, and unitary authorities • What a Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer actually does • Why some British local governments operate with only one or two employees • Political neutrality and professionalism in public administration • The growing impact of social media on public discourse • Public trust, transparency, and rising citizen expectations • Why public service is becoming emotionally more difficult • The similarities between city managers and clerks despite very different governmental structures • Artificial intelligence and the future of local government operations • Leadership lessons that apply regardless of country, title, or governmental structure The conversation also explores Lewis’s work helping local governments navigate emerging technology and his efforts to support clerks and public servants across both the United Kingdom and the United States. But ultimately, this episode is about something bigger. It is about the human experience of public service. The reality that local government professionals around the world are facing many of the same challenges. Political polarization. Declining trust. Resource constraints. Burnout. Public scrutiny. And the growing pressure to do more with less. Despite oceans, borders, and entirely different governmental systems, public servants everywhere are wrestling with many of the same questions about leadership, professionalism, resilience, and the future of governance. Because while the structures may be different… The mission remains the same. Serving communities. Building trust. Solving problems. And helping local government work. 🎧 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/GFlrNzzMNwk Chapters 00:00 Intro & Different Systems, Same Problems 01:25 Welcome to Gov360 03:08 Lewis Anderson’s Journey into Public Service 05:23 Becoming a Councillor at 18 09:38 Understanding U.K. Local Government 12:28 Partisan Politics at the Local Level 16:16 What Is a Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer? 18:42 How Parish Councils Operate with Limited Staff 20:35 Comparing U.S. and U.K. Clerks 23:15 Biggest Differences Between U.S. and U.K. Local Government 27:14 Social Media, Public Scrutiny, and Burnout 30:00 Civility, Respect, and Codes of Conduct 35:02 Political Neutrality and the Appointed Executive 38:53 Elected Officials, Staff Direction, and Non-Interference 41:08 Public Trust in Local Government 43:13 What the U.S. Could Learn from the U.K. 45:45 A Day in the Life of a Clerk 47:30 Clerks Without Borders and International Collaboration 49:19 Artificial Intelligence in Local Government 53:14 Are Local Governments Moving Too Slowly on AI? 54:51 AI Consulting and Measured Risk 57:34 Lightning Round 1:03:27 Final Thoughts & Closing Links & Resources 💻 Connect with Lewis Anderson: https://www.lewisandersonenterprises.co.uk https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewisandersonburton/ 🔗 Clerks Without Borders: https://www.iimc.com/541/Clerks-Without-Borders 👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources: https://www.chrismann.us/gov360 📲 Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn: <a href='https://
- May 26, 20261h 5m
The Municipal Battlefield: Leadership, Pressure, and Survival in Small-Town Government | Ep.24
Leadership in local government is becoming emotionally heavier. Not just operationally difficult. Heavier. The public sees the council meeting. The vote. The controversy. The headline. What they often do not see is the pressure being absorbed behind the scenes by the people trying to hold organizations, communities, and public trust together. And increasingly, that pressure is becoming deeply personal. In this episode of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann is joined by Dwight Boddorf, Borough Manager of Tarentum, PA, Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Hoover Institution Veteran Fellow at Stanford University, and author of the new book The Municipal Battlefield. Drawing from experiences in combat, veterans advocacy, crisis leadership, and municipal management, Dwight shares an unfiltered look at the hidden psychological and emotional realities of leading in modern local government. Together, Chris and Dwight examine: • Why small-town government can become intensely personal • The emotional toll of constant public scrutiny • How criticism increasingly crosses from policy into personal attacks • The loneliness and isolation many city leaders quietly experience • Why burnout is becoming normalized across the profession • The growing disconnect between rising expectations and limited resources • Why military leadership principles may uniquely prepare people for municipal leadership • What it actually takes to lead calmly under pressure when entire communities are watching This episode also explores Dwight’s work at the Hoover Institution, focused on building pathways for veterans to enter local government leadership roles, and why mission-oriented leadership matters more than ever in public service. But ultimately, this conversation is about something much bigger. It is about the human experience of public service. The emotional burden carried by local government professionals. The pressure of leadership in emotionally charged environments. And the reality that many public servants today feel overwhelmed, isolated, and quietly exhausted. This episode is for you if: • You work in local government and feel the emotional weight of the profession increasing • You are a city manager, department head, analyst, or aspiring executive navigating difficult political environments • You have experienced public hostility, misinformation, or personal attacks tied to your work • You are trying to lead effectively without losing yourself in the process • You believe local government leadership deserves a more honest conversation Leadership today is no longer just about technical competence. It is about resilience. Emotional discipline. Communication under pressure. And the ability to keep serving even when the environment around you becomes increasingly volatile. 🎧 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/vKqVFDbJa5U Links & Resources 📖 Dwight Boddorf's New Book: "The Municipal Battlefield": https://a.co/d/0djOuOY4 💻 Connect with Dwight on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwight-boddorf/ 👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources: https://www.chrismann.us/gov360 📲 Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76/ 📬 Subscribe to the free Gov360 Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/gov360-your-full-circle-view-7320606146577186817/ 🎙️ Subscribe to Gov360 on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa?si=1a3d8e1b053345fd 💻 Visit Chris Mann’s Website: https://www.chrismann.us About Gov360 Gov360 is the show for local government professionals who want to lead with impact, master their craft, and rise to the top of the profession.
- May 5, 202617 min
Why City Managers Don’t Last – And What They Get Wrong | Ep.23
City managers don’t just fail. Most don’t fail at all. They stall. They plateau. They quietly move on… or get pushed out. And it’s usually not because they weren’t good at their job. For decades, local government rewarded a clear formula: Be competent. Stay neutral. Deliver results. Let the work speak for itself. For many, that formula no longer holds. In this solo episode of Gov360, Chris Mann examines why so many capable city managers struggle to last in today’s environment, and what has fundamentally changed. This is not a critique of individuals. It is not a criticism of elected officials. And it is not a collection of personal grievances. It is an examination of patterns. The pace of governance has accelerated. Council turnover is more frequent. Public expectations are higher and less predictable. Social media amplifies perception in real time. And the margin for error has narrowed. The rules didn’t change overnight. They changed quietly. And many highly capable leaders are discovering that the model they were trained in no longer protects them. This episode breaks down the five most common mistakes that shorten tenure at the executive level, and how leaders can adapt without abandoning professionalism, ethics, or the core principles of the council-manager form of government. While focused on city managers, the lessons apply across the profession—from analysts and department heads to assistant city managers and emerging executives. This conversation is about durability. Chris unpacks: ✅ Why competence is now the baseline—not the differentiator ✅ How misreading the political environment leads to avoidable risk ✅ Why relationships—not results—often determine staying power ✅ The growing importance of narrative, perception, and communication ✅ How a lack of personal strategy quietly derails careers ✅ What modern leadership in local government actually requires This episode is for you if: • You are a city manager navigating increasing pressure and expectations • You are an aspiring executive preparing for long-term leadership • You have seen capable leaders struggle or exit unexpectedly • You want to lead effectively while adapting to a changing environment Being good at your job still matters. But it’s no longer enough. If you want to last in this profession, you have to evolve with it. 🎧 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/8bqYhCb_GS4 Links & Resources 👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources: https://www.chrismann.us/gov360 📲 Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76 📬 Subscribe to the free Gov360 Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7320606146577186817/ 🎙️ Subscribe to Gov360 on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa 💻 Visit Chris Mann’s Website: https://www.chrismann.us About Gov360 Gov360 is the show for local government professionals who want to lead with impact, master their craft, and rise to the top of the profession.
- Apr 7, 20261h 0m
When Departments Break: Why Local Government Employees are Leaving | Ep.22
Departments don’t usually fail all at once. They break quietly, then suddenly. Across local government, employees are leaving, burnout is rising, and many leaders don’t realize a department is broken until it’s too late. It starts subtly. One resignation that doesn’t get filled. One burned-out employee holding everything together. One leader hoping the team can just push through. Until one day, the department stops functioning and everyone wonders how it got there. Across local government, vacancies are lingering longer. Institutional knowledge is walking out the door. And in too many organizations, the warning signs are either missed or rationalized away. That raises critical questions for leaders: What does a truly broken department look like from the inside? Why are people really leaving? What does it take to rebuild trust, culture, and momentum once things begin to fall apart? In this episode of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann sits down with Sophia Selivanoff and Ashley Metzger of Regional Government Services (RGS), a public agency that works with cities, counties, and special districts during moments of transition, instability, and organizational strain. Together, they explore what broken departments feel like for the people inside them, why employees often trust outsiders more than their own supervisors with the truth, and how leaders can recognize the warning signs before disengagement becomes collapse. This conversation also examines the emotional toll these moments take on leaders, why asking for help can feel so difficult, and how organizations can begin to recover when trust has eroded and hope has faded. ⸻ We unpack: ✅ The difference between a busy department and a broken one ✅ The quiet warning signs leaders often rationalize away ✅ Why employees stop speaking up in struggling organizations ✅ The real reasons people are leaving local government ✅ What burnout, disengagement, and loss of hope look like from the inside ✅ Why outside support can create the first real opening for recovery ✅ How Regional Government Services helps agencies navigate instability ✅ The concept of fractional leadership in local government ✅ Why rebuilding trust, not just filling vacancies, is the real work ✅ Why there is still reason for optimism about the future ⸻ Broken departments are not personal failures. But rebuilding them requires courage, humility, and intentional leadership. For many city managers and department heads, these moments become the defining tests of their careers. If your organization feels stretched, fractured, or on the brink, this episode offers perspective and a path forward. ⸻ ▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eTCDXyVjHE4 ⸻ Resources Mentioned in This Episode Gov360 Ep.7 with Jacob Green titled "Should You Leave Local Government?": https://youtu.be/VJGEfRkCpBY?si=ts6hruBaTtMdxdTR Regional Government Services: https://rgsjpa.org Sophia Selivanoff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-selivanoff-259a1123/ Ashley Metzger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-metzger-8a66105b/ ⸻ Chapters 0:00 Cold Open: When Departments Quietly Start to Break 1:21 When a Department Is in Trouble, Not Just Busy 4:35 Why Staff Tell Outsiders the Truth First 8:28 Why People Are Really Leaving Local Government 13:01 What a Broken Department Feels Like for Employees 16:55 When Leaders Ask for Help and What RGS Actually Does 25:51 Fractional Leadership and Shared Executive Support 30:26 CalPERS, Flexibility, and the Modern Workforce 38:18 Why Sophia and Ashley Joined RGS 43:35 When Should a City Call RGS? 47:30 Is There Still Hope for Local Government? 49:58 How Leaders Rebuild Purpose, Progress, and Trust 54:04 Why Local Government Must Tell Its Story Better 59:28 Final Takeaway: Broken Departments Can Recover ⸻ Links & Resources 👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources: https://www.chrismann.us/gov360 📲 Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76 📬 Subscribe to the Gov360 Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7320606146577186817/ 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: <a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id18076496
About Gov360
Hosted by City Manager Chris Mann, Gov360 brings together the leaders, ideas, and candid conversations shaping the future of local government. Each episode goes beyond policy and headlines to explore the real experience of public leadership, including organizational culture, politics, innovation, technology, career development, community conflict, burnout, resilience, and the challenges facing the profession. Gov360 features conversations with city managers, public executives, elected officials, innovators, and other leaders who offer real-world perspectives and practical insights for those committed to stronger communities and better local government. Whether you're a city manager, rising administrator, elected official, or other local government professional, Gov360 provides the ideas, perspective, and leadership insight to help you lead with greater impact.
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