Listening to local government leaders
Public Servants is seeking participants for a new effort to better understand the experiences of city, county, and town managers and similar local government leaders.
When we think about government impact, national- or state-level headlines often capture our attention. But the public servants who arguably have the most profound and immediate impact on our daily realities operate at the local level.
While elected officials and first responders often represent the most visible moments of public service, city managers and local government executives are responsible for much of what happens behind the scenes. They manage budgets, guide staff, and implement policy in ways that keep communities functioning every day.
Related reading: Read City, town, and county managers for a closer look at what these roles entail.
Illustration by Gina Bae.
Elevating the voices of local management
At Public Servants, we believe those perspectives matter. That’s why we’re launching a focused research effort dedicated to the vital operators in our local communities: city managers, county managers, chief administrative officers, department heads, and other leaders in local government operations.
At its core, this project seeks to answer a fundamental guiding question: What do these crucial leaders need to thrive—and what opportunities exist to better support them in serving their communities? Rather than relying on assumptions, we are investing the time this summer to build an evidence-based foundation. We want to uncover:
What are the day-to-day realities of leading local government?
What conditions and resources best enable success?
How do experiences differ across communities, geographies, and forms of government?
What do local government leaders need to thrive—and how can we better support them in serving their communities?
How to participate
The goal of this effort extends beyond understanding the current landscape. What we learn will help shape future resources and programs. More importantly, we are committed to generating knowledge that contributes positively back to the broader public service ecosystem and the participants themselves.
Are you a local government manager, or do you work closely with one? We’d love to learn from you. There are two quick ways to get involved:
Take our confidential, 10-minute survey: Share your perspective and experiences here.
Join the conversation: We are hosting brief learning conversations throughout July to dive deeper into the experiences of local managers. If you are open to speaking with our research team, please let us know within the survey.
We look forward to listening, learning, and contributing to a stronger future for local government leadership.
