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#68 - From Chief to City Hall Part 2 | Jim Devlin’s Next Chapter
In Part 2 of our conversation with Jim Devlin, we pick up with his transition from Police Chief to Assistant City Manager and what that move has taught him about leadership, succession planning, relationships, and service beyond the badge.
Jim talks about the natural progression from leading a department to helping lead an organization, the importance of collaboration across city departments, and why relationship building remains one of the most transferable skills in local government. He also shares thoughts on mental health and wellness in city management, the value of professional development through the Texas City Management Institute, and the importance of regional partnerships in serving communities well.
The episode closes with Jim’s advice for emerging public servants: know yourself, build relationships, stay humble, strive for excellence, and remember that people may forget the programs and projects, but they will remember how you treated them.
Chapters
00:00 - Welcome Back to Part 2
00:57 - Moving from Police Chief to Assistant City Manager
06:17 - Skills That Transfer from Police Leadership to City Management
11:55 - Leadership, Wellness, and Taking Care of Yourself
12:45 - Mental Health in Public Safety and City Administration
16:53 - Burnout, Pressure, and Secondhand Smoke in City Leadership
19:43 - Texas City Management Institute
24:43 - Borrowing Good Ideas and Making Them Fit Your Community
25:51 - Hewitt, Waco, and the Real Central Texas
32:33 - Regional Partnerships and Shared Services
35:15 - Advice for Emerging Public Servants
38:05 - Is a Career in Public Service Worth It?
39:43 - Closing Thoughts
Connect with Jim Devlin on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-devlin-cpm-15886570/
Connect With Clear Career Professionals
Clear Career Professionals is a Texas based municipal executive search firm specializing in City Manager search services, municipal executive search, and local government leadership consulting for cities and counties across Texas and the United States.
Clear works with communities to recruit City Managers, City Administrators, Assistant City Managers, Police Chiefs, Fire Chiefs, Finance Directors, HR Directors, and other senior municipal leaders.
In addition to executive search services, Clear provides local government leadership training, organizational assessments, executive coaching, interim leadership placements, and strategic consulting designed to strengthen city organizations and support effective public service leadership.
Clear partners with city councils, county commissioners, and public sector leadership teams seeking experienced municipal professionals who can guide growing communities, manage complex organizations, and deliver strong public service outcomes.
Career Opportunities
https://clearcareerpro.com/career-opportunities
LinkedIn
https://linkedin.com/company/clear-career-pro
View all episodes
By Clear Career ProfessionalsIn Part 2 of our conversation with Jim Devlin, we pick up with his transition from Police Chief to Assistant City Manager and what that move has taught him about leadership, succession planning, relationships, and service beyond the badge.
Jim talks about the natural progression from leading a department to helping lead an organization, the importance of collaboration across city departments, and why relationship building remains one of the most transferable skills in local government. He also shares thoughts on mental health and wellness in city management, the value of professional development through the Texas City Management Institute, and the importance of regional partnerships in serving communities well.
The episode closes with Jim’s advice for emerging public servants: know yourself, build relationships, stay humble, strive for excellence, and remember that people may forget the programs and projects, but they will remember how you treated them.
Chapters
00:00 - Welcome Back to Part 2
00:57 - Moving from Police Chief to Assistant City Manager
06:17 - Skills That Transfer from Police Leadership to City Management
11:55 - Leadership, Wellness, and Taking Care of Yourself
12:45 - Mental Health in Public Safety and City Administration
16:53 - Burnout, Pressure, and Secondhand Smoke in City Leadership
19:43 - Texas City Management Institute
24:43 - Borrowing Good Ideas and Making Them Fit Your Community
25:51 - Hewitt, Waco, and the Real Central Texas
32:33 - Regional Partnerships and Shared Services
35:15 - Advice for Emerging Public Servants
38:05 - Is a Career in Public Service Worth It?
39:43 - Closing Thoughts
Connect with Jim Devlin on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-devlin-cpm-15886570/
Connect With Clear Career Professionals
Clear Career Professionals is a Texas based municipal executive search firm specializing in City Manager search services, municipal executive search, and local government leadership consulting for cities and counties across Texas and the United States.
Clear works with communities to recruit City Managers, City Administrators, Assistant City Managers, Police Chiefs, Fire Chiefs, Finance Directors, HR Directors, and other senior municipal leaders.
In addition to executive search services, Clear provides local government leadership training, organizational assessments, executive coaching, interim leadership placements, and strategic consulting designed to strengthen city organizations and support effective public service leadership.
Clear partners with city councils, county commissioners, and public sector leadership teams seeking experienced municipal professionals who can guide growing communities, manage complex organizations, and deliver strong public service outcomes.
Career Opportunities
https://clearcareerpro.com/career-opportunities
LinkedIn
https://linkedin.com/company/clear-career-pro