#citymanagement #disruption #processintelligence

Your organization runs on invisible processes. Purchase orders that skip protocol. Approval chains scattered across three different systems. Workarounds that became standard practice so long ago nobody remembers there was ever another way. You know things aren't efficient. You can feel the friction. But you can't fix what you can't see.

Jerry Driessen is a data nerd and former CIO of Hennepin County and CTO of San Jose, who spent 30 years doing change management from the inside. Now he's working from the outside with process intelligence technology, and he's convinced the disruption potential has finally caught up to what systems thinkers have been trying to do manually for years.

This isn't another dashboard showing what happened last quarter. Not another consultant asking you to map workflows with sticky notes on conference room walls for six hours. Process intelligence creates a digital twin of how work actually flows through your organization. Procurement leaks, invoice systems involving five teams across four platforms, the real path money takes from requisition to payment. It shows you exactly where the breakdowns happen and what it's costing you.

The conversation moves from Charles Lindblom's "science of muddling through" to technology that lets you see the muddling in real time. From bounded rationality and satisficing to understanding the full system. From hoping people follow the process to actually seeing whether they do. Jerry talks candidly about why he made the leap to Celonis after three decades in government, what happens when you can finally see inefficiencies you've been living with, and the privacy considerations that come with making the invisible visible.

We dig into whether this technology amplifies what's already broken or creates space for something better. Whether trust and transparency matter more than dashboards. Whether understanding your processes is efficiency theater or genuine stewardship. And why local government might be the level where innovation actually takes root when you can see clearly enough to act.

We're still balancing on that pogo ball from Episode 21. But now we're talking about actually seeing the ball, the surface beneath it, and every wobble in real time. You can't navigate what you can't see. Process intelligence changes what you can see and what you choose to do about it.

00:00 Introduction to Disruption and Episode Guest

02:10 Jerry's Career Journey and Insights

05:35 Transitioning from Government to Consulting

07:20 Understanding Process Intelligence

11:07 The Role of AI in Process Mapping

14:03 Invisible Systems and Their Impact

14:56 AI's Role in Government Efficiency

18:58 Challenges in Government Technology Implementation

22:09 Embracing AI in Local Government

25:01 Balancing Efficiency and Public Service

27:43 Navigating Bureaucratic Challenges

30:58 The Importance of Transparency in Government

33:32 Building a Technology-Driven Culture

38:55 The Future of AI in Government

42:43 The Need for Systemic Change

49:05 Overcoming Resistance to Change

51:15 Hope for Increased Public Engagement

53:04 Final Thoughts and Resources

#localgovernment #leadership #disruption

You can't balance on a pogo ball standing still. That's the problem. We keep waiting for things to stabilize so we can find our footing, but static balance doesn't exist anymore. Welcome to 2026, the year of the fire horse. Intense energy, boldness, freedom, transformation, and a pace that doesn't slow down for anyone still trying to plan three steps ahead.

This isn't disruption. Disruption implies something temporary, something you survive and move past. We're living in post-disruption reality now, locked in what Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen at Axios call "the fastest, broadest, most consequential reordering of politics, tech, and business of our lifetimes." The guideposts we used to look up to for direction? They're gone. We're the guideposts now.

So how do you lead when you literally don't know what tomorrow brings? When the profession built on planfulness and looking twenty steps down the road enters a zone where breaking things to see what happens has become the operating principle?

There's a grounding truth that matters. There's no partisan way to flush a sewer. Regardless of what's swirling above us, we're the stewards of making things work. Rec programming still runs. Libraries stay open. We do the basic stuff that keeps communities functioning, even when chaos reigns everywhere else.

This episode kicks off our January series exploring what leadership looks like when balance requires constant motion. Ahead this month we'll explore systems that drive organizational change, signals worth following versus noise worth ignoring, and our role as stewards of the next generation inheriting whatever we build (or break) right now.

The pogo ball doesn't wait for you to feel ready. You move or you fall. We're choosing to move.

00:00 Welcome to Disruption: A New Year Begins

02:49 The Pogo Ball Analogy: Balancing Disruption

05:49 Navigating Leadership in Uncertain Times

09:03 Creating Stability Amidst Chaos

11:50 The Role of Community in Coherence

14:52 Grounding in Tactile Experiences

17:47 Revisiting the Basics of Local Government

20:36 Trust and Disruption in Local Governance

23:55 The Impact of Technology on Community Trust

26:24 The Importance of Listening in Leadership

29:31 Reassessing Local Government's Role

32:38 The Future of Local Government and Data Centers

35:03 The Courage to Question 'Why'

38:28 Preparing for the Future: Systems and Signals

40:42 The Journey Ahead: Embracing Change

#localgovernment #citymanagement #publicservice

Mike Land didn't choose city management. City management chose him. From affordable housing boards in the 1980s to serving as ICMA President today, Mike's career reflects a commitment to service, mentorship, and gratitude. In this conversation, he shares the unconventional path that led him to leadership, why he believes communities raise families together, and what a palm reading predicted when he was sixteen years old.

Phil and Corri talk with Mike about bypassing traditional career routes, giving back to the profession through association service, and why the hardest times are still blessings. They explore the realities of raising kids while managing cities, the power of showing up when you're not on the committee, and what it takes to listen to 14,000 members during three years of COVID disruption.

This episode digs into resilience, the gratitude that sustains leaders through crisis, and why being part of a community means you're at church, at the store, at the park, in the school—not just sitting in an office. Mike brings warmth, wisdom, and the reminder that sometimes the profession finds you exactly when you need it to.

00:00 Introduction and Background of Mike Land

05:41 Mike's Journey into Local Government

10:42 Leadership and Service in Professional Organizations

17:32 Navigating Challenges During COVID-19

25:35 The Ethos of Gratitude and Leadership

30:43 Building a Supportive Team and Culture

37:01 Exploring Global Connections in Local Governance

44:14 Building Trust and Community Engagement

51:53 Navigating Challenges in City Management

01:00:32 Personal Reflections and Future Aspirations

#LocalGov #Leadership #WomenInGov #CityManagement #AuthentiCityFM

Sometimes, the most honest conversations start with asking yourself if you're good enough to be in the room. This one starts with bobsleds and sourdough starters, then goes deep into the messy beauty of looking back while staying present.

Sereniah Breland, city manager of Pflugerville, Texas, opens up about imposter syndrome, hard rooms where people don't love you, and why she leans into every creative opportunity like turning budget presentations into Pfinance reports and making Tymo the drug dog the police chief photo in the city budget. She shares the moment on the Camino de Santiago when she realized presence matters more than perfection. Climbing the mountain, looking back at how far you've come, then staying grounded in the now is what leadership actually looks like.

This conversation explores what it means to lose a mentor who taught you to ground yourself with "INMC" (it's not my city), the promise to leave behind wisdom through letters to her nieces, and why grief teaches us the most about legacy. Sereniah shares core beliefs like "we see what we're programmed to see" and why being the person you mean to be matters more than being the person everyone expects.

There's talk of joy seeking and unexpected detours, the kind of wisdom that only comes from years of journaling through the really hard times, and what it means to be affable, feral, bold, unfiltered, and on the verge. Seven cities, one really long walk through Spain, and a whole lot of vulnerability later, Sereniah reminds us of what matters most.

Stay kind, stay steady, stay you. 

Because you're not meant for every room, but you're absolutely meant for great rooms.

01:56 Meet Sereniah

03:30 The Importance of Vulnerability in Leadership

08:34 Mentorship and the Power of Community

11:44 Breaking Barriers: Women in Leadership

15:30 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

20:53 The Value of Taking a Sabbatical

24:30 Lessons from the Camino de Santiago

29:44 The Grasshopper Analogy: Taking Leaps of Faith

40:52 Transformative Career Journeys

42:04 Navigating Self-Doubt in Leadership

47:05 Engagement in Professional Development

48:07 Shifting Focus from Ego to Purpose

51:42 The Importance of Fun in Leadership

01:00:41 Creativity and Community Engagement

01:10:29 Lessons from Life Experiences

01:13:08 Legacy and Mentorship

#LocalGovernment #Community #AuthenticityFM #Leadership #PublicService #CivicEngagement

What if trust hasn't disappeared, it's just stopped flowing through the channels we built for it? 

What if community isn't broken, it's just layered in ways we haven't learned to see yet?

The future of community exists somewhere between the people we trust and the systems we question, between the practices we share and the digital worlds we inhabit, between memory and meaning. We're living in an era where people willingly hand their most precious moments to platforms they'll never meet while doubting the governments they can actually see. Where geography matters less than experience. Where a rainy fireworks festival creates more connection than a perfectly executed event ever could.

This episode explores what happens when we stop trying to restore what fell and start building what wants to emerge. When we recognize that community forms around shared experiences, not shared addresses. When we understand that the soccer ball a kid uses for years matters more than the plastic trinket they'll forget in minutes. When we see that the BLT sandwich from a farmers market becomes the memory that outlasts the infrastructure.

Rebuilding community means reimagining what community can become when analog and digital both matter, when trust decentralizes instead of centralizes, when we give people a why instead of just a what or where. It means creating spaces for memories that haven't happened yet and trusting that connection will find its own path forward.

Part two of our series on community. The fall was inevitable. The reimagining is intentional.

00:00 Reimagining Community in a Digital Age

01:09 Trust and Transitions: The New Community Landscape

05:04 Decentralizing Trust: A Shift in Perspectives

10:53 Navigating Change: The Role of Networks

16:24 The Evolution of Community Norms

21:58 The Future of Community: Integrating Analog and Digital

28:45 Community of Tomorrow: Challenges and Opportunities

33:13 The Evolution of Community and Governance

37:41 The Role of City Management in Democracy

43:57 Rebuilding Trust in Local Politics

46:47 Bridging Physical and Digital Spaces

54:31 Experiences Over Materialism

01:05:23 Gratitude and Community Building

#LocalGovernment #Community #AuthenticityFM #Leadership #DigitalAge #PublicService

Does your algorithm know you better than your neighbors? That question opens a conversation about what happened to community and why it no longer feels like what it once was. We trace the shift from knowing everyone on the block to knowing everything about strangers online and what that transformation means for local government, leadership, and the future of connection.

We explore this through unexpected lenses. The Jetsons imagined a tech driven future but missed how innovation would isolate us. Brené Brown's Four Types of Power show up in neighborhoods, workplaces, and public spaces in ways that shape who belongs. Third places have faded even though they once held the social fabric together. The simple invention of the garage door opener quietly rewired how we relate to the people living closest to us. And now AI may push social media toward the same tech graveyard that holds MySpace.

From cul de sacs and alleyway conversations to curated feeds and disappearing gathering spots, we look at how the built environment, consumer behavior, and digital design have reshaped what it means to be neighbors. We revisit ideas like the Shultz Hour, a reminder that time is something we guard even as technology keeps asking for more of it. Because at the heart of authentic leadership and authentic community is permission. Permission to disconnect, to choose presence over distraction, and to rebuild a sense of belonging that no algorithm can predict.

00:00 The Changing Landscape of Community

08:02 The Impact of Urban Design on Community Interaction

13:44 Algorithms vs. Neighbors: The New Social Dynamics

22:12 The Role of Third Places in Community Building

27:42 Power Dynamics in Community Engagement

38:35 The Future of Social Media and Community Connection

42:07 The Commoditization of Attention

46:50 The Importance of Storytelling in Community

51:22 AI's Role in the Future of Social Media

56:46 Navigating Relationships in a Digital Age

01:00:19 Authenticity in a Fake World

01:07:55 The Trade-off Between Connection and Convenience

#AuthenticityFM #LocalGovernment #LeadershipWellness #PublicService #CityManagement

When did we all become people with dashboards for our bodies? A1Cs, cholesterol, sleep scores, resting heart rates. We manage complex budgets and organizations, but managing our own health? That might be the hardest part.

In this episode, we get honest about what it really takes to stay upright in this profession. Phil opens up about living with Type 1 diabetes for nearly 20 years and maintaining a 1,165-day run streak. Corri shares her wake-up call and the recovery that followed. Mike talks about hot yoga at 105 degrees, the superpower of sleep, and the gift of good genetics.

The conversation moves from personal health stories into deeper territory. The phone calls that happen during dog walks. The professional courage it takes to say "it can wait." The mindset shift happening across local government from transactional service delivery to relational community building. Because how we show up for ourselves directly shapes how we show up for our communities. We talk about why younger professionals need to build sustainable practices now, because maintaining wellness is so much easier than regaining it.

Phil also shares what November means to him, including his family's story of courage that shaped his entire local government career.

This is health and wellness for local government professionals, not the Instagram version. Heart rates, blood sugar, boundaries, and the messy truth about trying to lead a community when you're running on empty.

00:00 Introduction to Health and Wellness in Professional Life

02:49 Personal Health Journeys and Challenges

08:07 The Importance of Setting Boundaries

12:27 Managing Chronic Conditions and Self-Advocacy

22:35 Understanding Diabetes: Type 1 vs Type 2

30:29 The Role of Technology in Health Monitoring

35:49 Finding Balance: Data, Health, and Personal Growth

52:59 Setting Boundaries in Professional Relationships

01:08:56 Rethinking City Hall Operations

01:11:18 Raising Awareness for Diabetes

What does 48 years in local government teach you about leadership, reinvention, and staying authentically yourself? In this episode, we sit down with Craig Rapp, consultant, mentor, and creator of Compass Peer Groups, for a conversation that spans from his first job as a 25-year-old city administrator to his current work supporting the next generation of local government leaders.

Craig takes us through two remarkable halves of his career: the first 22 years as a striver in city management, and the last 25 years as a seeker navigating consulting, face plants, learning curves, and ultimately building something meaningful. Along the way, we explore the unexpected connections between Canadian tuxedos, Gordon Lightfoot, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, bow ties, and the leadership frameworks that shaped Craig's journey.

We dig into the messy middle of career transitions, the courage it takes to reinvent yourself at any age, the power of peer support, and why putting the ladder back down matters more than pulling it up. Craig shares wisdom about navigating failure, staying curious, and being a person of your time while still pushing forward into new territory (yes, even AI artifacts).

This is a conversation about authenticity, longevity, and what it means to build a career that serves not just yourself, but the profession and the people coming up behind you.

#LocalGovernment #Leadership #CareerReinvention #CityManagement #AuthenticityFM

01:34 Craig Rapp's Journey into Local Government

04:13 Career Transitions and Reinvention

09:48 The Importance of Support Systems

15:33 Authenticity in Professional Life

22:36 The Connection to Ore Boats and Personal History

25:54 Early Influences and Upbringing

29:03 Navigating Political Challenges

37:42 Lessons from Jesse Ventura's Tenure

42:59 Courage in Leadership

48:27 The Importance of Peer Support

58:50 Compass Peer Groups and Their Impact

01:01:06 The Power of Optimism in Leadership

01:04:28 Peer Support: The Backbone of Resilience

01:08:31 Real Stories of Peer Group Impact

01:10:58 Improv and Leadership: A Unique Connection

01:15:39 Imagining Life Beyond City Management

01:21:17 Advice for the Next Generation of Leaders

Stories, strategy, and spontaneous connection. This is your guide to transforming five days in Tampa into friendships, insights, and moments that remind you why you love this work.

Whether you're boarding your first plane to an ICMA conference or you're a veteran of twenty, Phil, Mike, and Corri break down how to turn five overwhelming days into career-defining moments. From the anxiety of walking into a room with 5,000 strangers to the magic of hallway conversations that become lifelong friendships, this episode is your honest, practical guide to making ICMA 2025 unforgettable.

The hosts share their own evolution—from sticking close to familiar faces to actively seeking out the most eccentric sessions, from treating keynotes like optional background noise to sitting front row and soaking in every word. They reveal the 10-10-10 rule for conference success, why your badge lanyard matters more than you think, and how to ask questions that create real connection instead of awkward small talk. Mike confesses his technology shortcuts, Corri challenges you to meet people outside your comfort zone, and Phil makes the case for being unapologetically present.

This isn't about maximizing sessions or collecting vendor swag—it's about showing up for a profession that can feel lonely, finding your people, and remembering why this work matters. From Arthur Brooks and Amy Cuddy keynotes to the Mount Rushmore panel of legends, from regional meetings to the expo hall puppies, every detail is an invitation to engage differently.

Plus: Why you should take your badge off when exploring Tampa, the power of handwritten thank-you notes, and an invitation to join the live podcast recording on Monday afternoon.

#ICMA2025 #LocalGovernment #CityManagement #PublicService #Tampa #ProfessionalDevelopment #AuthenticityFM

02:45 Personal Experiences at ICMA Conferences

05:55 Keynote Themes and Speakers

10:23 Navigating the Conference as a Newcomer

19:33 Engaging with Speakers and Networking

27:02 Strategies for Meeting New People

34:46 The Importance of Vendor Interactions

40:33 Setting Goals for the Conference

51:08 Preparing for the Conference Experience

01:00:31 The Value of Keynote Speakers

01:09:05 Closing Thoughts and Final Tips

Join us for an extraordinary conversation with two legends of local government management: John Phillips and Steve Carter. After decades leading communities and another decade as senior advisors mentoring Illinois managers, these veterans share unfiltered insights about what it really takes to sustain a career in public service.

From their first internships in the 1960s and 70s to wrapping up their roles as ILCMA senior advisors, John and Steve discuss the evolving challenges of the profession—from navigating social media storms and changing council dynamics to building trust in university towns and managing multi-jurisdictional relationships. They reveal why they stayed in their communities for 25-30 years when others leave after five, how they built staff cultures that outlasted their tenures, and what it means to show up with integrity when the work gets hard.

This isn't a retirement party—it's a masterclass in relationship building, ethical leadership, and the quiet art of making local government work. Whether you're new to the profession or a seasoned manager, their stories about hiring good people, maintaining work-life balance, and keeping the code of ethics close will resonate deeply.

#CityManagement #LocalGovernment #PublicService #LeadershipLegacy #ICMA #ILCMA #AuthenticityFM

01:07 Meet the City Management Legends

02:59 The Role of Senior Advisors

08:55 Understanding Downstate Illinois

13:10 Building Networks in City Management

16:06 The Importance of Professional Local Government

17:32 Navigating Modern Communication Challenges

22:19 Evolving Relationship Management

33:11 Reflections on Long-Term Careers in City Management

43:07 Hiring for Values and Integrity

48:41 Evolving Paths to City Management

55:14 Ambassadors of Change in Local Governance

01:02:17 Legacy and Collaboration Beyond Boundaries

01:09:07 The Importance of Work-Life Balance

01:16:08 Reflections on Mentorship and Inspiration