Gov360

By Chris MannBusiness News Government Politics Management

Gov360 episodes

October 13 When It's Time to Walk Away | Kevin Lahner | Ep.31
After 25 years in local government, veteran city manager Kevin Lahner made a decision he never expected to make.
He walked away.
Why? Because the profession he loved was beginning to change who he was.
Among his peers, Kevin was a respected leader and mentor. But in the community he served, he increasingly faced accusations of incompetence and dishonesty. For someone whose identity was built around integrity and public service, those accusations cut deeply.
The criticism was relentless. Public meetings. Social media. Emails. Personal attacks. Eventually, the stress followed him home.
In Episode 31 of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann sits down with former Janesville, Wisconsin City Manager Kevin Lahner for a deeply personal conversation about the emotional toll of public leadership, the changing political environment, and one of the hardest questions any leader can confront:
When is it time to walk away?
Kevin's career began almost by accident. A former journalist, he entered local government in Texas and became interim city manager of Keller at just 26. Over the next two decades, he built a career developing people, strengthening organizations, and solving complex community problems.
But his final years in city management were different.
In Janesville, a controversial proposal to redevelop the former General Motors assembly plant into a data center became a flashpoint for community opposition. Political tensions escalated, and Kevin found himself the target of increasingly personal attacks. His integrity was questioned, and efforts to respond with facts seemed unable to change the narrative.
Kevin describes becoming less patient with his children, struggling to remain present with his family, and carrying stress he didn't fully recognize until he resigned.
When he made that decision, he says he literally felt 20 pounds lighter.
Chris and Kevin explore why competence alone may no longer be enough for local government leaders, how social media and declining public trust have changed the profession, and why the city manager's office can be an incredibly lonely place.
They discuss the importance of professional support networks, vulnerability, executive coaching, and recognizing when the personal cost of leadership becomes too great.
Kevin also reflects on transitioning into the private sector, the parts of city management he still misses, and the unexpected freedom of continuing to serve communities without carrying the weight of the city manager's chair.
For public servants facing difficult times, this conversation offers an important reminder: leadership requires more than resilience and perseverance. It also requires the wisdom to recognize when staying is costing too much.
Because sometimes the hardest leadership decision isn't deciding to stay and fight. It's knowing when to walk away.
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📺 Watch Gov360 Episode 31 on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/7tT6o1h2f_I
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JOIN THE GOV360 COMMUNITY
Leadership doesn't have to be lonely. Connect with local government professionals through live conversations, leadership resources, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
👉 https://www.patreon.com/Gov360
⸻
GOV360 PARTNER: JACOB GREEN & ASSOCIATES
Gov360 welcomes Jacob Green & Associates as our first official sponsor. JGA helps local governments strengthen organizations, develop leaders, and navigate complex challenges.
🏛️ https://www.jacobgreenandassociates.com
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold Open: When Is Enough, Enough?
0:50 Introduction: The Personal Cost of Public Service
1:46 Gov360's First Sponsor: Jacob Green & Associates
4:06 Meet Kevin Lahner: 25 Years in Local Government
5:51 An Unlikely Journey into City Management
10:27 Becoming a City Manager at 26
14:15 What Makes Public Service Worthwhile?
16:50 Respected by Peers, Attacked by the Community
21:34 Why Competence Is No Longer Enough
26:42 What Went Wrong in Janesville?
30:22 The Data Center Controversy
36:50 When Criticism Becomes Personal
43:56 The Hidden Toll on Leaders and Their Families
47:46 The Loneliness of Leadership
53:08 Knowing When It's Time to Walk Away
58:43 Life After City Management
1:06:37 Advice for Leaders Who Are Struggling
1:10:34 Lessons Learned from 25 Years of Leadership
1:13:40 When Is Walking Away the Right Decision?
1:17:23 Protecting Yourself: Contracts and Financial Security
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LINKS & RESOURCES
📬 The Gov360 Briefing: https://gov360briefing.beehiiv.com
👉 Gov360 Web Page: https://www.chrismann.us/gov360
📲 Chris Mann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa
💻 Chris Mann's Website: https://www.chrismann.us
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#LocalGovernment #CityManager #GovernmentLeadership #PublicService #CityManagement #Leadership #Gov360
1 hr 22 min
September 22 Is Government Really as Broken as It Looks? | David Martin | Ep.30
Most people hear about government when something has gone wrong.
A scandal. A failure. A meeting that explodes. An official who betrays the public trust.
Those stories matter. Journalism is supposed to expose failure and hold power accountable.
But planes landing safely don't make the news. Neither do the thousands of public servants who quietly solve problems, deliver services, and keep communities functioning every day.
So if failure is the story we keep seeing, is government really as broken as it looks?
In Episode 30 of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann sits down with veteran journalist David Martin, host of The Good Government Show, for a wide-ranging conversation about government, journalism, public trust, civic engagement, and the people behind public service.
David spent more than two decades in television news, including time with CBS News and Fox News. His career took him from presidential campaigns and mayoral politics to organized crime, major criminal trials, 9/11, and Afghanistan.
Then he began looking at government through a very different lens: asking what government looks like when it actually works.
After nearly 200 conversations with elected officials, administrators, and public servants, David says the biggest surprise has been discovering how many remarkable stories inside government simply never make the news.
Those experiences have changed the way David sees the stereotypical government employee and reinforced his belief that, for the most part, government is working and people inside it are trying to do the right thing.
The conversation ultimately comes back to something more fundamental: an informed public requires people willing to do the work of being informed.
David's message is simple: show up. Read local news. Attend a council meeting before you're angry about something. Learn how your government actually works. Get involved.
Because democracy works better when the people participating in it understand what their government is actually doing.
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📺 Watch Gov360 Episode 30 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4OMKEXuFQgM
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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, 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
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Chapters
0:00 Is Government Really as Broken as It Looks?
1:06 Welcome to Gov360
2:53 Government and Journalism
4:38 David Martin’s Journey as a Journalist
10:55 What Do Journalists Look for at City Hall?
13:46 Why Local TV Focuses on Crisis
16:21 Looking at Government From the Other Side
17:25 Why David Created The Good Government Show
19:25 Why Negative Government Stories Dominate the News
20:32 How Accurate Is the Public’s Picture of Government?
22:01 Social Media, Misinformation and the Decline of Local News
26:10 What Happened to Local Journalism?
28:32 Telling the Stories of Good Government
31:17 Why Government Is Bad at Telling Its Own Story
35:24 What David Has Learned From 200 Conversations
40:46 What Does “Good Government” Actually Mean?
47:03 Why Local Leaders Serve
53:29 Has David’s View of Government Employees Changed?
55:25 Emotion, Ego and Entitlement
57:30 Can We Restore Civility to Public Discourse?
1:00:18 Serving Everyone, Not Just the People Who Voted for You
1:03:56 The Origin of The Good Government Show
1:07:44 The Stories David Never Expected to Find
1:13:25 Inspiring the Next Generation of Public Servants
1:15:45 What Americans Need to Understand About Government
1:18:10 Final Thoughts: Most of Government Is Just People
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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/
🏛️ The Good Government Institute & Show: https://www.goodgovinstitute.org
👉 Explore Gov360 Episodes and Resources: https://www.chrismann.us/gov360
📲 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?si=cbef8a7c7e2b4719
💻 Visit Chris Mann's Website: https://www.chrismann.us
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#LocalGovernment #CityManager #PublicAdministration #GovernmentLeadership #MunicipalLeadership #PublicService #Journalism #GovernmentCommunications #GoodGovernment #CityManagement #Gov360 #Gov360Community
1 hr 21 min
August 18 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
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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
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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: https://www.gov360podcast.com
📲 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
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#LocalGovernment #CityManager #PublicAdministration #GovernmentLeadership #MunicipalLeadership #PublicService #Leadership #CityManagement #Gov360 #Gov360Community
36 min
July 28 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
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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
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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:
https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa
💻 Visit Chris Mann’s Website:
https://www.chrismann.us
⸻
#LocalGovernment #CityManager #PublicAdministration #GovernmentLeadership #MunicipalLeadership #PublicService #Leadership #CityManagement #Gov360 #Gov360Community #JimSchutz
49 min
July 14 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
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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.
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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
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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
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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 conversations with city managers, elected officials, consultants, attorneys, public safety leaders, and other respected voices in the profession.
Whether you’re an aspiring leader or a seasoned executive, Gov360 exists to help you lead with greater confidence, greater wisdom, and greater impact.

#LocalGovernment #CityManager #PublicAdministration #GovernmentLeadership #Leadership #MunicipalLeadership #PublicService #Gov360 #Gov360Community #Patreon
28 min
June 23 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
38 min
June 09 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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76/

📬 Subscribe to the Free Gov360 Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7320606146577186817

🎙️ Subscribe to Gov360 on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614?i=1000769638025

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa?si=2f4bc58e46d74e01

💻 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. From city managers and clerks to analysts, department heads, and elected officials, Gov360 explores the leadership, strategy, communication, and human challenges shaping the future of local government.
1 hr 6 min
May 26 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.
1 hr 6 min
May 05 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.

18 min
April 07 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: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614
🎧 Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa
💻 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.

1 hr 1 min