July 28, 2026

Why Local Government Breaks Your Heart...And Why We Keep Coming Back | Ep.28

48 minutes

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

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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

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#LocalGovernment #CityManager #PublicAdministration #GovernmentLeadership #MunicipalLeadership #PublicService #Leadership #CityManagement #Gov360 #Gov360Community #JimSchutz

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By Chris Mann

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