The Maestro's Baton: Reevaluating the Role of a City Manager

In recent coaching conversations, I've come to liken the city manager's role to that of a maestro. Just as a maestro orchestrates a symphony, the city manager navigates the intricate dance between local elected officials and the constituents they serve. The very essence of Commission/Council-Manager forms of government was to ensure continuity of effective governance and potentially curb corruption. A capable city manager offers invaluable leadership in strategic planning, financial expertise, and delivering impeccable resident services, among other critical dimensions.

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Traditionally, the city manager's responsibility encompassed executing every task while giving credit to the elected body that appointed them. This established framework has stood strong over the years. However, with the increasing turnover rates and shorter leadership tenures, it's natural to question the effectiveness of the prevailing organizational model.

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Navigating Expertise in a Shifting Landscape

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Consider this: perhaps the city manager's role was always meant to mirror that of a maestro conducting a complex symphony. It's possible that the profession has veered off course, leaning excessively towards appointing specialized subject matter experts rather than versatile generalists. This shift often triggers a pendulum-like motion, swinging between addressing pressing issues and appointing managers aligned with specific hot-button topics.

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For instance, if budgetary concerns arise, the next city manager might be a finance expert. If development poses challenges, a planner, environmentalist, or attorney might be selected to address those issues. While this strategy can fulfill immediate needs, it often overlooks broader community concerns. The intricate tapestry of managing a living, breathing community with its dynamic human interactions requires a comprehensive perspective.

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The Role of the Conductor

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Generalists possess a unique ability to synthesize input from subject matter experts, such as department heads and consultants, leading to well-rounded decisions. Could it be that we're mislabeling the role itself? Is the term "city manager" outdated, failing to evolve with the ever-changing political landscape? Given the leaps in artificial intelligence, does the traditional role of a city manager, predominantly focused on interpreting data and responding to isolated requests, still retain its relevance? Will a non-human interpreting data be able to interpret and respond to injustices?

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Addressing Injustices

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Crucially, this evolution must also encompass the city manager's role in interpreting and responding to injustices. In a rapidly changing landscape, injustices might not always be glaringly evident; they require a perceptive, comprehensive, and human-centric approach to be recognized and addressed. A generalist perspective helps city managers think about how different things work together, revealing unfairness that could be hidden if we don't take a holistic approach.

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A simple Google search about the purpose of maestros yielded a profound response: "A conductor serves as a messenger for the composer, it is their responsibility to understand the music and convey it through gesture so transparently that the musicians in the orchestra understand it perfectly. Those musicians can then transmit a unified vision of the music out to the audience.”

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In essence, a skilled city manager, like a maestro, must not only conduct the symphony of municipal functions but also interpret the nuanced melodies of equity and social justice. As the baton is raised, it's their duty to harmonize the efforts of various departments and stakeholders to ensure that the music of fairness resonates through the city's corridors and its community.

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And so, we find ourselves poised to create a harmonious tune within our communities, much like a skilled conductor. This perspective encourages us to reassess the multifaceted responsibilities of city managers and contemplate how their roles can be optimized to address the challenges of our ever-evolving times.

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Make some music!

Michelle Lee Berger is a former elected official, city manager and experienced executive in the private sector.?Michelle now works as an executive leadership coach with public servants (both appointed and elected) and private sector leaders to better their strategies, emotional intelligence self-awareness and transitions. Michelle can be reached through this social site or MichelleLeeBerger@gmail.com .