Acting Manager's Handbook - ICMA

Acting Manager’s Handbook

September 2005

Acting Manager’s Handbook September 2005

ICMA advances professional local government worldwide. Its mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and advancing professional management of local government. ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, provides member support; publications, data, and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to more than 9,000 city, town, and county experts and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA’s members affect 185 million individuals living in thousands of communities, from small villages and towns to large metropolitan areas.

ICMA777 North Capitol Street, NESuite 500Washington, DC 20002-4201202-289-ICMA (4262)icma.org

Copyright ©2012 by the International City/County Management Association. All rights reserved, including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any means, including the making of copies by any photographic process, or by any electrical or mechanical device, printed, written, or oral or recording for sound or visual reproduction, or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device, unless permission in writing is obtained from the copyright proprietor.

icma.org

ICMA ACtIng MAnAger’s HAndbook i i i

Task Force on Serving as an Acting Manager Catherine Tuck Parrish, Assistant City Manager, Rockville, MD, chair Jane Bais DiSessa, City Manager, Berkley, MI, ICMA Board liaison Matthew C. Allen, Assistant City Manager, Garden City, KS Max H. Baker, County Administrator, Los Alamos County, NM Martin P. Black, City Manager, Venice, FL Laura E. Blackmon, Deputy County Manager, Osceola County, FL Paul C. Boyer Jr., City Manager, Lake Worth, FL Jacquelynne J. Corby, Principal, Cannon-Jones & Associates, Pasadena, CA John J. Coughlin, Englishtown, NJ Stephen L. Delaney, Town Administrator, Georgetown, MA Brian Hamblin, Director of Corporate Services, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Juliana Maller, Assistant City Manager, Park Ridge, IL Dion O. Miller, City Administrator, Mineola, TX Florentine Miller, Deputy Town Manager, Chapel Hill, NC V. Eugene Miller, Ormond Beach, FL Larry S. Mitchell, City Manager, Lawton, OK Joseph S. Portugal, City Manager, Jacksboro, TX Michael J. Senyko, City Manager, Fenton, MI Charles B. Strome III, City Manager, New Rochelle, NY

Volunteer Contributors Patty Gentrup, City Administrator, Liberty, MO Scott Sauer, County Manager, Sampson County, NCSusan Sherman, Assistant City Manager, Olathe, KS

September 2005

ICMA ACtIng MAnAger’s HAndbook v

ContentsPreface viiCatherine Tuck Parrish

The Acting Manager Role and Your Career Path 1Larry S. Mitchell

The Previous Manager’s Departure, Brian Hamblin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Making Contacts and Gathering Information, Juliana Maller and Joseph S. Portugal . . . . . . . . .4

Put It in Writing: Terms of Agreement for the Acting Manager 5V. Eugene Miller

Model Appointment Letter for an Acting Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Model for Negotiating Terms of Appointment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Sample Council Agenda Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Sample Agreement with External Interim Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

So Now You’re the Acting Manager 11Paul C. Boyer Jr.

The Acting Manager: The First Sixty Days 13Dion O. Miller and Stephen L. Delaney

The Acting Manager: Defining Your Role 15John J. Coughlin

Handling Important and Difficult Decisions, Charles B. Strome III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Help the Council Understand the Boundaries, V. Eugene Miller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

The Acting Manager: Building Trust 19Max H. Baker

Communication: Key to Building Trust, Martin P. Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Peer and Staff Support for the Acting Manager 23Florentine Miller and Michael J. Senyko

Support from Mentors, Matthew C. Allen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Ethics and the Acting Manager 26Laura E. Blackmon and Paul C. Boyer Jr.

The Acting Manager and the Search Process 28Catherine Tuck Parrish

Key Questions about the Search Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Survival Tips for the Acting Manager 31Patty Gentrup and Susan Sherman

Out of the Spotlight: Resuming Your Former Position 34Catherine Tuck Parrish

ICMA Resources for the Acting Manager 37

ICMA ACtIng MAnAger’s HAndbook vii

Preface

In 2004, ICMA’s Executive Board created the Task Force on Serving as an Acting Manager and charged it with two tasks: (1) collecting information and advice about what it’s like to serve as an acting manager/administra-tor in local government and (2) developing electroni-cally available material to help members make the most of a sometimes unexpected opportunity.

The task force met in October 2004 during ICMA’s annual conference to discuss how to develop a relevant and useful resource for interim and acting managers. Prior to the meeting, task force members gathered information and perspectives on the topic from colleagues across the country, and we hope this outreach will continue. Task force members (and oth-ers who made contributions) worked hard to compile this collection of advice, lessons learned, and other resources to assist acting managers.

Serving as the acting manager may be the best on-the-job training you’ll ever get. It’s also challeng-ing. To get the job done, you’ll need to redistribute duties by tapping resources throughout the organiza-tion. You’ll also need to lean heavily on your personal support network, as the number-one job can be lonely and isolating. You’ll need to work diligently to main-tain personal and professional balance so that you can physically and mentally meet the challenge of this critical assignment.

Serving as the acting manager is by far the best experience you can have to prepare for a manager posi-tion. Your experience will also give you an opportunity to be seen in the manager role by the elected body and, if they look favorably on your performance, to help you land the manager job. Even if you’re not successful in moving into the permanent position, or if you decide not to apply, this experience prepares you for a man-ager position if and when the time comes.

As you access the resources compiled by the task force, you may be an emerging leader who is seeking to build a career that may eventually include service as an acting manager. Consider what skills you may lack, and seek ways to gain the experience you need to prepare yourself to serve. If you’re the assistant or a department head who is likely to be tapped

to serve if your manager leaves, take time now to consult with the manager and discuss ways you can gain experience with the elected officials, leader-ship across departmental lines, and visibility in the community to better prepare for your next position of leadership. If you read this and have already been named acting manager, hold onto your seat: You are in for an exhilarating, difficult, and extremely fulfill-ing ride. Whether or not you apply for the perma-nent position, and whether or not you’re appointed, these resources are designed to help you along that journey.

The members of the task force hope that ICMA’s library of resources for acting managers will continue to grow. You may have had experiences, listened to advice, and/or identified materials that you found helpful during your stint as acting manager, and you’re encouraged to provide that information to ICMA so that additional resources can be added to ICMA’s website. Your suggestions may help fill a gap in the materials compiled so far and provide valuable assistance to a future acting manager. ICMA’s greatest resource is the collective experience of members. Please submit your suggested additions electronically to Ann Mahoney at ICMA ([email protected]).

Finally, I would like to thank every member of the task force and the guest contributors who wrote and reviewed the articles in this document. Many other ICMA members provided suggestions to task force members via e-mail, at state association meetings, or through personal contacts. We hope we have captured much of that knowledge and advice. This entire proj-ect would have gone nowhere without the leadership and guidance of ICMA staff member Ann Mahoney, who served as the excellent staff liaison to the task force and provided editorial guidance; staff member Barbara Moore, who served as editor for the project; and executivea assistant Nedra James, who prepared the document for the ICMA website.

Catherine Tuck Parrish Assistant City Manager, Rockville, MarylandChairperson, ICMA Acting Manager Task Force, 2004–2005

ICMA ACtIng MAnAger’s HAndbook 1

The Acting Manager Role and Your Career Path Larry S. Mitchell

The question of whether to accept an assignment as the acting manager immediately brings to mind my favorite Far Side cartoon. The scene is one that local government managers are all too familiar with because we live it nearly every day. A man is stand-ing in front of two doors. The door on the left reads “Damned if you do,” and the door on the right reads “Damned if you don’t.” Directly behind this visibly shaken man is the devil holding his pitchfork and saying, “Hurry up and make a decision.”

And so it goes! You’re suddenly placed in a situation that may or may not be to your liking. In addition, you’re faced with the task of knowing, in advance, what the appropriate course of action should be. Being rushed or pushed into the acting manager role was almost certainly not part of your decision when you accepted the assistant’s job with the city or county. Gary Larson, author of The Far Side, had it about right: when the manager position becomes vacant, it’s difficult to know which door to choose. Nevertheless, you need to decide what to do and whether to view the vacancy as a career opportu-nity or simply as a training experience. It’s one thing to make such a career move in a favorable working environment but quite another if the manager was forced to resign or, worse yet, fired after a period of debate and acrimony.

Questions to ask yourselfFor this discussion, I’ll assume that the local political climate is peaceful and harmonious, although that’s not always the case in the public sector. In addition, I won’t consider the formal provisions contained in the jurisdiction’s charter or personnel code but will focus instead on a process for individual decision making. To determine the relative advantages and

disadvantages of moving into the manager position on an interim basis—that is, becoming the acting manager—you can employ a decision tree as a means of walking step-by-step through a logical progression of questions that identify options and eventually help you arrive at the right answer for you.

Does this move align with my career goals? First and foremost, you must have a clear picture of your individual career goals and consider whether this move fits into your game plan. If you do not aspire to a manager position, accepting the acting manager position may send the wrong signal to both the coun-cil and the staff. It’s also a good idea to assess your limitations/boundaries by measuring your tolerance for risk against the present circumstances.

How’s my timing? Public sector career moves have a lot in common with board games. Timing your moves can lead to success or failure depending on internal or external environmental factors beyond your control. For example, your community may have just received notice that its largest company will close. Is this the time to place yourself in a position where you will need to help the council and other players deal with the implications of this closure?

Where do I stand among the pool of acting man-ager candidates? Just because you hold the title of assistant manager does not automatically place you at the head of the line for an appointment as acting manager. Other senior staff members may also be under consideration—for example, the finance direc-tor, the public works director, the city attorney. Do your homework through visual and verbal commu-nication to gain perspective on where staff put their support. (Staff competition could prove to be adverse and create internal management issues.)

Will my family understand the implications of my decision? A career choice of this nature is one that only you and your family can make regardless of the sound advice offered by others. After all, your family will be affected by the eventual outcome, good or bad, as much as you will. A major challenge of local

Larry S. Mitchell is city manager in Lawton, Oklahoma. He served as Lawton’s acting manager for nine months before starting as city manager. He also has four years’ experience as an assistant city manager.

2 ICMA ACtIng MAnAger’s HAndbook

government management is knowing how to balance the professional demands placed on you with the needs of your personal life.

Making the decisionTo sum up, you need to consider how the prospect of serving as acting manager fits with your career goals, whether this is the right time for such a move (in terms of both your career aspirations and your willingness to help address the challenges facing the community), whether you have a realistic chance of being appointed to the position, and how the move would affect your family. Then you can decide whether to throw your hat in the ring.

If you have long tenure in your position, the council may recognize the value of tapping your institutional knowledge in the absence of the depart-ing manager, and a decision to “fill in” during the management search may be the right call even if you don’t aspire to the manager position yourself. But if you decide to turn down the acting appointment, be

prepared to explain why you declined this opportunity to move up.

If you decide to take this giant leap of faith and accept the acting manager appointment, you’ll want to perform in a way that advances your career while serving the best interests of the community. You’ll be operating in a different environment in the acting posi-tion. For one thing, until the governing body makes that final choice of a new manager, problems are yours to solve. Almost inevitably, some of your former peers were overlooked in the consideration of candidates for the acting position, and your relations with them may be strained. And finally, you may be asked to do two jobs over a period of a few months to more than a year.

Once you’ve finished the decision tree exercise to your own satisfaction, you must reconcile the advan-tages and disadvantages of each option to reach a final conclusion. To assist you in this career-altering decision, you may want to ask yourself the following two questions:

■ Does the reward outweigh the risk?

■ Can I live with the result or the potential failure?


More on the Subject . . .

The Previous Manager’s Departure

Your decision whether to accept an acting manager position will depend in part on the circumstances under which the previous manager departed. Did the previous manager retire? Did he or she resign voluntarily? Was he or she fired?

Retirement. If the manager retired, there may already be a groomed successor, sometimes a well-known second in command. Often the council appoints an acting manager whom they consider a top candidate for the position, but not always. Serving as acting manager when another person is the “heir apparent” could alienate you from your successor. On the other hand, it could give you a chance to build relationships with the council and demonstrate your abilities.

Voluntary resignation. A manager may resign voluntarily for numerous reasons—other career opportunities, academic pursuits, illness, or family considerations. Or the manager simply may not have enjoyed the position or felt capable of doing a good job. If the previous manager was successful and well liked in the community, assuming the acting role can be a challenge because expectations are often high. If you understand that up front, you can factor it into your decision making and prepare accordingly.

Involuntary termination. If the previous manager was terminated or asked to resign, find out as much as you can about the termina-tion by talking to council members, staff, or colleagues in neighbor-ing communities. How did the council behave when terminating the manager? Do you want to serve as acting manager for a council that treated someone that way? Has the manager’s termination resulted in hostile community and corporate climates? Do you want to manage

in that environment? Were you involved in any way in the manager’s termination? If so, you should probably not seek or accept an acting appointment, for reasons of appearance if nothing else.

When a manager is terminated, the council may want to quell any controversy by immediately appointing an acting manager with the intention of offering the permanent position. Under such circumstances, you could find yourself pressured to accept a posi-tion that you don’t want. Think twice before accepting the acting position if you are content being the assistant manager. It is a major responsibility, and you do not want to fail.

In addition to acting quickly, the council may view the manager vacancy as an opportunity for change. As you approach your decision, clarify with the council members how they view the role of the acting manager. What are their goals, concerns, expecta-tions, and timing? Are they looking for an acting manager to make changes? If so, beware of a situation where the council expects you to make changes that are best made by the new manager.

If your career plans include seeking a manager position, you may decide to accept an acting position even under difficult circum-stances. If you can separate yourself from any emotional fallout from the previous manager’s departure, and if you can work well with the council, you may have a good opportunity to “show your stuff.”

Contributed by Brian Hamblin, director of corporate services for the city of Regina, Saskatchewan, and past president of the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (2004–2005). He served as acting city manager for several months in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and then as city manager there before being appointed to his current position.


Making Contacts and Gathering Information

As you consider whether an acting manager position is the right career move, you can tap a wide array of resources to gather information and advice. These resources are useful not only for the assistant manager or other in-house candidate for the acting position but also for individuals from outside the jurisdiction who might be considering an interim manager position.

Mentors. Talk to someone whose opinion you value—for example, a veteran manager, a professor from graduate school, or a former boss from another community.

Area managers. Through the state association of managers, the informal state network, or the state municipal league, speak with managers who are familiar with issues related to the community. Some of the best opinions are from those who serve in adjacent jurisdictions; they’ll be purposeful and direct, and they’re aware of what it will take to be successful.

Previous manager. It’s a good idea to visit with the former manager for insight into major issues or concerns. Consulting the previous manager can be enlightening and help you determine your interest.

Mayor and other elected officials. A discussion with the mayor or other council members can yield good information about the community, any major issues, and the political climate. If your questions are appropriate and aboveboard, elected officials are generally happy to talk with someone who has an interest in the job. It is to their advantage to have such conversations; they may

come away with new information that can help in their search for and appointment of a new manager.

State municipal league. Some state municipal leagues assign a staff person as liaison to the local government managers in the state, and that person can be a good source of information. Often a league official will have been consulted by the mayor or council about how to retain a new manager, and he or she may have insight into the circumstances that led to the previous manager’s departure.

Executive recruiters (“headhunters”). An executive recruiter who is familiar with the community can often provide information and a different perspective.

ICMA. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) offers a collection of resources for acting and interim managers.

Other sources of information. Other sources of information include the local chamber of commerce director or president, members of service organizations (e.g., Rotary), key business and community leaders, consultants who have worked with the local government, department heads and other staff, and colleagues who have served in the capacity of acting manager.

Contributed by Juliana Maller, assistant city manager, Park Ridge, Illinois, and Joseph S. Portugal, city manager, Jacksboro, Texas. Joe served as interim city manager in Webster, Texas, before assuming his first permanent city manager position in Kaufman, Texas, in 1997.



Put It in Writing: Terms of Agreement for the Acting Manager V. Eugene Miller

V. Eugene Miller, a Life Member of ICMA, retired after serving for more than thirty-seven years as a city manager in seven positions in six states. He has served as acting city manager in three Florida communities while they conducted recruitments to fill the position.

Governing bodies move much more quickly to appoint an acting manager than they do to select and negoti-ate employment terms with a new manager. Thus, as a candidate for the acting manager appointment, you—and the governing body—should take special care to communicate about the terms of the acting appointment. Commonly, verbal commitments are made before either party has a basic understanding of the essential protections they need to consider. This can lead to legal challenges or, at a minimum, embar-rassment at a time when media attention is high. As a professional, you must not be overeager to accept an acting manager position before establishing a mu-tual agreement about the terms of the appointment and committing the agreement to writing. Acting too quickly or casually and forgoing this crucial step could be damaging to your career.

Both parties may believe that a short-term appoint-ment does not require a great deal of detail, but it’s common for governing bodies to be overly optimistic about when a new manager will be on board, and the acting appointment may be for a longer time period than they anticipate. A written agreement, or at least a letter outlining your mutual expectations, can pro-tect both parties from misunderstandings and hard feelings.

Terms of agreementThe suggestions that follow apply primarily to an act-ing manager who currently serves in the same juris-diction; a manager from outside who is negotiating an interim position may take a slightly different approach (see example contract with an external appointee). At a minimum, your agreement with the governing

body should address the following, regardless of the expected term of the acting appointment:

Compensation and benefits. Naturally, the agree-ment should establish the compensation and benefits specific to the appointment.

Term of the acting appointment. The agreement should establish a term for the acting appointment. It’s advisable to set a minimum time expectancy—say, three to six months—and follow with a mutually agreed-upon month-to-month extension provision. The agreement should lock in the salary and special benefits for that time period, regardless of whether a permanent manager is appointed before it ends. If you include this provision, both you and the council can avoid the sensitive matter of negotiating a severance when the new manager is appointed.

Your employment status. The agreement should clarify your employment status: whether you lose your merit status in the acting manager position and become an “at will” employee. Similarly, your agree-ment should provide that the acting manager is to be considered a “regular employee” entitled to holidays and working conditions offered to other managerial employees. For example, in one instance a governing body member challenged holiday pay for an acting manager because such a provision was not included in their agreement.

Special legal provisions. The agreement should address legal provisions unique to the chief adminis-trator (e.g., bonding, indemnification, and legal repre-sentation). Ask the local government attorney whether you would automatically be bonded in the acting man-ager role and whether other legal protections would apply. If not, your written agreement should specify that you will be protected.

Legal authority. An essential clause in any agree-ment is reference to the legal basis and authority vested in the manager position. This is commonly found in the local charter and ordinances and/or state statutes. Any reservations expressed by governing


body members about conveying this authority to you as acting manager should send a clear warning mes-sage to prospective candidates. The governing body’s expectations about the authority of the acting manager and its views of the legal constraints on its own pow-ers may be quite different from what the charter says or what you expect as a professional. An understand-ing of what’s expected by the employer and by the employee is critical to a successful relationship in any employment negotiation.

A good interview session with the governing body should help you understand its expectations about legal authority and other aspects of the acting role and determine whether those expectations are compatible with your own. You need to understand the political climate in order to decide what terms are appropri-ate for your agreement and what would unnecessarily alienate the council. Commonly, the “psychological

contract” or “chemistry” between you and the elected officials plays a determining role in the decisions of both parties.

Reinstatement. Finally, if the acting manager position is in the organization with which you’re now employed, you must spell out what happens when a permanent manager is appointed—regardless of whether you were a candidate for the position. The agreement should provide for your reinstatement in your previous position with no loss of tenure benefits.

Additional resourceICMA has a Model Employment Agreement to help managers negotiate the terms of their employment. Although it’s more comprehensive than the typical acting manager agreement, you may find it of interest.

http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/documents/kn/Document/5345/Model_Employment_Agreement


Model Appointment Letter for an Acting Manager

[Date]

[Greeting]

At your request and as authorized by the full City Council on [date], I am pleased to confirm in writ-ing the terms of your “at will” appointment as Interim City Manager for [name of jurisdiction]. Effec-tive date of the appointment is [date], and any pay owed to you will be made retroactive to that date.

Your annual salary will be [dollar amount] with all applicable benefits you currently receive plus a monthly car allowance of [dollar amount]. When a new City Manager starts, the Council has agreed that this new pay rate is to remain the same through [the end of the fiscal year, or another time period], car allowance will discontinue, “at will” status will discontinue, and you will return to your assignment as [current position]. After the new Manager arrives you will be allowed paid leave of absence of [number] working days to be scheduled with him/her and to be taken in increments of no more than [number] consecutive days at a time. This leave is in addition to your normal annual leave accrual and may be carried over to a succeeding calendar year, but may not be paid out in cash. This leave must be taken no later than [date] or [number] months after the arrival of the new Manager, whichever is later. The Council also agrees that you may appoint an Acting Assistant City Manager from among the existing senior City staff. You have the commitment of the full Council, and of the Councilors-elect, to support you and City staff during this transitional period. Negative criticisms of you or staff will be conducted with you, only in closed session to the extent possible.

To indicate your acceptance of these terms, please execute as indicated below. This agreement will become part of your permanent personnel file.

Sincerely,

[Name] Council Chair

Accepted:

__________________________ [Name] Acting Manager Appointee

cc: Council Members & Councilors-elect


Model for Negotiating Terms of Appointment (for Discussion in Closed Session with Council)

1. Salary of [dollar amount] retroactive to [date], which is below midpoint for the grade of [dollar amount]. (No other change in current benefits including the previously authorized car allowance of [dollar amount] per month.) This is a [percentage] increase from current salary of [dollar amount].

• Requires waiver of rules since this increase is greater than 5% allowed by the County’s per-sonnel policies.

• With this increase I will forgo the normal salary increase due on [date].

• Salary to remain in effect after resuming [current position] and not revert to current level

• Requires waiver of County’s personnel policies.

2. A unanimous vote by Council of appointment during open meeting, and sustained support during the interim period. I believe it is important to show unanimity on this decision for the community. If Council desires to appoint someone else as Interim Manager during the period, they will notify me as a body in closed session and I will gladly step down and support the new Interim as his/her Assistant.

3. There will be no Council requests to dismiss any department head during the interim period. I would reserve the right to dismiss department heads, with Charter-required concurrence of Council, when it is in the best interest of the County.

4. I feel that I must have assurance that the Council recognizes that I cannot be expected to perform two jobs (Manager and Assistant).

• A single goal during the interim period to “Keep the Ship Afloat.” This means we continue basic services and current projects and initiatives. Some meetings (other than Council meet-ings) may not have a CAQ representative in attendance, as I am not expected to totally give up my personal life.

• Individual Councilor requests for information must be limited with the understanding that it impacts the current workload. If workload priorities need to be changed, I would request that it be done by a majority of Council. Of course there will be exceptions and we will work through those.

• I would be supported in decisions to assign parts of the CAO work to other departments, indi-viduals, or contractors with allowed increases in compensation as provided in the personnel policies or by contract.

5. An expedited process for recruitment of a new County Manager.

Respectfully submitted for discussion during closed session on [date].

_________________________ [Name] Assistant County Manager


Sample Council Agenda Communication for Acting Manager’s Position

Mayor and Council Agenda

NUMBER:

DATE:

ACTION: Approval of terms for Acting City Manager

RECOMMENDATION: Approve terms for Acting City Manager

IMPACT:

Environmental: N/A

Fiscal: While increasing the salary for [name of acting manager] temporarily, there is no net impact on the budget since there are salary savings with the vacancy of the City Manager’s position.

Neighborhood: N/A

Other: N/A

BACKGROUND: To compensate [name of acting manager] for accepting the position of Acting City Manager in addition to his responsibilities as [appointee’s current position], the Mayor recommends that his salary, effective [date] be set at [dollar amount] with deferred compensation of [percentage]. He will receive the same cost-of-living increase as is approved for all City employees on [date].

At his request, the Mayor and Council will meet with him in Executive Session in [month] to review his interim status and the search process. The Mayor and Council will also provide him with a final written evaluation at the completion of his service as Acting City Manager. When a new City Manager is selected, [name of acting manager] will return to his position as [appointee’s current position] with his salary having been adjusted back to the salary for that posi-tion, plus the merit increase and cost-of-living increase that would have been effective on [dates].


Sample Agreement with External Interim Manager

THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into on [date] by and between [name of jurisdiction], hereinafter referred to as the “City” and [name of appointee], hereinafter referred to as “Contractor”; WITNESSETH: WHEREAS, the City desires to retain the services of Contractor as interim city manager and Contrac-tor desires to provide such services to and for the benefit of City; and WHEREAS, it is desirable and necessary to enter into this Agreement in order to set forth the terms and conditions of such services; NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the following, the parties do mutually agree as follows:

1. Contractor shall begin his services hereunder on [date] and shall continue to provide all services as [title of position] until at least [date] and for such longer period of time as the parties may subsequently agree in writing. It being agreed that Contractor shall perform those functions and duties specified in [citation of relevant charter provision or other legal basis].

2. It is agreed that Contractor is not an employee of [jurisdiction] and is not entitled to city employee benefits. That the only benefit or compensation to which Contractor is entitled pursu-ant to this Agreement, or as the result of services required of him, is the monthly compensation and travel amounts hereinafter set forth.

3. Contractor hereby holds himself out as an expert in all city governmental affairs and does agree to hold City, its agents or employees, harmless from any liability arising out of Contractor’s failure to use due care and diligence in the performance of the functions and duties required of him herein.

4. City agrees to pay to Contractor the monthly sum of [dollar amount] plus a travel/lodging allowance of [dollar amount] per month. The same to be paid on or before the 10th day of each month during the term of this Agreement or any permitted extension thereof, except that if the contractual relationship between the parties shall end on [second date cited in section 1], then Contractor shall be paid for services rendered during the month of [last month of employment] on or before the 10th day of [month following end of employment]. That for and in consideration of the sums noted herein Contractor does agree to provide City the benefits of his full time and abilities, agreeing to perform the functions and duties required of him without regard to any set number of hours per week or per month.

5. This Agreement may be amended only by written amendments mutually agreed upon by and between the parties hereto.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names either individually or by their duly authorized officers on this the day and year first above written. [City name]

By:

________________________ ________________________________ [name of interim manager] [name, title of governing body chair]


So Now You’re the Acting Manager Paul C. Boyer Jr.

Paul C. Boyer Jr. is city manager in Lake Worth, Florida. He served as acting city manager in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, from October 1995 through July 1996.

Your elected leadership has turned over the reins of the or-ganization to you. Whether you actively sought the oppor-tunity or were drafted, here are a few things you should consider. (The following advice assumes that you were on the staff where the acting manager position resides.)

Remember that they know youFirst, relax and trust your judgment. You’re a known commodity. The elected leadership chose you because they’ve seen you operate in your regular role for some time. Your performance and personality have impressed them to the point that they trust you to manage the organization through this transitional period, and the appointment is an expression of their confidence in you. So you should have confidence in yourself.

Clarify your role with the councilAs a staff member, your relationship with the elected leadership was more limited than it will be now. Even before the acting period begins, establish and maintain ongoing communications with the elected officials. Make sure you have a very explicit discussion of their expectations of you in the acting capacity. Are you to be a caretaker managing day-to-day operations, or do they expect you to develop or advance an agenda moving the community and the organization forward? Their expectations of you will be colored by their relation-ship with the previous manager and the reasons for the manager’s departure. Make no assumptions about the elected leadership’s expectations; instead, take proac-tive steps to find out their will and expectations.

Be honest about your interest in the manager positionBe open and honest with the elected officials about your interest in seeking a permanent appointment

to the manager position. Their agenda is community improvement. They have almost certainly made some policy decisions you might not have made, but remem-ber that it’s your duty as a professional to carry out their decisions. Make sure they know you’re willing to do what can be done to implement their vision.

Meet with staffMeet with your new staff; your role has changed. Undoubtedly, as an assistant manager or department head in the organization, you’ve had conflicts with other staff members over issues of importance. This is not the time to “make things right.” It’s the time to behave and perform like a professional and an effec-tive leader: personalities must be taken out of the equation. If individual fences need mending, mend them. Staff members need to know your expectations of them and what they can do to support you. Put yourself in their shoes; this is a new, possibly tempo-rary, situation, and they need to know where you’ll be taking them.

Contact community leadersMake contact with nonelected community leaders—the chamber of commerce executive, other business leaders, neighborhood leaders, religious leaders, nonprofit leaders. All these people can give you valu-able insight into the community and local issues. They view your new position as important and will prob-ably be willing to assist you in every way they can. And they probably have a different perspective on the community and your organization that can help you find your way early on.

Do your homeworkIf you have not done so in your previous position, familiarize yourself with the jurisdiction’s charter and code of ordinances, the ICMA Code of Ethics and any state ethics laws, the comprehensive annual financial report, the capital improvement plan, the budget, the comprehensive plan, and the zoning ordinance. Make sure you understand the limits of your position in the


law and what is expected of you. Confer with staff about these basic documents and any likely issues on the horizon—in terms of both the elected body’s meet-ing agenda and day-to-day operations.

Talk with your familyFinally, do not forget your family. Have an open and frank discussion about the impact the position will have on you and on them. Will you need to spend more time on the job? Is it likely that your responsi-bilities will cut into what has been family time? How do they feel? What are they experiencing? How do you feel? Be sure to answer all these questions in fam-ily discussions. Your family’s support is of enormous value. Reconfirm and nurture it.

Approach the acting manager position as you would any new position, because it’s new to you. Your relationship with the elected officials, city staff, and the community has changed and will continue to evolve on a daily basis. Communication and open-ness are the keys to an enjoyable, productive period of public service!

Additional resourcesTo read additional advice about first steps for an acting manager, see the companion article entitled “The Acting Manager: The First Sixty Days” on page 13 You may also want to refer to the First-Time Administrator’s Handbook for advice on approaching a new position.

http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/career_resources/first_time_administrators_handbook



The Acting Manager: The First Sixty Days Dion O. Miller and Stephen L. Delaney

Congratulations! You’ve been selected as acting manager for your local government. In the coming months you may have the opportunity to guide your community through some critical issues and give advice to the council—possibly at a time when the community is experiencing changes, either positive or negative.

As acting manager, you’ll need to be prepared for whatever unfolds during this time of transition. Has the city just embarked on a major capital improvements program? Has a longtime department head retired or moved on? Did the former manager leave involuntarily under strained circumstances? Has a natural disaster or man-made tragedy occurred? These events have occurred to someone in an acting manager role. You will be called upon to advise the mayor and governing body on how to respond to an event and, in addition, ensure that day-to-day services are delivered to the citizens. All these scenarios have faced someone in the acting role, and all of them will require you to ensure that day-to-day operations are carried out and to advise the council on actions they may need to take. Here’s a checklist of possible steps to take in the first sixty days after your appointment as acting manager. They will help you conduct an assessment of the community and the organization and get off to a good start.

Meet with the councilMeet with the council to review and update them on major projects, service improvements, and policy pro-posals. In an early meeting, ask the council to respond to questions about the community. Here are some suggestions:

■ What are three strengths of the city or county?

■ What are three challenges?

■ What is the community best known for?

■ What do you want the community to be best known for?

The answers can help you understand the council as a group and as individuals as well as serve as a starting point to discuss issues.

Talk with individual council membersEstablish yourself and build trust not only with the council as a whole but with each council member. Meet with council members individually and listen to their ideas. You might float some ideas and sound them out before going public. Do not surprise the council!

Meet with department heads and staffMeet with department heads and the manager’s staff to discuss their goals and objectives and let them know that you’re available to them. Discuss your approach to your work, your expectations, and any assignments, particularly priority assignments from the council. Review major projects and their progress, including any holdups. Establish mutual accountabil-ity and responsibility for both ongoing services and special assignments.

Be sure your previous assignments are coveredInform the council if some of your previous responsi-bilities need to be reassigned to another staff member during the interim period. Reassignment not only gives you some flexibility and room but also provides a learning and growth opportunity to other staff mem-bers and colleagues.

Attend to the mediaEstablish rapport with the news media. Be an accu-rate and willing source to help keep the public

Dion O. Miller, an ICMA Credentialed Manager, is city administrator in Mineola, Texas. He served as acting city manager in Killeen, Texas, in 1989 and again in 1991. Stephen L. Delaney is town administrator in Georgetown, Massachusetts. He has served as acting manager in Duxbury and Southbridge, Massachusetts.


informed on council priorities and community issues and projects. Brief the council on interviews and articles that you believe may appear in the newspa-per or on local TV news.

Evaluate the financial pictureAssess the financial condition of the jurisdiction. If you have not had access to the audit team, sched-ule a meeting with them. Follow up on anything raised in the management letter. Have all the issues been addressed and the changes implemented by the responsible department? If not, begin the work now. Review the current year financials (revenues and expenditures) to be certain that the trends are on target. Nothing will damage an acting manager’s cred-ibility faster than bad financial management.

Tackle a long-term issueFinally, tackle a long-term issue. You may be able to begin working on an existing problem or issue to give the new manager a head start when he or she comes on board. You and your staff can gather information, develop possible solutions, and test out alternatives with the council. When the new manager arrives, he or she can review the work and begin implementation.

To read additional advice about first steps for an acting manager, see the companion article entitled “So Now You’re the Acting Manager.” Remember, the first sixty days will be a transition period. How you assess the environment, the personalities, the issues, and the challenges will have an impact on you, your staff and fellow co-workers, the council, the community, and the future manager.


The Acting Manager: Defining Your RoleJohn J. Coughlin

As the acting manager, you were appointed to man-age the day-to-day operations of the local govern-ment because the council believed that someone was needed to perform this role. How you perform the job—the role you assume and your style—depends on many factors. Among them are the following:

■ Are you a candidate for the permanent position?

■ Are you new to the organization?

■ Is the manager’s departure causing turmoil, or is it a timely opportunity for needed change?

■ Has the governing body expressed a clear desire for change? Or are you expected to be a caretaker until the permanent manager is selected?

■ Was the former manager competent and doing a good job?

Basic principlesThe answers to these questions provide direction to you as an acting manager defining your role, but regardless of the situation you step into, the following principles are important:

Management rules don’t change. Basic manage-ment rules and techniques still apply, although the priorities may change. For instance, communication, especially if you are an unknown who has come from outside the organization, becomes more critical. Some issues considered minor in one community may be major in another and need special handling. If staff and council are informed, they can alert you to these issues.

When I was a consultant serving as an interim manager, I provided detailed information to members of the governing body, and they loved it. When they realized they got all the information they needed, they

John J. (Jack) Coughlin served for twenty-eight years as an administrator in three New Jersey communities. Since his retirement in 2002, he has served as interim manager in three communities.

didn’t feel the need to contact me constantly; they could wait for the memo.

Don’t compromise your principles. One of the first rules for an acting manager is not to take any actions you don’t truly believe in, regardless of the pressures or the situation. One of the best ways to gain the confidence of the governing body and staff is to act in accordance with your principles.

In a community with a fragmented council that could not agree on a permanent manager, I was able to gain the confidence of the council because each member knew that I dealt with all members the same way, providing unbiased and truthful information across the board.

Rely on your staff. You need the help of staff, and you should let them know it. Expect it. Acknowledge it. The more you ask of staff, the more quickly you’ll be able to judge whom you can trust for what. Of course, give credit where credit is due.

In all my interim positions I made it clear at my first staff meeting that staff was responsible for what happened. They would join me at public meetings and have the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and knowledge. It took very few meetings to learn who produced and who didn’t. That exposure was a strong motivator for those who had not previously been exposed to the public at meetings.

The “hatchet man” roleIf you’re from outside the organization and not a can-didate for the permanent position, your role as acting manager may involve making some unpopular deci-sions, “clearing the deck” for the permanent manager who will follow. These decisions require some fore-thought, however, because you don’t want to make major changes that might be reversed by the new manager, creating disruption and confusion.

The rule about maintaining your principles is par-ticularly important in this role. There’s always at least one department head whom some council members are trying to get fired. While there may be need for


drastic changes, use caution when evaluating “sug-gestions” from the governing body or subordinates. Any new manager (even an acting manager) will be pressured to implement programs or take personnel actions that were rejected, possibly with good reason, by the previous manager. Communication with the previous manager may be very helpful if he or she is available for consultation.

The caretaker roleIf the council clearly wants you to be a caretaker, you’ll probably not be pressured to make radical changes. But within a short period you’re bound to notice things you believe could be improved. Don’t be reluctant to take appropriate action to implement posi-tive changes.

When I was an interim manager from outside the organization, the changes I implemented were often readily accepted because the organization knew I did not benefit from them; as a short-timer I was consid-ered objective.

Your role as a job candidateIf you’re a candidate for the permanent manager posi-tion, you may have a very understandable reluctance to do things that might not please the people who will make the selection. You can’t lose many votes and still hope to get the job, and you probably need a paycheck. If you’re a candidate, however, it’s particu-larly important to do what you believe is best for the community and the organization in your role as acting manager. In a sense, your tenure in the acting role is like a long-term job interview, but you need to resist

any temptation to let the selection process affect your decision making in hopes that you’ll improve your chances of being appointed.

Trying out the manager roleFinally, if you’re a candidate for the permanent posi-tion, remember that this interim period is a time for you to evaluate the governing body and the job, not just for the governing body to evaluate you. You need to man-age the same as you would if you were selected for the permanent position. (One resource that may help you is ICMA’s First-Time Administrator’s Handbook.) Only in that way will you be able to see how the governing body, the community, and the organization will react to you. Then you can make an honest evaluation of whether you will fit.

If you have to modify your style too much for your comfort level, think twice before you accept the per-manent position if it’s offered. Don’t expect things to change for the better if you’re selected.

Many managers who have had short tenure in a position will admit that they did not have good insight into the position before they accepted it. Had they known the true picture, they would not have accepted the position. (Note that under the Guidelines to the ICMA Code of Ethics, two years is considered the minimum tenure in a position. And it is the candi-date’s responsibility to ascertain the terms of employ-ment before accepting a position.)

While there may be some differences in how acting managers are treated compared to permanent ones, you have the opportunity to get real, firsthand insight into whether you want a new role with the organiza-tion. Take advantage of it!


http://icma.org/en/icma/ethics/code_of_ethics


Unless a critical vacancy occurs, key personnel decisions are often best deferred if you’re not seeking the permanent position. If the elected officials ask you to make a personnel decision, you may have to, but you should let them know that you believe the deci-sion would best be made by the permanent appointee. You don’t want to be perceived as a hatchet man for the governing body, and you must ensure that any personnel decision is being made for a sound reason.

Act with confidence. Few decisions are more important, sensi-tive, or time-consuming than personnel decisions. The hiring and firing of key personnel (such as department heads) are crucial to the present and future operation of any organization. If you’re seeking the permanent appointment, it’s important to show leader-ship in the personnel area and demonstrate your ability to make good hires that serve the best interests of the organization. Your assertiveness and confidence in making those decisions will show both the governing body and the community that you’re ready to serve as a manager.

In summary, if you’re appointed acting manager, you’ll prob-ably serve for at least six months. During that time, decisions will have to be made. The suggestions provided here are intended as broad guidelines that can help you determine which decisions you can make and which decisions you can defer as determined by the needs of your community, the wishes of the governing body, and your plans relative to the permanent manager’s position.

Contributed by Charles (Chuck) B. Strome III, city manager in New Rochelle, New York, where he has served in a variety of admin-istrative positions since 1989, including two terms as acting city manager. During his first term as acting manager, he did not seek the permanent manager’s position; during his second term, he actively sought and was appointed city manager in 2002. He has served as president of the New York State City/County Management Associa-tion and president of the Municipal Administrators Association of Metropolitan New York.

More on the Subject. . .

Handling Important and Difficult Decisions

Acting managers are usually appointed under one of two scenarios: (1) the acting manager is actively seeking the permanent appointment or (2) the acting manager is serving in a caretaker role with no inten-tion of seeking the permanent position. Your interest in the manager position is a major factor in how you handle important and potentially difficult situations, such as terminations, the hiring of department heads, and key budget issues. As acting manager you should recognize your intentions and make them clear to the governing body.

If you’re seeking the permanent position, be open about your interest. Advise the staff that you intend to seek the job, that you intend to perform the acting role to the best of your ability, and that your relationship with them may change both now and in the future. Similarly, communicate to the elected body that you do not intend to defer important or difficult decisions until a permanent manager is appointed, and be sure they agree. The decisions you make give you opportunities to showcase your management skills and dem-onstrate your qualifications for the permanent appointment—and they are often critical in determining whether you’re selected. But if the elected body asks you to defer important decisions, consider whether that’s a “red flag,” suggesting that they don’t take your candidacy for the permanent position seriously.

If you’re not seeking the permanent position, some deci-sions are properly deferred until the new manager is appointed. Here again, communication with the governing body is key. But some decisions need to be made regardless of your interest in the position. These include ongoing employee disci-plinary decisions, communication decisions such as interaction with residents and the media, and budget decisions. If you’re the acting manager during your community’s budget season, you’ll be required to prepare the annual budget and make the decisions the manager has to make. Some budget decisions can come up at other times as well, however—decisions about operating and capital budget implementation, revenue generation, taxes, bonding, and funding new projects, for example.



Help the Council Understand the Boundaries

As you talk with elected officials about accepting an acting manager position, and as you establish yourself in the role, it’s important to clearly identify yourself as a professional. Become familiar with the legal basis of the manager position, particularly in employment practices. In a subtle and nonthreatening but clear way, demonstrate knowledge of these legal provisions and your commitment to the ICMA Code of Ethics. When the governing body understands that you know the boundaries, it is much less likely to try to overstep them.

An acting manager may discover that some members of the governing body view the interim period as an opportunity to step outside their legal boundaries. They may perceive the acting manager as temporary and thus easier to challenge. For example, they may attempt to direct the actions of employees, or tell you to make specific personnel decisions, or meet in executive session in violation of the rules. When such incidents occur, obtain the facts and discreetly discuss the matter individually with the member(s) of the governing body as promptly as possible.

An understanding about boundaries is particularly important when you need to fill a vacant department head position during your tenure as acting manager. Normally, as a professional cour-

tesy and for managerial reasons, it’s best to delay such appoint-ments until the new manager is on board. But if a department has a critical need for leadership that can’t be satisfactorily met by an acting assignment, an exception may be warranted. If it appears that a new manager will not be appointed in the near future, the acting manager should communicate his or her recommendations for action to the governing body. A caution here is that you make it clear that you’re not asking for permission to fill the position if the manager has the legal authority to do so. If you ask, you’re opening a door that’s not good for the form of government.

Dealing with a council that appears to be deliberately over-stepping the boundaries can be very difficult for an acting man-ager, particularly one who has not had a great deal of experience working directly with elected officials. If such activity continues, you may want to consult the ICMA ethics advisor or other manag-ers who have had similar experiences.

Contributed by V. Eugene Miller, a Life Member of ICMA, who retired after serving for more than thirty-seven years as a city manager in seven positions in six states. He recently served as acting city manager in three Florida communities while they conducted recruit-ments to fill the position.


The Acting Manager: Building Trust Max H. Baker

To be successful, an acting manager must develop trust with many constituencies. The mere fact that the council appointed you to the acting position usually indicates that it has confidence in your knowledge, skill, and ability; it trusts you to keep the business of the city operating and maybe even moving forward on time-sensitive matters. However, you should not rely solely on that initial trust to get you through the coming months. You need to actively build it into something that can weather any storms that might come along and that will provide a foundation for a future relationship in the event that you become the new manager.

In building trust with the council and other con-stituencies, personal integrity is absolutely essential. If your words and actions are inconsistent, someone will quickly find you out. Often it is fellow employees who see a lack of integrity first. If in some way the decisions you make don’t match the things you say, they won’t support you in the long run. There may be times when others attempt to undermine your cred-ibility and what you’re trying to accomplish. While you can’t control every situation where you might be misunderstood, try to learn from those experiences and be very clear and consistent about your message and subsequent actions.

Your personal integrity will be the safety net that can save you from disaster and form the foundation of understanding and trust. Be sure you are familiar with the ICMA Code of Ethics and Guidelines. If you have particular questions about integrity and ethics, con-sult a trusted colleague, an experienced manager in another jurisdiction, or the ICMA ethics advisor.

Building trust with the council, one member at a timeThe best way to build your “trust balance” with the council is through regular contact and communication

with them as individuals. Scheduling time periodically with each council member will let them see that you have things under control and that you consider their ideas important. These meetings don’t have to be at the local government offices. You can meet over a cup of coffee or at lunch. Remember that you need to talk to each council member, not just those who are easy to talk with or the ones you like.

In all communications, stick with the facts and do not exaggerate. Keep a list of topics to discuss so that you can be sure you cover the same ground with all council members. They all need to know that you’re talking to the others, that you’re being open with them, and that they’re receiving equal treatment.

When it comes to establishing and building trust with members of the council, you cannot communi-cate too much. Use various techniques, media, and tools for your delivery, and keep things interesting so that both auditory and visual learners get the message:

■ Regular e-mails

■ Phone calls

■ Updates on media inquiries, citizen complaints, and other “hot topics”

■ Previews of forthcoming agenda items

■ Regular update memos about employee accom-plishments, the status of major projects, and even some interesting operational items.

Be sure not to neglect face-to-face time, however. Council members need to see you in order to trust you. Although managers sometimes hesitate to “invite councilors” into the operations of the city, it’s fre-quently true that when council members are aware of operations at a high level, their confidence and trust in the manager builds and they tend to stay out of the details. It’s when they have doubts about how things are being handled or when they receive a long string of complaints from citizens about a particular area that council members seem to raise more questions about operations.

Building trust with fellow employeesYour success as acting manager also depends on gain-ing the trust of your fellow employees. A good way to

Max H. Baker is the county administrator in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, which provides both municipal and county services to the citizenry. He served as acting county administrator three times before accepting appointment to his current role in January 2005.


of the media might try to bait you into a controversial topic, but if you’re prepared to talk about your message, you can usually move the conversation back to where you want it. Again, be very clear. Think about how your message could be misunderstood and improve it.

You can also build a good relationship with the media by helping reporters do their jobs. Meet with the reporter or reporters who cover local government news, and explain the background of your message, especially if a reporter is new or unfamiliar with a topic. Try to put yourself in the reporters’ shoes. Realize that they always work against deadlines, so find out what those deadlines are and meet them; the chances of your message being misinterpreted seem to increase as the deadline approaches. Think of more than one way to deliver what you want a reader or viewer to know. Repetition that is interesting and var-ied will keep that reader reading all the way to the end instead of stopping at the headline.

Building trust with the communityAs acting manager, attend those social and civic events that the manager would be expected to attend. Many might be outside of your comfort zone, but they will help you be visible to those you serve. If a civic club invites you to speak or attend a meeting, try to find a way to make your attendance a success. While humor is always an attention getter, focus that humor on your-self instead of targeting a community or audience mem-ber. You never know who might be a friend of someone, and your humor might be considered insulting.

While you’ll want to remain professional in most community contacts, you can make some exceptions. For example, if the local Little League asks you to sit over the dunk tank to raise funds for uniforms, think about saying “yes” instead of finding an excuse to be out of town. Think about taking a cream pie in your face to raise funds for charity. Use your com-mon sense, and think about appropriate times to be less than totally professional. It might help you to be seen as an individual with a big heart who could be forgiven when you make some mistakes.

One word to the wise, however: If you find yourself in a setting where alcohol is served, remember your limits or ask for soda instead. The perception that you’ve had too much to drink will always supersede the reality of the good things you’ve accomplished.

develop this trust is to get out of the office to where employees are working. Show them you realize that you all work together for the common good of the citizens. Go to the library, check out a book, and chat with the employees who work there. Find out where the crew is patching potholes and show up at the job site with some cold sodas. Take a bag of fruit to that crew who plowed snow all night and have to face even more the next day with only a couple of hours of rest. Walk over to the finance department and ask if there’s any money in the bank (before you do this, be sure the employees will share your humor).

Building trust with senior managersAfter the departure of the former manager, you need to recognize that you’re the new leader of the team of department heads and others who influence deci-sions and the tone of your workplace. They’ll probably be uneasy and uncertain, especially if the manager was fired. Meet with the department heads and other senior managers soon after you’re given the helm. You can set the stage for trust by frankly stating that the council may have lost confidence in the administration and by asking for their assistance as fellow team mem-bers to restore that confidence quickly and profession-ally. While you may sometimes feel quite alone as the leader, it’s a good idea to enlist others in helping to regain the confidence the council once had in staff as a whole. You can do this by working closely together on some short-term goals and keeping the essential and routine services functioning.

Building trust with the mediaDeveloping a trust relationship with the media—espe-cially if you do not already have one—is important because the media tell the local government’s story much more broadly than you ever can. That story is also “your story” while you’re in the acting role, and it’s important to develop the message you want to convey and stick to it. Identify about three important points and be prepared to make them clearly and repeatedly.

In your first few days as acting manager, make an appointment to meet with the editor or publisher of the local paper. Focus on the message you prepared and thought about before the appointed time. Some members


A checklist for building trust

Here’s a checklist of things to keep in mind to build trust, no matter what your constituency:

❒ Communicate that you’re working with the staff, the council, and the community to carry on the business of the community.

❒ Share something of yourself, your goals for the community, and things you’ll be working on as the acting manager.

❒ Understand how the departure of the former manager is affecting others so you can help them move on.

❒ Get out with employees and accept speaking opportunities. For people to trust you, they need to see you in person.

❒ Avoid the temptation to take yourself too seriously, thinking that you’re doing everything and doing it better than anyone ever has.

❒ Always return messages. Even when you know you’re about to hear a complaint, you need to do it, not only to solve the problem but, more importantly, to keep it from escalating.

❒ When you use e-mail, use it carefully. A hastily written message can communicate something you did not intend—and it can be forwarded to hundreds of other people.

❒ Live by the “no surprises” rule. Important decisions made by you or the council should be shared with employees. Council members should be advised individually of good or bad things that might generate questions from the public.

❒ Finally, be yourself. People can tell if you’re trying to “fake it.” Honesty, consistency, and follow-through will help you build trust across the board.



Communication: Key to Building Trust

Effective communication is a key component of building trust for an acting manager, whether it involves elected officials, appointed officials, the community at large, employees, the media, or other local government officials. You’ll need to establish both formal and informal tools and practices to effectively and consistently communicate with each of these groups. Approaching these responsibilities requires careful and strategic consideration of your expectations and those of your constituents. Customize your com-munications to the audience and your needed or desired response.

Communicating with elected and appointed officials. For elected and appointed officials, establish a communications routine. Use weekly telephone calls, meetings, and formal memos to augment the materials and information provided in regular meetings and workshops. Avoid surprises. Immediately notify elected officials of any crisis or extraordinary event that occurs in the community. Reach agreement with them about the “trigger level” for a telephone call versus an e-mail or memorandum. The trigger may be as simple as an accident that disrupts local traffic flow or as serious as an event that requires emergency response. Elected officials should be apprised immediately of any lawsuit or filing against the local community, together with the acting manager’s recommendation for a response to the public and media that demonstrates consistency and awareness of the issue by all

community officials.

Communicating with the media. Media relations are espe-cially critical if you’re interested in a permanent appointment as manager or if you’re expected to bring stability following organi-zational change. Setting up bi-weekly media meetings is one way you can manage the new set of demands on your time and energy. Establishing a routine with the media gives them the access they expect, provides you with an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and your ability to serve the community, and helps you manage your time. Invite other key staff to cover items of current interest to the community. This provides an opportunity to showcase teamwork and highlight services that may otherwise go unnoticed or unrecognized. Remember to use technology as part of

your communications toolkit: the Internet, e-mail, and other tech-nologies afford an easy and efficient way to provide the media and the community at large with ready access to critical information.

Communicating with staff. Employees will look to you to set the expectations and operating environment for the organization, whether you’re serving as a bridge during a selection process or as a potential candidate. Meet with your new management team and directors and set forth your expectations for their roles and responsibilities. In smaller jurisdictions, you may be able to meet all staff to answer questions or to update them on the manager selection process. In larger organizations, at least communicate with a sampling of staff below the department director level. If employees are represented by bargaining units, an early meeting with their chief officials may be important to establish clear lines of communication.

Communicating with the community. Finally, do not forget why you’re in the local government management business: to provide an effective and efficient range of services to meet the needs and expectations of the community. Consider setting a series of meet-ings with critical community leaders, neighborhood and property owner associations, service organizations, and other community groups known to be active in setting the local agenda. Consider including a “Manager’s Message” with the community’s billing, newsletter, or other print communication, and on the city website. While actions may speak louder than words, it’s equally important to communicate the story about these actions so that the com-munity understands them.

For additional information, refer to “Communication and Trust: A Recipe for Successful Council-Manager Relations” from ICMA’s PM magazine. For other communication ideas, browse the “Elected Officials” and “Citizen Engagement” topic areas on the ICMA website.

Contributed by Martin (Marty) P. Black, city manager in Venice, Florida, where he served as interim manager before his appointment to the permanent position. An ICMA Credentialed Manager, he has served at a variety of administrative levels in city and county gov-ernment and as a consultant in Florida for more than twenty years.

http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/documents/kn/Document/1851/Communication_and__Trust_A_Recipe_for_Successful_CouncilManager_Relations

http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/documents/kn/Document/1851/Communication_and__Trust_A_Recipe_for_Successful_CouncilManager_Relations

http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/topics/kn/Topic/231/Relationships_with_Elected_Officials

http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/topics/kn/Topic/231/Relationships_with_Elected_Officials

http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/topics/kn/Topic/41/Citizen_Engagement


Peer and Staff Support for the Acting Manager Florentine Miller and Michael J. Senyko

assignment. However, if the problem is upon you, be open with your peers. Tell them you want honest feedback, and be ready to hear opinions and ideas that are different from your own. You must be able to hear constructive criticism and deal with problems effec-tively and expediently in order to provide a solution.

Find someone you can trust. If you do not have peers in the public sector, identify someone else you trust and with whom you feel comfortable. If you reach outside the public sector, seek out someone who has similar responsibilities (a sizable budget and many people doing diverse jobs)—perhaps a human resource manager or a project manager.

Staff supportYour assessment of the environment of the organiza-tion will affect your relationship with the staff. If the environment is highly political, staff support is par-ticularly important, because you will need to focus on pressing needs and demands. If the previous manager was terminated, the organization may be somewhat fragile, making staff support equally important.

Meet with key staff. As early as reasonably possi-ble, meet with department directors, the management team, and other key staff. They need to hear from you about your ideas and the things that you believe are important in the organization. Tell them about any areas on which you will be spending a great deal of time to resolve issues. Be honest, and if there are areas that you cannot appropriately address with them, let them know why. And do not make promises that you cannot keep.

If the staff is small enough, invite them to a gather-ing and show them that you’re “real.” If necessary, have several “drop-in” times to give staff an opportu-nity to mingle with each other and with you. Recog-nize that you may have a tendency to put this off until you’re settled or have taken care of current crises. Your contact with the staff early on will help reassure them that the organization will survive and that it has a leader in you as acting manager.

For the acting manager in a public sector environment, garnering the support of colleagues and staff can be a key to success. The advice of your peers is important regardless of your position or your career path. Both new and experienced managers can learn from col-leagues with the same or similar responsibilities. Fur-ther, because an acting role may become permanent, staff support is essential. In short, the staff, in many cases, can make or break you.

Peer supportPeer support is critical for an inexperienced manager or a manager in an unfamiliar situation. Identify one or more people who can serve as peer resources to you during your tenure as acting manager. If you have exist-ing peer resources, continue to draw on them during this transition period. These peers may include manag-ers or assistant managers in nearby jurisdictions or in your state (see the sidebar “Making Contacts and Gath-ering Information” in the article “The Acting Manager Role and Your Career Path” for suggestions on making contacts). Neighboring managers may be able to alert you to potential potholes in your new assignment.

Be proactive! Even experienced managers may wait until a problem is nearing the crisis stage before con-tacting a colleague. Recognizing a potential problem and seeking advice early can help you succeed in your

Florentine (Flo) Miller has served as deputy town manager in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, since 2004. Before that, she served as assistant town manager starting in 1989. She has worked in local governments in Virginia and Michigan and is a member of the North Carolina City and County Management Association. Michael J. Senyko is the city manager in Fenton, Michigan. He served as acting city manager in Fenton prior to his appointment to the permanent position. He is a member of the Michigan Municipal League Legislative and Urban Affairs Committee and of the Michigan Local Government Management Association Public Policy Committee, and he is active in many community projects.


One of your major responsibilities is to keep the organization on task in the provision of quality services to the community. In most cases, ongoing ser-vices do not require the acting manager’s immediate attention. If that’s the case, encourage the staff to keep up the good work. Of course, tell them explicitly to let you know if problems arise that need your attention.

Assume the leadership role. As acting manager, you should begin immediately to function as the man-ager and leader of the organization. At least temporar-ily, you’ll be assigning and delegating tasks to people who were your peers, friends, and even superiors. Although you may seek and encourage input from former staff associates, you’re now responsible for making the final decisions. Don’t be drawn into the habit of making decisions by committee. And don’t be overly influenced by disgruntled employees who may question your appointment and decisions. Your elected body may regard such behavior as a weakness and come to distrust your abilities as acting manager. If this happens, the work of the organization may begin to slow, and important items may be delayed until a new leader is appointed.

Help the staff help you. Issues requiring your immediate attention will need your leadership and guidance. You must delegate and assign tasks in a manner that provides clear direction on what you expect to be accomplished. Even though you may be immersed in dozens of issues and assignments, remember that the key to effective delegation is to follow up on delegated assignments to check prog-ress and provide further clarification and direction as needed. If you give assignments without some follow-up, it sends a signal that the assignment is a low prior-ity, and staff may neglect it until it comes back as a bigger issue for you.

Let the staff know how you want to be updated on progress and with what frequency. Let them know if you find e-mail, voice messaging, or paper memos acceptable in addition to face-to-face updates. A tech-nique that might be useful to ensure timely follow-up is to schedule regular operations meetings with key staff to review progress on assignments and, of course,

to make additional assignments. Such meetings will help you focus on functional areas and allow you to provide feedback that could be critical to successful completion of assignments. And don’t forget to offer encouragement, acknowledgment, and thanks for good staff work.

Be accessible. You may also want to establish some type of open forum where staff may ask questions and you can provide information. Showing that you’re accessible helps build teamwork and camaraderie that can increase organizational performance. To enhance communication between you and the staff, consider the following:

■ Set aside scheduled times for brown-bag lunches

■ Coordinate with department heads to attend their staff meetings

■ Visit work sites.

Foster a positive environment. Finally, remember that changes in leadership affect the entire organi-zation. These changes can lead to uncertainty and anxiety even among the most senior staff. Reassure the staff that, during this transition period, you are committed to the organization and you value them. Needless to say, don’t make any negative comments about the departed manager or the elected body. Ide-ally, major staff changes should await the appointment of a permanent manager, but if you need to make them, be aware that major staff changes can threaten your ability to manage during the transition period, and you will need to be prepared in case a firestorm develops.

As the acting manager you have been selected to guide the organization during a time of transition. Your selection is a vote of confidence that you have the skills, abilities, and talent to lead the organiza-tion. In your new leadership role, aim to establish an environment that is positive and constructive and that encourages teamwork in the provision of high-quality services to the public. Allow your peers and the staff to assist you in carrying out the mission of the organization. Remember, you do not have to do it all alone.



Support from Mentors

In addition to peers and staff, mentors are a key source of support for the acting manager. Most communities do not clarify in local ordinances “who” will assume “what” responsibilities in the case of a vacancy in the manager position, leaving unanswered questions for a governing body whose members may have had little or no experience with such a situation. The resulting uncertainty can add to the anxiety of the newly appointed acting manager, and he or she may find it comforting to draw on the knowledge and experi-ence of a mentor.

A mentor is an individual who has taken an active interest in your professional life, making a personal investment in you as a professional. A mentor is likely to be an experienced manager, and he or she can help you

■ Understand the context of situations in the community

■ Develop techniques to ensure that the organization continues to work together to deliver quality services and meet organi-zational goals

■ Anticipate and evaluate the benefits and consequences of decisions to the community, the staff, the elected officials, other stakeholders, and the local government management profession

■ Develop a productive relationship with the governing body during the interim

■ Assess your strengths and weaknesses and develop a plan to address areas for growth

■ Evaluate your career advancement opportunities and decide whether to apply for the manager position

■ Understand the impact of the profession on your personal life.

The importance of mentoring to the acting manager was explored at an Assistants Forum at a conference of the Kansas Association of City/County Management. Attendees were asked whether they felt adequately prepared to lead their city or county in an acting manager capacity. Those who did not feel adequately prepared were asked what their manager could do to better prepare them, and after open discussion it was the consensus of the group that enhancing the mentoring relationship with their manager would give them the best chance to succeed in a future acting capacity.

Contributed by Matthew C. Allen, assistant city manager in Garden City, Kansas, and previously city administrator in Oakley, Kansas.


Ethics and the Acting ManagerLaura E. Blackmon and Paul C. Boyer Jr.

Ethics and the recruitment and selection processOnce you’re the acting manager, whether or not you’re a candidate for the permanent appointment, you should avoid actions that may appear to influence the recruitment and selection process. If the elected body has chosen to contract with an executive recruiter, you should direct a member of staff, such as the human resource officer or the clerk, to work with them on selecting the recruiter, administering the recruiter’s contract, providing information to applicants, and arranging interview trips for candidates. If the elected officials choose to tap expertise within the organiza-tion rather than hiring an executive recruiter, you should ask them to select someone else on staff to perform the necessary administrative tasks in order to avoid any appearance of impropriety on your part.

You may find yourself in a difficult position because elected officials who choose not to employ a recruiter may need a lot of assistance during the search and recruitment process. (For additional per-spectives and advice for the acting manager during a search, see the article titled “The Acting Manager and the Search Process.”)

Your conduct during the recruitment processRegardless of whether you’ve decided to be a candi-date for the permanent manager position, you may encounter several ethics-related situations covered under Tenets 3 and 12 of the ICMA Code during the recruitment and selection process.

■ You are obligated to show professional respect for persons formerly holding the position or for others who apply for the position. Honest differences of opinion are acceptable, but attacking a person’s motives or integrity in order to influence the selec-tion process or to be appointed yourself is not.

■ If you become aware of a possible ethics violation by an applicant or candidate, your best course of action is to report it to the ICMA Committee on Professional

Laura E. Blackmon is deputy county manager in Osceola County, Florida. Paul C. Boyer Jr. is city manager in Lake Worth, Florida.

The mission of ICMA is the creation of “excellence in local government.” Therefore, it’s not surprising that ethical conduct and behavior are at the heart of the profession. When you serve as acting manager, your ethical decision making will be complicated by a number of factors, including your personal decision concerning your candidacy for the permanent posi-tion and your elected officials’ decisions concerning the handling of the selection process. For this reason, it would be a good idea to take a look at the ICMA Code of Ethics and the accompanying guidelines if you haven’t done so recently.

Your conduct as acting manager may be governed by state ethics regulations as well as by the ICMA code. And those state rules vary widely. Seek the advice of your organization’s ethics advisor or attorney to fully understand their application to you. Do not assume that state ethics regulations for you as the acting manager are the same as they were for you as a member of staff. And remember that the manager position is subject to a greater degree of scrutiny than other staff positions.

Becoming the acting managerWhether you’ve already accepted the position of act-ing manager or are still considering the matter, it’s important to remember that you have a commitment to serve the best interests of the community. In most cases, the departure of the former manager, even if amicable, creates a tense working environment for the staff as well as elected officials. Your willingness to “step up to the plate” should have a stabilizing effect by providing assurance that business will be taken care of until a new manager is hired.

If you are offered the position of acting manager, make sure that you are in a position professionally and personally to serve until the new manager is hired. If you are planning to leave the organization for any reason, you should decline the offer to serve as acting manager.




Conduct instead of notifying the elected officials, as they might be unduly influenced by such informa-tion. ICMA members, as a condition of membership, have agreed to submit to a peer review of their con-duct under established enforcement procedures, and no member should circumvent that process.

■ Needless to say, you should not disclose to others any confidential information you possess in your official capacity; nor should you use it to further your personal interests.

Interaction with candidatesIn a competitive job market, good candidates should be researching your community during the recruit-ment process, and that research may include quiz-zing you. As previously noted, you must not disclose confidential information. However, you may disclose any information that would be available to the pub-lic at large. Answer questions openly and honestly. Refrain from sharing personal opinions about individ-ual elected officials or any policy issues that may be under discussion but have not been publicly disclosed. Share information freely with any candidate who asks. Remember, whether or not you’re a candidate for the position, one of the candidates going through this process may very well be your new boss.

Ethics in staff relationshipsAs an ICMA member bound by the ICMA Code of Ethics, you have committed to handle all personnel

matters on the basis of merit (Tenet 11). It is inevi-table that conflicts will arise between you and your staff. Not only is it important for ethical reasons to handle all such situations fairly, but keep in mind that at some point you may again be a member of the staff. It’s never appropriate to use your heightened authority to retaliate against your former peers for past actions. As a practical matter, your success as acting manager depends on your ability to get the most out of each department head and staff member. From an ethical perspective, you must keep your per-sonal feelings out of decision making and rely strictly on merit. The reputation you establish as the acting manager will follow you throughout your tenure in the organization. Stay focused on the issues and be meticulous in using merit as the basis of any person-nel actions.

Closing thoughtsUltimately, you would be wise to consider any issues or decisions that arise during your tenure from the perspective of public scrutiny. What if I read this about another person in another place? Would I be okay with it or not? Whether the decision you face is in policy, personnel, or personal behavior, your con-duct will be noticed and your reputation in the future will be affected by it. Appearance of impropriety is as devastating to your reputation as actual impropriety. When in doubt, seek the advice of another trusted manager or an ethics advisor in your organization, in your state, or at ICMA.


The Acting Manager and the Search Process Catherine Tuck Parrish

The first questions after a manager announces that he or she is leaving will likely be these: What new job is he taking? What will she be doing in retirement? When is her last day? Who will be taking over during the interim? The next likely questions center on the search process: How long will it be before a new man-ager is in place? When will the search begin? Who will be involved in the selection process? Generally these questions come in rapid succession, and if the man-ager’s resignation is a surprise, a plan for the manager search needs to be developed quickly.

The governing body has the responsibility for hir-ing the new manager. However, many elected officials are part-time and may not have conducted a search for a chief executive before. Depending on their back-grounds, many may never have hired an employee in their professional lives. The governing body will need assistance in searching for a permanent manager.

The acting manager’s roleThe ICMA Committee on Professional Conduct, charged with responsibility for enforcing the ICMA Code of Ethics, has advised that members should not play any role in the recruitment process if they are or might be candidates for the position because it is a conflict of interest. As the acting manager you would have an obvious conflict of interest if you’re a candi-date for the permanent position. You could influence the selection process in your favor, and you might possess information about other candidates that could give you an advantage. Even if you would not take advantage of your position in this way, the perception would be that you could have and might have.

Even if you’re not a candidate for the position, you should not be the point person in the recruitment process. Many acting managers initially believe that they do not want to be a candidate but later change their minds and seek the position. If you change your

Catherine Tuck Parrish is the assistant city manager in Rockville, Maryland, and served as acting city manager in that community from January through November 2004.

mind, any early involvement you might have had in the selection process could be misinterpreted and might even hurt your chances of being selected for the permanent position. You’re also going to be very busy running the city or county, and you’ll need to devote your efforts to leadership and management of the organization, not to the recruitment process.

Even if you are not directly involved, you will often have to answer questions from staff and the public because of your acting manager role. Therefore, you’ll need to be aware of the basic timetable established by the governing body for filling the position, and appoint a staff person to be the primary resource for the media and the governing body and to ensure that the basics of the recruitment are being handled properly. Even if the governing body hires an executive recruiter, you may be the only one in your organization who is aware of such recruitment resources as the ICMA Job-Center and newsletter, the National League of Cities newsletter, and the state municipal league website and newsletter. Putting an ad in the local paper probably will not produce a strong candidate pool.

Because you’re the acting manager, it’s likely that prospective candidates will contact you directly. They’ll be most interested in whether you or other staff members are applying for the position, but you should also prepare yourself for questions about how you like working with the elected body in your community and the major issues that are important over the next few months. Whenever you respond to questions from prospective candidates, you should remain professional and totally ethical. Answer questions honestly but without revealing confidential information or offering personal opinions about council members or others.

What you can doAs for any important issue before the governing body, the staff needs to prepare the elected officials to make informed choices by gathering information. Early on, select a staff person to be the primary contact and resource for the elected body. This could be a depart-ment head and/or a staff member in the manager’s office. If the elected body appoints a selection com-


mittee, try to select a staff person who can work well with the committee members. And, of course, any staff member involved in the search process must be able to retain confidences. Find out how the search process for a new manager has been conducted in the past in your jurisdiction. If you were not there when the last process took place, ask staff with longer ten-ure. Contact other jurisdictions that have recently gone through a search process. Gather any documentation and provide it to the governing body.

Information for the governing body might include

■ Suggestions on where to place ads so that potential candidates will see them

■ A copy of the job description and an explanation of how the job fits into the compensation plan

■ A list of possible interview questions (to be pre-pared by someone else to avoid the appearance of a conflict)

■ Guidelines for conducting a background and refer-ence check.

If at all possible, the staff person you have appointed should take on initial research tasks.

Finding outside assistanceSo where can you find outside resources that can assist in the recruitment and selection process? Here are several sources that can be helpful to an elected body in determining how to conduct its search.

ICMA publications. ICMA has publications specifi-cally written for elected officials about the recruitment process (e.g., Recruitment Guidelines Handbook). As an ICMA member, you can download this and other documents from ICMA’s website at no charge.

Executive search firms. Many professional search firms can conduct an executive search for a govern-ing body. ICMA can provide members with a list of search firms that specialize in local government positions. The cost of hiring a search firm may be too steep for some jurisdictions (ranging from $12,000 to $25,000 plus out-of-pocket expenses). However, if affordable, search firms can provide an important bridge between candidates and the governing body.

ICMA Range Riders. As retired managers, ICMA Range Riders can be very helpful. They are objective since they are neither vying for the position nor get-ting paid to conduct the search. And as former man-agers, they have been through recruitment processes themselves.

Human resources. The organization’s human resource director or his or her staff can also assist the governing body in its search. Their professional exper-tise in recruitment can be useful, and they are accus-tomed to keeping candidate information confidential.

Other outside sources. Other sources of assistance for the recruitment process can include managers in nearby jurisdictions, assuming that they are not applicants for the position, or retired managers in the region or state. Many municipal leagues can provide information on how to conduct a recruitment and may even be aware of possible candidates.

Finding a permanent manager is one of the most important decisions a governing body makes. Whether or not you’re a candidate or are selected for the permanent position, you can make sure your govern-ing body has the resources it needs to help guide it through this important process.

http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/career_resources/recruitment_guidelines_handbook



Key Questions about the Search Process

Each governing body must determine how the selection process is designed. Here are some key questions that need to be answered before the process begins:

■ Are there any key issues or milestones that will drive the timetable of the recruitment process? (For example, how might a forthcoming election affect the search?)

■ Will a search firm be hired?

■ Who is the point person for the search process?

■ What skills, experiences, and management style will the new manager need?

■ How and by whom will applicants be screened?

■ Will residents and business leaders be involved in any part of the process?

■ Who will serve on the interview panel(s)?

■ How and with what information will the media be informed? (State law may govern this in some cases.)

■ How will a top candidate be selected?

■ How will a background and reference check of the top candidate be conducted?

■ Who will negotiate the terms of employment with the top candidate?

Contributed by Catherine Tuck Parrish, assistant city manager in Rockville, Maryland. She served as acting city manager in that com-munity from January through November 2004.


Survival Tips for the Acting Manager Patty Gentrup and Susan Sherman

Whether you’re asked to be the acting manager in a time of stable transition or you’re thrust into the posi-tion by sudden circumstances, every acting manager can use a few survival tips to keep this transition time in perspective and even find the opportunity to enjoy it. The following tips don’t appear in order of priority (although keeping a sense of humor might indeed be the most important of all!).

Keep your sense of humorWhen your mayor calls and tells you that your mentor and manager has resigned, and you’re home alone with your three-month-old daughter, and the mayor wants to talk to you in his white van outside your home in minutes—you have to find something to smile about.

A lot of things happen unexpectedly during a time of transition—and you have to learn not to take yourself, your job, or life in general too seriously. Serving as acting manager may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it doesn’t mean you need to lose your sense of humor about things that may happen along the way. If you can’t laugh and find the silver lining in a situation, neither will your staff. Remember that things will not go perfectly. Have fun with the job and enjoy it as much as you can. Remember, too, that any-thing that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Don’t take it personallyHere’s a story from one of us: “While I was acting manager, one thing I could count on at each council meeting was that one member of the governing body in particular would engage in mortal combat. He would identify an issue and attack it like a pit bull on a poodle. Sometimes I could anticipate the trigger

Patty Gentrup is the city administrator in Liberty, Missouri, where she served as acting administrator in 1997. Susan Sherman is assistant city manager in Olathe, Kansas. She served as acting manager in Olathe from November 1997 to January 1999.

for the attack; other times it was pure surprise. Soon I realized that it was not the issue per se that he was attacking. It was me!

“As I grew more confident in my role, I looked to these interactions as a challenge. I did not respond in kind but addressed the issue at hand.” That’s sometimes difficult to do because in many ways, we’re invested not only in our jobs but also in this profession. We’re in public service because we’re passionate about what we do, and it’s difficult for us when someone questions our integrity. For this reason it’s important to rise above the personal issues and maintain professionalism.

Communicate, communicate, communicateRegardless of how you became acting manager, it’s important from the get-go to communicate—with the council, with the staff, and with the public. There’s no greater ally in your transition than communication. It’s a fact that in a void of information, people make stuff up!

In communicating with the council, be sure they have defined their expectations for you, and outline your expectations as well. In turn, set expectations for staff and provide them with as much information as you can. Open communication will help you build relationships, alleviate their fears, and garner their support and assistance. Finally, in communicating with the public, be honest and open about issues.

Communication can take many forms, including those made possible by new technologies. Take advan-tage of opportunities to use all forms of communica-tion that are available to you. Ensure that the medium you choose is appropriate to the audience and the message. Use of e-mails, phone calls, and newsletter updates can be effective tools to inform the commu-nity about issues and achievements.

It’s your decision, and it can be lonelyHow many of us, as assistant managers or department directors, have played Monday-morning quarterback when the manager has made a decision? It’s so easy


to say what you would do if you were the manager. Guess what? That’s you now, and the call is yours. That can be a very lonely feeling, especially if your style is collaborative.

If consensus can’t be reached, all eyes are on you. Trust yourself. Use all the resources at your disposal to make the best decision you possibly can.

Know when you need outside helpEven though the buck might stop with you, that doesn’t mean anyone expects you to know it all. As a matter of fact, it’s just as important to know when you need additional resources.

An issue may arise where your best course of action is to hire an outside person to assist with issues that are new to your organization. People sometimes use transitional times as a way to push their own agendas. When this happens, make sure you have the resources your organization needs to make the best decisions. That may include outside attorneys or public relations firms that can help you think through issues as well as short- and long-term approaches to a problem. For one of the co-authors, outside resources were a huge help in communicating in the community as well as in the organization. Their expertise saved a great deal of time and effort and was very effective in framing the issues and making sure that everyone was on the same page.

Be organized—or have a staff that isAn organized approach will help you deal with the issues that will inevitably face you as acting manager. First, you need to get all the information you can regarding issues and projects in which you may not have been involved. Second, you need to make sure that you have a system for keeping track of the most important things you want to accomplish in the transi-tion period. As the acting manager you may be tested to see if you know what’s going on. It’s tough to have a handle on all the issues, but if you have a system, you can get the information you need quickly and easily. Your support staff should be able to assist, but if not, you need to do it yourself. It will pay off when a council member comes in to ask you something, and you can easily pull out the needed information.

Rely on your support systemWhen we were MPA students, we found it hokey that ICMA used the term “partner” instead of “husband”

or “wife.” In the intervening years, it’s become all too apparent why “partner” is the appropriate word. It is essential for an acting manager, or any other professional, to have a partner or other supporter to share in your success and comfort you in your defeats.

It’s fun—but you might not realize it until it’s overWhen opportunities come your way, you don’t always take the time to appreciate the experience, exposure, and achievements that come as well. Remember that your tenure as acting manager is another opportunity to make a difference in your community. If you put your transition time in per-spective, you can have fun with the opportunities and grow tremendously. The experience can be very rewarding, both personally and professionally, and you don’t want to lose sight of that. When you look back on the experience, it will be with pride and a sense of accomplishment for doing your best for your community and organization.

Appreciate your newly acquired added valueWhen a new manager is appointed and you return to your previous role, remember that you had an impor-tant job before you became acting manager, and now you bring added value to the organization from having been in the lead for a time. You have built relation-ships during the transition, and those relationships don’t go away. In the end the organization is stronger for having had you in the transition spot, and you have grown and developed both personally and profes-sionally. The other bonus is that you no longer have to take all the council calls or deal with all the personnel issues, and you can sit back and make a difference from a somewhat less visible spot.

Remember what is really importantAnother story from one of the co-authors: “It wasn’t long after I became acting city administrator that a police officer motioned to me during a council meeting that he needed to talk to me. He told me that my husband had taken our youngest daughter to the hospital with a gash in her head. He knew nothing more. I immediately left the meeting. Gutsy? Stupid? I don’t know. What I do


Involving your family in your work can also be rewarding. Says a co-author: “My daughter and son know where I work and why I work. They know where the candy jar in my office is, and they know that city hall is a friendly place where community helpers work. I am very proud of that and wouldn’t be as good a public servant without my family to ground me in what is really important. It is not always easy, but nothing worth doing is.”

know is that my family is my first priority. The message became clear to the council, and they supported it.”

The acting manager role can be all-consuming. You’ll be doing a new job and very likely trying to do your previous job as well. Make sure your job is what you do. Don’t let it define who you are. Make and keep dates with your partner, your best friend, your children, your grandma. Don’t let climbing the career ladder keep you from the most important things in life.


Out of the Spotlight: Resuming Your Former Position Catherine Tuck Parrish

may not see right now, but the form of government depends on elected officials to select the manager.

If you didn’t apply for the manager positionIf you didn’t apply for the manager position, you may initially feel relief, although you may also feel some-what let down. It’s hard to go back to your old posi-tion. You’ve been changed by your new experiences, and the organization has changed as well. You’re not going back to the same job, since nothing stays static. Some of your duties may have been parceled out to others and may remain with them. Just as you had to recalibrate your professional relationships upon taking the acting role, you must do that again as you transi-tion back into your former position.

Whether or not you applied for the positionWhether you applied for the position or not, this is a time when it’s important to look forward, not back-ward. You are critical in orienting the new manager.

Before he or she arrives on the scene, find out what information the new manager would like ahead of time and what meetings, if any, he or she would like arranged. You might offer to put together a confi-dential list of key elected officials, community leaders, and department heads organized into three categories: (1) critical to contact within thirty days, (2) critical to contact within sixty days, and (3) critical to meet at some point. The purpose, of course, is not to devalue anyone’s importance but to help the new manager pri-oritize his or her contacts, since he or she cannot meet with everyone at once.

You can help further by sending the new manager pertinent information on projects or issues—including any helpful background information—and by assign-ing someone on the staff to start scheduling meetings to review them.

Once the new manager is on board, step back and allow him or her to take center stage. Be sure the new

Catherine Tuck Parrish is the assistant city manager in Rockville, Maryland, and served as acting city manager in that community from January through November 2004. She wishes to thank Jeff Richardson, assistant city manager, Asheville, North Carolina, for his contributions to this article.

Once the appointment of a new manager is announced, it will likely be weeks or months before he or she arrives in town. As the acting manager, you may start to feel like a lame duck—and indeed you are one. However, the business of the local government must go on in the meantime. You’ll need to assess what decisions need to be made in advance of the new manager’s arrival and what can wait. Consult with the incoming manager about his or her expectations, and articulate your own as well.

If you applied for the manager positionIf you applied for the manager position and were not selected, you may feel somewhat bitter (even though you may also feel somewhat relieved). It’s hard to hear that you were good enough to be the acting manager but not quite good enough to keep the posi-tion permanently. Keep in mind that the new manager did not make that choice; the elected body did. You’re needed now more than ever. The new manager will need your assistance and advice to be successful; the organization will look to you to provide reassurance and to help staff adjust in the transition of leader-ship; the elected body and the community will count on your institutional knowledge to keep projects and service delivery on track. Your professionalism and integrity have never been more important.

If you’re feeling bitter, you must find a way to let your feelings out (and let them go) in an acceptable manner. Talk to a trusted colleague from another com-munity or to a family member, or write in a journal that you keep for yourself. Once you’ve acknowledged and expressed the feelings, you need to get over them, which may take a little time. The elected body saw something in the new manager that you may or


manager has the opportunity to spend time with elected officials without your presence, especially at first, since you’ve already established a strong relationship with them. This may mean skipping meetings that you would normally attend—assuming your attendance isn’t required—to allow the manager to spend more time with the council without you “tagging along.”

Be prepared for the elected officials to be much more interested in spending time with “their new manager” than with you. In addition, be prepared for them to praise the manager in public settings. All this may leave you with an empty feeling if you did not get a lot of attention and praise from the council, especially if they leaned on you hard operationally for guidance during the transition. But it’s important to move on and not take it personally. Recognize that they are trying to build the public’s confidence in their choice, and this is a necessary part of their job.

Your job as the assistant or department head is to help the new manager be successful. In fact, it would not be out of line for you to remind department heads of this. Because of your role and responsibilities (and possibly your office location), you will probably spend significantly more time with the new manager at first than most if not all of the department directors. As you get to know the new manager, you’ll start to see how his or her communication and management styles differ from those of the former manager, and you can help department heads become comfortable with the new manager’s style so that they can develop effective working relationships as quickly as possible.

You’ll need to develop trust and an effective work-ing relationship, and you’ll need to give it time. You’ll have to adapt to your new boss, and he or she will also be adapting to you, a new organization, and a new community. The people who pitched in to cover parts of your old duties will be adjusting to changes in their responsibilities as you resume some of that work. That’s normal, and you should give yourself and the new manager some time to work out any rough spots. Recognize that you may not agree with every decision and may find it hard not to resent your loss of control as the ultimate decision maker.

Finally, always remember that whether or not you applied for the manager job, everyone in the organi-zation will be watching to see how well you handle the transition and how quickly you give your implicit approval to the new manager. If you applied, you need to guard against taking the governing body’s decision personally and telegraphing your feelings to others. The council didn’t say you were ineffective in the

acting position; they simply said they found someone who better matched their needs in the top spot.

In either case, don’t wait for the new manager to approach you. Demonstrate right away that you are a loyal, dedicated, and effective staff member who will help the new manager build his or her credibility in the organization.

Moving forwardYour experience as acting manager sets the stage for the next step in your career. The experience has changed you and your relationships with others. After a period of adjustment, you may resume a satisfying and successful role in your previous position. Or at some point, you may decide that you’ve changed too much to stay on in that role or that your goals have changed and you’re ready to be a manager.

If you make the decision to leave the organization, plan for a smooth transition, acting in the best interest of the new manager, the community, and the organiza-tion as you take steps to advance yourself and your career. Be sure to maintain the high ground in all pub-lic comments and take care not to damage any person or entity. Do not denigrate the new manager, even if he or she is one of the major reasons for your depar-ture. A good model for conduct is the guideline for Tenet 3 of the ICMA Code of Ethics that requires pro-fessional respect for former managers or those seeking a position for which you’re also a candidate. Focus on the positive aspects of your position and what you’ve learned from your acting manager experience.

TipsHere are tips for the acting manager during the transi-tion period after a new manager is appointed:

■ Welcome the new manager to your community.

■ Meet with the new manager and find out how you can be helpful; let the new manager know you’re there to assist in the transition, and suggest specific ways you can be helpful.

■ Take a step back and let the new manager take the center stage.

■ Divide responsibilities; find out what the new manager needs you to keep doing and what he or she wants to take over; have a discussion to ensure that you both have the same expectations.

■ Enjoy the benefits of not being in the acting role: Take the lead on a new project that interests you;


take that vacation you postponed while you served as acting manager; enjoy not being “it” all the time.

■ Find ways in which your skills can help your boss be successful. When department heads come to you (and they will), your role will be to interpret for the new manager. Be supportive of the man-ager’s initiatives even if they conflict with your personal views.

■ If you disagree with an initiative or change that the manager is making, let him or her know privately; find a productive way to share your opinions with your new boss. Remember that the manager was chosen by the elected officials and may have been given specific goals to accomplish that require challenges to the status quo.

■ Remember that it’s perfectly normal for a new manager to make changes and that it’s also perfectly normal for you not to agree with every change. Check your ego and make sure you’re not resisting change because it was proposed by some-one else. Try not to take changes personally.

■ Reassess roles and responsibilities after six months or a year and decide whether it’s best for you to stay in your position or to move on. Talk to trusted colleagues confidentially. Do what’s in the best interest of you and your family without hurting the organization and the community.

Whether you go back to your former position or leave for another position, your acting experience is invaluable and will serve you well in your career.


ICMA Resources for the Acting Manager

“I Could Work 24 Hours a Day!” An article from the November 2004 issue of ICMA’s PM magazine that can help you balance work with the rest of your life when the acting role seems overwhelming. “Surviving the Politics of Public Administration: A Toolkit for Assistants.” An article from the August 2005 issue of ICMA’s PM magazine that can help assistants—especially those who have been appointed acting manager—navigate the sometimes blurry line between policy and administration.

“Your First Five Years in Local Government: Getting Started.” A checklist providing general strategies for getting started in local government, originally prepared for a session at the ICMA conference.

Even more articles are available in the PM Collection of Next Generation articles, found in ICMA’s Career Network (http://icma.org/careers).

“Advice on My Career Path from Five Wise Men.” An article from the August 2005 issue of ICMA’s PM magazine that can help you consider whether to seek or accept appointment as acting manager.

First-Time Administrator’s Handbook. A collection of articles prepared by an ICMA task force to help people who are about to serve in their first administrator/manager position. This document is available to ICMA members.

ICMA Code of Ethics. The code that all ICMA mem-bers are committed to abide by, with guidelines for conduct.

Model Employment Agreement. A model developed by an ICMA task force to help managers negotiate an agreement. Although the model is more comprehen-sive than the typical acting manager agreement, it may suggest topics that you’d want to include in your agreement.

http://webapps.icma.org/pm/8610/private/feature1.cfm?author=Kenneth Pulskamp%2C Santa Clarita%2C California%2E&title=I Could Work 24 Hours a Day%21&subtitle=

http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/career_resources/news_reports_presentations/surviving_politics

http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/career_resources/news_reports_presentations/surviving_politics

http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/career_resources/news_reports_presentations/first_five_years

http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/career_resources/news_reports_presentations/first_five_years

http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/career_resources/news_reports_presentations/pm_nextgen

http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/career_resources/news_reports_presentations/pm_nextgen

http://icma.org/careers

http://webapps.icma.org/pm/8707/public/cover.cfm?author=mark israelson&title=advice on my career path from five wise men



http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/career_resources/model_employment_agreement

12-214

Acting Manager's Handbook - ICMA

Documents

Transcript of Acting Manager's Handbook - ICMA