Is City Management Still Worth It? – Purpose, Impact, and Meaning in a Demanding Field | Ep.18

If you spend enough time in city management or local government leadership, you will eventually ask a quiet but unavoidable question:

Is this still worth it?

Not necessarily in a moment of crisis. Not only after a bad meeting. But after years of responsibility, pressure, restraint, and service—when the weight of the job begins to compete with the meaning that first drew you to it.

In this solo episode of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann steps back from tactics and survival strategies to reflect on something deeper: why city management still matters, why the work is still meaningful, and why—despite everything—the profession is still worth it.

Drawing on lived experience across elected office, private-sector work, and multiple city manager roles, Chris reflects on the moments that shaped his commitment to public service—from seeing a park filled with families months after a quiet council vote, to navigating structural budget deficits, political turbulence, and ultimately a highly public departure that clarified more than it diminished.

This episode is not a defense of the profession.

It is not nostalgia.

And it is not motivational fluff.

It is a grounded, honest reflection from someone who has seen both the best and hardest chapters of local government leadership—and chosen to stay clear-eyed about the cost and the value of the work.

This episode explores:

• Why so many capable, principled professionals are questioning the sustainability of city management

• How the job has changed—and why burnout is not a failure of commitment

• The difference between comfort, stability, and meaning in a leadership career

• What city management uniquely offers that few other professions can

• Why political pressure, public criticism, and uncertainty do not negate the value of the work

• How losing illusions can actually strengthen purpose and perspective

• What it really means to measure a career by integrity, stewardship, and impact

Chris also reflects on what the profession needs now—not martyrdom, not silence, and not retreat—but grounded leaders who understand the tradeoffs and still choose service with intention.

This episode is for you if:

• You are a city manager, assistant/deputy city manager, or department director feeling the weight of the role

• You are mid-career and questioning long-term sustainability

• You are early in your journey and want an honest picture of what this profession demands—and gives back

• You have been through a hard chapter and are trying to reconnect with purpose

• You care deeply about local government and want reassurance that the work still matters

 

🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lYO-qq9K7EU

 

📚 Links & Resources:

📲 Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76/

💻 Chris’ Blog and Professional Website: https://www.chrismann.us

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

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

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa

 

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🗣️ About Gov360

Gov360 is the show for local government professionals who want to lead with impact, master their craft, and rise to the top of the profession.

 

Tags: LocalGovernment, CityManagement, CityManager, Leadership, PublicService, Gov360, CouncilManager, LocalLeadership, PublicAdministration, ResilientLeadership