Few issues in the elected official-manager relationship provide more challenges than the issue of role. While there is seldom a consistent and clear line separating the policy-making role from the administrative/management role, the need to generally separate these responsibilities is fundamental to the council-manager form of government. This article explores the causes for potential conflict, as well as strategies to address this issue.

This article derives from a panel discussion on this topic at the 2020 League of California Cities City Managers Department Conference. The panel, a collaboration of Cal-ICMA and the league, was one of a series of presentations since 2016 on issues identified as critical to the elected official-manager relationship in Cal-ICMA’s 2015 Survival Skills Project Report. This report was the result of an online survey and series of focus groups involving several hundred city and county managers throughout the state.

This article is the fourth in a series of articles dealing with topics of concern identified in the Survival Skills Project Report. Previous PM magazine articles in the series were:

• “The Outlier” (January/February 2018)

• “How to Avoid Being Fired By (or Perhaps Because of) Department Heads” (July 2018)

• “Communicating Effectively with Elected Officials” (September 2019)

Why Is Role a Major Topic of Concern?

The entire premise of the council-manager form of government is that local governments are best served when elected officials set policy while professional staff (led by a professional manager) implement that policy. The structure is based on the philosophy that local elected officials are best positioned to represent the will of the community in regard to the overall direction of the community (the “what” of governing) while the implementation of that policy (the “how” of governing) is best implemented by trained professionals. While the concept is fairly clear, the practical application of the concept can get a lot trickier.

Characteristics of Role Conflict

A variety of circumstances can lead to a loss of clarity about roles, whether unintentional or intentional. Prior experiences or inexperience by elected officials or managers, existing personal relationships with staff, and situational stressors are just a few. Working through such issues require managers to exercise interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to diagnose underlying issues and test strategies for effectiveness.

Examples of role conflict include:

• Elected officials attempting to directly influence manager responsibilities, such as the selection or termination of staff.

• Elected officials communicating with and/or attempting to direct staff.

• Elected officials attempting to influence the content or recommendations in staff reports.

• Staff attempting to unduly influence decisions on policy issues or being unable to accept the policy direction of the elected body.

Causes for Role Conflict

The various causes of role conflict can include the following:

• The absence of a clear structure defining the difference between policy-making and management responsibilities.

• A lack of understanding and/or appreciation of the form of government, why it is designed the way it is, and how the design should be beneficial to both elected officials and the professional staff.

• The desire of individual elected officials to exercise more direct authority over the specific provision of local government services.

• A feeling of “disconnect” between policy direction and implementation.

• A sense by one or more elected officials that they cannot sufficiently impact the direction of the organization through their policy-making role.

• Unfortunately too often, a desire for elected officials to have more power than they actually possess in their elected position.

• A lack of respect by staff of, and support for, the policy-making role of the elected body.

• An inability by the manager or other staff to allow the policy-making process to unfold without undue interference once the staff has had the opportunity to input the process.

Strategies for Avoiding and Addressing Role Conflict

While conflict may be furthest from a manager’s mind at the moment of accepting a new position, it’s a critical time for diligence and setting expectations for success with the council. Annual performance reviews are also important opportunities to ensure ongoing alignment.

Before Accepting a New Job:

• Understand the basis for the form of government of an organization you are considering joining. Are roles and responsibilities clearly defined and separated? Is the form of government outlined generally in state law or defined locally? Is the delineation of role contained in resolution, ordinance, or charter? How clearly are the manager’s responsibilities defined? What is the process for changing these governing criteria (by action of the council or is voter approval required)?

• Examine the actual conduct of the elected body and individual elected officials in regard to understanding and respecting the role of the manager and staff. How has the council worked with other managers? Has there been a tradition of respecting boundaries and the role of the professional manager and staff?

• Have a direct conversation with the council during the hiring process regarding their philosophy concerning the professional responsibilities of the manager.

• Incorporate the ICMA Code of Ethics in your employment agreement. The Code can often be useful in fending off inappropriate attempts to influence managerial decisions (including personnel decisions).

Once on the Job:

• Before problems arise, explain to current (if necessary) and newly elected council members the reasons behind the council-manager form and why it is beneficial to not only the manager and staff, but also the elected officials (and ultimately, the community). Make it clear that it is not just about you attempting to protect your personal authority.

• Provide resources from outside your community (i.e., ICMA, NLC, and/or your state league) that explains the rationale behind the council-manager form and its advantages.

• Make it clear how elected officials can actually get more done more quickly by working through the manager than attempting to directly influence staff.

• Work with staff to help them understand the importance of respecting roles and mutual expectations. This should include respecting the council’s ultimate decision-making authority on policy matters and the need to keep the manager informed of potential incursions into the manager’s areas of responsibility.

• Minimize the temptation for elected officials to get overly involved in implementation by working with staff to ensure effective follow-through on policy direction, requests for service, and complaints.

• If you run into a problem, attempt to address it directly with the involved elected official. Be diplomatic, but clear, regarding the problems created by overstepping bounds.

• Be consistent in regard to what boundaries are established and enforced. (Don’t treat council members differently).

• Work to establish a unified position with the city attorney so the attorney can be an ally in helping to maintain appropriate roles.

• If a problem arises with an individual councilmember that you cannot resolve on your own, consider enlisting the assistance of another elected official (such as the mayor—if the mayor is not the problem).

• If one-on-one communication is not working, consider raising the issue with the entire council (potentially in a performance evaluation closed session).

While some flexibility on the manager’s part is necessarily pragmatic recognizing the lack of an absolutely clear boundary between “policy and administration,” have a clear understanding regarding the boundaries you will not cross, or allow to be crossed.

In summary, do your homework before accepting a new job and then, once on the job, work to continually reinforce the importance and value of respecting roles and responsibilities. The elected officials, staff, the manager, and the community will all benefit from your principled leadership.

 

 ED SHIKADA, ICMA-CM, is city manager of Palo Alto, California, and serves as an ICMA Executive Board member (ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org).

 

KEVIN DUGGAN, ICMA-CM, is an ICMA senior advisor, and former city manager of Mountain View, California (kduggan@icma.org).