What is Robert’s best course of action? How can he fulfill the duties of his job, placate the City Council, and keep his position?

Robert is the City Manager of a mid-sized, suburban, Midwestern city that utilizes the council-manager form of government. The City Council functions as the formal, legislative entity for the city, with full budgetary and policymaking authority, and the manager runs the day-to-day operations of the city, including oversight of all city departments and units. Councilors represent specific districts, are elected on nonpartisan ballots, and serve in a part-time capacity. All are prominent within the city and many have extensive holdings and interests in the business community. For the most part, as Manager, Robert has enjoyed positive relations with the City Council in his over 10 years as Manager.

At the last election, a group of three, new councilors were elected. They had run on a coalition of sorts. All are prominent business people with tremendous community influence. Their election tremendously titled the balance of power on the Council and one was elected Council President. Their coalition has recruited two other Councilors and they possess a firm majority on the body. In a short time, they have influenced policy that can only be described as “pro-business” in nature. The message to Robert is quite clear—defy them and their agenda and there will be negative and immediate consequences. Most notably for Robert and his leadership staff, they’ve been asked to advocate for and push environmental regulatory variances, changes to the building codes, zoning abatements, and similar policies that reduce regulation and oversight and promote a “business-friendly” environment, directly benefitting the majority of the Councilors. Robert’s senior staff members have begun to question this agenda, leak information to the media, and some have even threatened to resign. Robert has always empowered his staff, communicated with transparency, and strived to be a true “servant-leader.” He enjoys a strong, positive reputation in City Hall and in the community and is especially lauded for his leadership and ethics. However, the new political reality of his relationship with the Council threatens his ability to manage and lead how he desires and feels is best for his staff, organization, and city. It is a politically delicate and potentially explosive situation with no easy answers or solutions.

1) What is Robert’s best course of action? How can he fulfill the duties of his job, placate the City Council, and keep his position?

2) To whom does Robert owe his primary allegiances?

3) How should Robert negotiate this political environment and situation while maintaining his ethics and reputation as a leader in the community?

4) If you were in Robert’s predicament, what would you do in the short-term and the long-term? Can one effectively “play politics” in an ethical, practical, and responsible manner?