Public Spaces are a Part of Democracy: A Call to Local Governments

Posted on March 24, 2025

Today's Morning Buzz is by Mary King, a writer and researcher with Envisio, a public-sector-focused strategic planning and performance management software. Connect with Mary or Envisio on LinkedIn. A funny TikTok I saw recently: I recently re-watched a TikTok of this guy drinking bubble tea for the first time, but he wasn’t expecting the tapioca...

Leadership, Change, and the Power of Strategic Alignment

Posted on March 17, 2025

Today's Morning Buzz is by Alex McKnight, Business Manager for Buncombe County Public Safety Communications in Asheville, N.C. Connect with Alex on LinkedIn. What I’m reading: "Tier One" by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson, "The Consulting Bible" by Alan Weiss What I’m watching: "Reacher & Invincible" (Amazon Prime) What I’m listening to: "Hurry Up Tomorrow"...

The Challenges of Maintaining a Positive Work Culture

Posted on March 14, 2025

Today’s Morning Buzz is brought to you by Michael T. Paulhus, Town Manager for the Town of Plainville, Conn. Connect with Mike on LinkedIn. What I'm watching: "The Recruit" on Netflix What I’m reading: "Day Trading Attention" by Gary Vaynerchuk What I’m listening to: Classic Vinyl, Channel 26 on Sirus/XM It’s never a good sign...

Can a Zombie Apocalypse Reduce Your Anxiety?

Posted on March 12, 2025

Today's Morning Buzz is by Angela Wilson, Communications and Engagement Manager and Deputy Public Information Officer for the Town of Frederick, Colo. Connect with her on Instagram. What I'm reading: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon What I'm listening to: Rock the Bells on Sirius XM A hobby I enjoy: Hiking...

From Elected Official to City Manager: The Ultimate Career Glow-Up

Posted on February 24, 2025

Today’s Morning Buzz is brought to you by Deb Mohlenhoff, City Manager for the City of Ithaca, NY. Connect with Deb on LinkedIn.  What I’m reading: "Onyx Storm" by Rebecca Yarros (Spicy dragon-filled romances are perfect for escapism.) What I’m watching: "Zero Day" on Netflix (This is hitting way too close to home right now.)...

Nonpartisan Leadership in a Polarized Era: A Local Government Survival Guide

Posted on February 21, 2025

Today’s Morning Buzz is brought to you by Emily Colón, Deputy City Manager for the City of Lakeland, FL. Connect with Emily on LinkedIn. What I’m reading: "Career Forward: Strategies from Women Who’ve Made It" by Grace Puma and Christiana Smith Shi What I’m listening to: Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce podcast What I’m...

That’s Not How We Talk in These Parts! Building Bridges and Tossing Your Terminology Off Them

Posted on February 19, 2025

Today’s Morning Buzz is brought to you by Graham Smith, Library Operations Supervisor for the City of Happy Valley, OR. Connect with Graham via email. What I’m reading: "Learning Modern Linux: A Handbook for the Cloud Native Practitioner" by Michael Hausenblas What I’m watching: "The Umbrella Academy" A hobby I enjoy: Archery (recurve bow) There...

How the City of Manhattan’s New Dashboard is Raising the Bar in Kansas’ Little Apple

Posted on February 14, 2025

Today’s Morning Buzz is brought to you by Ted Jackson from Arlington, VA, Co-Founder of ClearPoint Strategy, a strategic planning and execution software for local governments. Connect with Ted on LinkedIn. What I’m reading: "Material World" by Ed Conway What I’m watching: "Severance"  What I’m listening to: Acquired Podcast  Manhattan, Kansas, fondly known as "The...

The Power of Purpose-Driven Teams

Posted on February 14, 2025

Today's Morning Buzz is brought to you by Jorge Valens, Innovation Manager for Miami-Dade County's Information Technology Department in Miami, FL. Connect with Jorge on LinkedIn, Bluesky, and Threads. What I'm watching: "The Pitt" on Max What I'm listening to: "Right Back to It" by Waxahatchee What I’m reading: "On Freedom" by Timothy Snyder In government,...