Quick Take: Ron Holifield, Stategic Government Resources

Posted on September 13, 2014

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As we prepare for the ELGL & ICMA joint event at the ICMA Conference, attendees describe the current state of local government, their mentors, ways to strengthen local government, and of course, their dream six-pack. Raise Your Hand If You’re Going “Back to the Future” with ELGL and ICMA.

Ron Holifield

ron

Strategic Government Resources (SGR) Founder & CEO

Connect: LinkedIn and Twitter

1. Name your career mentors.    

Tom Muehlenbeck

2. Describe the current state of local government. 

  • There is a growing pipeline problem… too many of the best and brightest do not want to endure the hassles of the CM role and are choosing not to pursue CM positions;
  • Too many organizations are under investing (or not investing at all) in developing the next generation of leaders) which is ensuring a leadership crisis in the not too distant future;
  • the political environment too often celebrates ignorance and mean spiritedness.  This makes leading in local government the most difficult and personally costly it has been in my career; and
  • There is a desperate need for a new generation of leaders to prepare themselves to step up.

3. During her presidency, Bonnie Svrcek encouraged ICMA members to do “Just One Thing” for the organization. What’s one thing we can do to strengthen local government?  

Quit being afraid of getting fired.

4. In keeping with the beer tasting theme, tell us what we’d find in your ideal six pack.   

Diet Mountain Dew

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