Ethics Matter

BY MARTHA PEREGO, ICMA-CM

MARTHA PEREGO, ICMA-CM, is

director of member services and ethics director, ICMA, Washington, D.C. (mperego@icma.org). Taking your career to the next level is an exciting prospect. For those who serve in or aspire to executive-level positions in local government, that move up or onward brings a unique set of obligations, challenges, and quirks. For instance, unlike counterparts in the private and nonprofit sectors, they don’t have the luxury of competing for the next position quietly behind closed doors.

Expectations of transparency, especially in the selection of the individual who will lead the entire organization, have risen so high that in some states merely applying for the position is a matter of public record. Even absent that level of transparency, anyone successful enough to reach the finalist list should be prepared to have that information disclosed to the media and public. The public’s right to know and have confidence in the integrity of the process is certainly important. But every disclosure that someone is seeking a position elsewhere has the potential to burn some political capital at the home base.

Public processes by their very nature are not speedy ones—from application to interview can take months. Those actively searching for a new position can find themselves involved in multiple recruitments, each at varying stages of the process. Then there is the challenge that if you are offered the job, you end up negotiating terms and compensation with an individual who doesn’t have the legal authority to seal the deal. Hiring the manager and approving the employment agreement requires the vote of the full governing body. Vying for a position as an assistant or deputy in another organization presents another unique set of issues to navigate. It won’t be subject Given the to the same level of public scrutiny, but the issue of confidentiality, especially importance of within a tight network of managers, maintaining your is real. Seeing your application for the first time, will the manager in the reputation and the organization where you’ve applied unique nature of the hiring process, pick up the phone to chat with your current manager? Given the importance of maintaining the profession your reputation and the unique has laid out some nature of the process, the profession has laid out some ground rules for ground rules for your consideration. your consideration. Accurate credentials and resumes. Once you post your credentials online and then submit

Public Management (PM) (USPS: 449-300) is published monthly by ICMA (the International City/County Management Association) at 777 North Capitol Street. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002-4201. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. The opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICMA.

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ICMA’s vision is to be the leading association of local government professionals dedicated to creating and supporting thriving communities throughout the world. It does this by working with its more than 12,000 members to identify and speed the adoption of leading local government practices and improve the lives of residents. ICMA offers membership, professional development programs, research, publications, data and information, technical assistance, and training to thousands of city, town, and county chief administrative officers, their staffs, and other organizations throughout the world.

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your resume for a position, you are creating a permanent record of your education and work history. A resume that doesn’t match a LinkedIn profile raises a red flag. Tailoring your resume for the position is fine, but the basic facts on all versions must be consistent. Your credibility with a recruiter is in question if you have multiple stories about your credentials. Misstating your credentials and employment history—yes, even omitting short tenures— can have serious repercussions for your reputation and future employment.

Complete candor. At times there may be something in a candidate’s record that is best shared early in the process and by the candidate. Better to be forthcoming as a demonstration of honesty than to stay silent and have a matter disclosed in a background check. Free agency. Just like a professional sports athlete, a local government professional is a free agent. You can apply and interview with multiple organizations. You are not under any ethical obligation to inform your employer that you are looking elsewhere. But as with most things in life, timing is important. If you do not wish to burn any bridges, letting everyone know before the news leaks out works best. And of course, if you are relying on certain people for a reference, advance discussions are a must. Participating in multiple recruitment processes gets challenging as you progress to the next level. You may find yourself a finalist in two or more recruitments. It’s fine to continue interviewing as long as you have a serious interest in the position. Don’t waste anyone’s time if after the first interview you can’t see yourself working in that organization. If you progress beyond the initial interview, you may want to consider informing the recruiter or organization of your status as a candidate in other places.

Due diligence. Responsibility for thoroughly evaluating the position, organization, and community to determine whether it will be a good fit both personally and professionally rests with you. While the guideline on committing to a two-year tenure only applies to the appointed manager, short tenures because of a failure to do the homework should be avoided. They aren’t good for the individual or the organization.

2020–2021 ICMA Executive Board

PRESIDENT James Malloy, ICMA-CM Town Manager, Lexington, Massachusetts

PRESIDENT-ELECT Troy Brown, ICMA-CM City Manager, Moorpark, California

PAST PRESIDENT Jane Brautigam, ICMA-CM City Manager, Boulder, Colorado

VICE PRESIDENTS

Stephen Parry, ICMA-CM* Chief Executive, Gore District Council, New Zealand Robert Kristof City Manager, Timisoara, Romania Chris MacPherson Chief Administrative Officer, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Clint Gridley City Administrator, Woodbury, Minnesota Molly Mehner, ICMA-CM Assistant City Manager, Cape Girardeau, Missouri Victor Cardenas, ICMA-CM Assistant City Manager, Novi, Michigan

Michael Land, ICMA-CM City Manager, Coppell, Texas Raymond Gonzales Jr. County Manager, Adams County, Colorado Dianne Stoddard, ICMA-CM Assistant City Manager, Lawrence, Kansas

Christopher Coleman, ICMA-CM Town Administrator, Westwood, Massachusetts Teresa Tieman, ICMA-CM Town Manager, Fenwick Island, Delaware William Fraser, ICMA-CM City Manager, Montpelier, Vermont

Laura Fitzpatrick, ICMA-CM Assistant City Manager, Chesapeake, Virginia Michael Kaigler, ICMA-CM Assistant County Manager, Chatham County, Georgia Nate Pagan, ICMA-CM City Manager, Owensboro, Kentucky

Edward Shikada, ICMA-CM City Manager, Palo Alto, California Peter Troedsson, ICMA-CM City Manager, Albany, Oregon Roxanne Murphy Assistant City Manager, Valdez, Alaska

* Appointed to serve unexpired term following resignation of

Sue Bidrose ICMA Executive Director Marc Ott

Director, Equity & Lynne Scott lscott@icma.org Social Justice and Membership Marketing

Managing Editor Kerry Hansen khansen@icma.org

Newsletter Editor Kathleen Karas kkaras@icma.org

Graphics Manager Delia Jones djones@icma.org

Design & Production picantecreative.com

Getting to yes. The offer to join the organization as the next manager is just that—an offer. It’s entirely contingent upon both parties reaching agreement on the compensation and terms. The process of getting from offer to the finish line (i.e., governing body approval) is a tango. Both parties need to be moving in sync.

If you want to work for the organization, the appropriate response to the offer is “yes, contingent upon reaching agreement with the organization.” Regardless of how much ground was covered during the interview about your terms, do not be surprised if the governing body’s representative starts the negotiation from Moving up or a different position or has an issue with a particular onward brings request that you make. That’s a unique set why it’s called a negotiation. Your verbal acceptance of obligations, starts the negotiation challenges, and quirks. process and signals your willingness to get to yes. Never start the negotiation process with an organization if you do not intend to work there regardless of how much compensation they are willing to offer. At this point, you should pause your search. Taking an interview at this stage with another organization is like going out on a date after getting engaged to be married: it sends the wrong message about your level of commitment.

Once you give your verbal acceptance of the terms outlined in an employment agreement or offer letter, you are committed. Oral acceptance of an employment offer is considered binding unless the employer makes fundamental changes to the terms of employment. With your commitment in hand, it is up to the governing body to hold up its end of the bargain and approve the agreement.

Unlike the professional athlete who goes to the highest bidder, ICMA members should not entertain a counteroffer from their current employer. In a very public process, you have given your word. Withdrawing your acceptance to take more money is bad form and reflects poorly on the profession. Members who accept an appointment to a position should not fail to report for that position. Integrity Matters Taken at face value, the search for a promotion or position in a new organization is an assessment of your talent and qualifications. Taking a more expansive view though, it’s really an assessment of who you are as a person and your character. The adage about first impressions being lasting ones holds true as it relates to your conduct. As you wind your way through every element of this process, will a prospective employer conclude that you are a person of integrity who would be an asset to their organization or not? UPCOMING ICMA EVENTS

icma.org/events

2021 ICMA Annual Conference • Portland, Oregon & Digital • October 3-6 icma.org/conference We’re curating the perfect global conference event just for local government professionals who want to learn from the hardships, focus on what matters most, and chart a new course for growth and success.

New members can join us in Portland, and we’ll offer you half off your first-year membership dues (a savings up to $700) and extend to you the conference registration discounts offered exclusively to ICMA members. Visit icma.org/join-go-and-save for details. September 9: In-person/Virtual Event: Embracing Change & Transformation September 15: Free Coaching Webinar: Leading Your Community in an Era of Anxiety September 22: Webinar: Attracting Remote Workers with Incentive Programs September 23: Workshop: Planning for Economic Recovery September 29: Webinar: Leading Practices for Public Performance Reporting

Courageous Conversations Recordings can be viewed at icma.org/living-history • Creating a Truly Inclusive Culture • LGBTQIA+ Experience in Local Government • Asian American Experience in Local Government

Part 2: Trailblazers in our Hometowns (Asian-Pacific Heritage Month) • Coming Out of the Darkness: Mental Health and

Suicide Prevention • Asian-American Experience in Local Government • Women Pioneer Managers in the Profession • A Conversation with Marc Ott, ICMA’s First Black

Executive Director, and Sy Murray, ICMA’s First

Black President

ICMA Cybersecurity Leadership Academy Cohort begins September 13 icma-cybersecurity-leadership-academy

ICMA High Performance Leadership Academy Cohort begins September 13 icma.org/icma-high-performance-leadership-academy

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 Leading Your Community in an Era of Anxiety: How Do You Make Sure You Hear Them and They Hear You

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20 The Future of Work: Strategies for Adapting to a New Reality

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Growing Your Career: Tips for Redefining Yourself in the Minds of Others

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