PODCAST · government
Gov360
by Chris Mann
Gov360 is the most watched local government podcast in America, bringing together the leaders, ideas, and conversations shaping the future of public service.Hosted by City Manager Chris Mann, Gov360 features candid conversations with city managers, public executives, elected officials, innovators, and other leaders shaping communities across the country. From leadership and organizational culture to politics, technology, career development, and the future of the profession, Gov360 goes beyond the headlines to explore what it really takes to lead in local government.Stay informed. Stay inspired. Lead boldly.
Episodes
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When It's Time to Walk Away | Kevin Lahner | Ep.31
After 25 years in local government, veteran city manager Kevin Lahner made a decision he never expected to make. He walked away. Why? Because the profession he loved was beginning to change who he was. Among his peers, Kevin was a respected leader and mentor. But in the community he served, he...
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Is Government Really as Broken as It Looks? | David Martin | Ep.30
Most people hear about government when something has gone wrong. A scandal. A failure. A meeting that explodes. An official who betrays the public trust. Those stories matter. Journalism is supposed to expose failure and hold power accountable. But planes landing safely don't make the news.…
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Gov360: Episode 29 - A New Hope
Local government has been through a difficult season. Political polarization. Social media attacks. Burnout. Public distrust. Workforce challenges. Talented professionals questioning whether the personal cost of public service is still worth it. Those challenges are real. But they are not the…
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Why Local Government Breaks Your Heart...And Why We Keep Coming Back | Ep.28
Local government can break your heart. Not because the work lacks meaning, but because it matters so deeply. The people who choose careers in public service often carry enormous responsibility for their communities, organizations, employees, and democratic institutions. They celebrate victories...
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Leadership Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely | Introducing the Gov360 Community | Ep.27
Leadership can be incredibly lonely. Not because leaders are isolated. But because responsibility often can’t be shared. What if the conversation didn’t have to end when the podcast ended? Over the past year, Gov360 has brought together city managers, elected officials, consultants, authors, and...
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The End of Loyalty | Ep.26
Employees are changing jobs faster than ever. Organizations are experiencing constant turnover. City manager tenure continues to shrink. Political environments are increasingly volatile. Public expectations continue to rise. And leaders everywhere seem to be asking the same question: What…
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Different Systems, Same Problems: Local Government Across the Pond | Ep.25
Before we talk about the differences between American and British local government… It may be more important to talk about the similarities. Different governmental structures. Different political systems. Different laws. Different traditions. But remarkably similar challenges. In this episode of...
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The Municipal Battlefield: Leadership, Pressure, and Survival in Small-Town Government | Ep.24
Leadership in local government is becoming emotionally heavier. Not just operationally difficult. Heavier. The public sees the council meeting. The vote. The controversy. The headline. What they often do not see is the pressure being absorbed behind the scenes by the people trying to hold...
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Why City Managers Don’t Last – And What They Get Wrong | Ep.23
City managers don’t just fail. Most don’t fail at all. They stall. They plateau. They quietly move on… or get pushed out. And it’s usually not because they weren’t good at their job. For decades, local government rewarded a clear formula: Be competent. Stay neutral. Deliver results. Let the work...
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When Departments Break: Why Local Government Employees are Leaving | Ep.22
Departments don’t usually fail all at once. They break quietly, then suddenly. Across local government, employees are leaving, burnout is rising, and many leaders don’t realize a department is broken until it’s too late. It starts subtly. One resignation that doesn’t get filled. One burned-out...
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Is the Council-Manager Model Buckling in Today’s Politicized Era? | Ep.21
For more than a century, the council–manager form of government has been one of the most successful governance innovations in American public administration. It professionalized local government. It separated politics from administration. And it allowed cities to focus on service delivery,...
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Competence Is No Longer Enough: The Quiet Shift in Local Government Leadership | Ep.20
Competence used to be enough. Master the craft. Stay neutral. Deliver results. Let the work speak for itself. For decades, that formula sustained careers across local government. Today, it often doesn’t. In this solo episode of Gov360, Chris Mann explores the quiet but profound shift reshaping...
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Becoming a City Manager: Lessons in Resilience, Leadership, and Longevity with Joe Turner | Ep.19
There is no single path to the city manager’s chair. Some arrive through planning or finance. Others through engineering or public safety. And some come through politics, communications, or advocacy. In this episode of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann reflects on his personal journey into...
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Is City Management Still Worth It? – Purpose, Impact, and Meaning in a Demanding Field | Ep.18
If you spend enough time in city management or local government leadership, you will eventually ask a quiet but unavoidable question: Is this still worth it? Not necessarily in a moment of crisis. Not only after a bad meeting. But after years of responsibility, pressure, restraint, and…
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When the Council Turns: 7 Rules for Surviving Political Power Shifts | Ep.17
If you work in local government long enough, you will experience political change. Elections happen. Majorities shift. New voices come in with new priorities. But what happens when that change suddenly alters your footing—when the ground beneath you shifts, trust thins, and you realize your role…
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A Christmas Replay: Timeless Lessons in City Management & Leadership | Ep.16
What keeps city managers going when the pressure, politics, and public scrutiny feel relentless? In this special holiday episode of Gov360, host Chris Mann revisits a candid, wide-ranging conversation with Joe Turner, founder of the American Association of Municipal Executives and host of the…
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What Keeps Us Up at Night: A Raw Roundtable on the Pressures of City Management | Ep.15
City and county managers carry an extraordinary weight—public pressure, political conflict, community expectations, nonstop crises, and the quiet fear of what could go wrong next. Most of that burden stays hidden from view. But not today. In this special episode of Gov360, we flip the mic. Guest...
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Cancel Culture in City Hall: What Happens When the Mob Comes for You | Ep.14
If you work in local government long enough, you’ll face public criticism. That comes with the territory. But what happens when it stops being about policy and becomes about you—your name, your reputation, even your livelihood? In this solo episode of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann shares a…
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From City Staffer to Councilmember: How Joe Pradetto Flipped the Script on Local Politics | Ep.13
What really changes when you go from writing staff reports to voting on them? In this episode of Gov360, host Chris Mann sits down with Palm Desert City Councilmember Joe Pradetto, who made the rare leap from long-time government staffer to elected official. With years of experience in…
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The Resilient Leader: Leading Local Government with Courage and Clarity | Ep.12
🎙️ Guest Appearance on the Courage Wise Podcast with Gavin Johns What does it really take to lead a city with courage—especially when your path is unconventional, the budget is tight, and the stakes are personal? In this episode, Gov360 host Chris Mann shares his guest appearance on the Courage...
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Real Talk on Politics, PEG Funds, and Putting Your City on Camera with Joe Turner | Ep.11
🎙️ Guest Appearance on the City Manager Unfiltered Podcast with Joe Turner What if you could build a full recording studio in your city without touching your general fund? That’s exactly what I did—and in this episode, I explain how. I recently joined Joe Turner on the City Manager Unfiltered...
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Reclaiming the Narrative: Sam Toles on Fixing Local Government's Social Media Strategy | Ep.10
🚨 Struggling with negativity on social media? Here’s how to take back control. 🎙️ Gov360 Episode 10! Sam Toles is back—this time in-studio—to dive even deeper into the social media crisis facing local governments and how to fix it. A former city councilmember turned Hollywood media executive…
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Bridging Politics & Policy: Turning Political Signals into Smarter Local Government Strategy with Adam Probolsky | Ep.9
“Ignoring politics doesn’t make it go away; it only makes local governments less prepared.” In this episode of Gov360, host Chris Mann sits down with Dr. Adam Probolsky, President of Probolsky Research and Senior Research Fellow at the Drucker School of Management, to explore how city leaders can...
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Leading Through the Red: Smarter Strategies for Budget Challenges | Ep.8
“When the numbers go red, that’s when true leadership shows its color.” Budget deficits are no longer isolated events; they’re becoming the norm in cities and counties across the country. In this candid solo episode of Gov360, host Chris Mann shares what he’s learned from leading not one, but two...
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Should You Leave Local Government? Exploring Public-to-Private Career Shifts with Jacob Green | Ep.7
🔍 Episode Summary: Are you burned out, questioning your future in local government, or wondering if there’s a more fulfilling path forward? In this episode of Gov360, host Chris Mann sits down with Jacob Green, a former Assistant City Manager and now CEO of Jacob Green & Associates, to talk...
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7 Things I Wish I Knew Before My First City Manager Role | Ep.6
Being a City Manager is about more than policy and budgets—it’s about presence, relationships, and the courage to lead when it counts most. In this solo episode of Gov360, host Chris Mann shares the 7 things he wishes he knew before taking on his first city manager role. After 25 years in and...
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Unlocking the Power of AI in Local Government with Micah Gaudet | Ep.5
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a far-off concept—it’s here, and it’s transforming how local government works. In this episode, Chris Mann sits down with Micah Gaudet, Deputy City Manager of Maricopa, Arizona, for a practical, insightful discussion on the role of AI in the public sector.…
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Navigating the Council-Manager Form of Government with City Councilmember Jeremy Smith | Ep.4
The council-manager form of government is the most widely used system in the United States—and for good reason. When roles are respected and relationships are strong, it provides a framework for effective, accountable local governance. But when the boundaries between policy and administration…
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The New Playbook: Winning at Social Media in Local Government with Sam Toles | Ep.3
In this episode of Gov360, Chris Mann sits down with nationally recognized digital strategist Sam Toles, the founder and CEO of CiviSocial. Sam shares actionable insights from his travels across the U.S. training cities and counties on how to modernize their social media strategy. They dive deep...
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Disrupting Local Government with Joe Turner | Ep.2
In this powerful debut guest episode of Gov360, host Chris Mann is joined by Joe Turner — veteran city manager, founder of the American Association of Municipal Executives (AAME), and host of the highly influential City Manager Unfiltered podcast. Together, they explore how bold communication,...
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Gov360 Pilot – A Time to Come Together | Ep.1
🎙️ Gov360 – Episode 1: A Time to Come Together Host: Chris Mann | City Manager, Public Affairs Pro, Award-Winning Communicator Welcome to the first-ever episode of Gov360 - Your Full Circle View on Local Government. In this solo kickoff, host Chris Mann delivers a raw, honest reflection on what…
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Gov360 Trailer 2 - From Award-Winning to Game-Changing
We’re back — and this time, we’re taking it to the next level. Gov360 is the brand-new podcast hosted by Chris Mann, creator and former host of the award-winning Yucaipa 360 Podcast, which just received the 2025 CAPIO EPIC Award for excellence in public information and communications. In this...
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Gov360 Trailer
🚨 COMING SOON: Gov360 – Your Full Circle View on Local Government 🎙️ Local government work has never been more important - or more challenging. Between tight budgets, toxic politics, and keyboard warriors, public service demands resilience, innovation, and better communication than ever before....
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Gov360 is the most watched local government podcast in America, bringing together the leaders, ideas, and conversations shaping the future of public service.Hosted by City Manager Chris Mann, Gov360 features candid conversations with city managers, public executives, elected officials, innovators, and other leaders shaping communities across the country. From leadership and organizational culture to politics, technology, career development, and the future of the profession, Gov360 goes beyond the headlines to explore what it really takes to lead in local government.Stay informed. Stay inspired. Lead boldly.
HOSTED BY
Chris Mann
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Gov360 have?
Gov360 currently has 33 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Gov360 about?
Gov360 is the most watched local government podcast in America, bringing together the leaders, ideas, and conversations shaping the future of public service.Hosted by City Manager Chris Mann, Gov360 features candid conversations with city managers, public executives, elected officials, innovators,...
How often does Gov360 release new episodes?
Gov360 has 33 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Gov360?
You can listen to Gov360 on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Gov360?
Gov360 is created and hosted by Chris Mann.
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