Study Reveals Only 10 Percent of Local Governments Prioritize Leadership Development

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May 09, 2023, 08:17 ET

Lack of Development Threatens the Ability to Serve Communities

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Government Leadership Solutions has released the results of a first-of-its-kind national research study examining the leadership pipeline needs of local governments in the United States. The 2023 State of Local Government Leadership Pipeline briefing and report highlights the urgent need for leadership development in local governments, as nearly half of those surveyed expressed concern about lacking a strong leadership pipeline.

Register for the Study Executive Briefing

This video by Government Leadership Solutions reveals that 50% of US local governments lack strong leadership pipelines. Only 10% prioritize leadership development and trust and staffing pose bigger threats than funding. Just 1/3 have strong cultures to attract candidates. An upcoming executive briefing will discuss the study's implications and the need for leadership development to attract and retain the right leaders. Without it, local governments will struggle to be effective.

"Local government is the level of government closest to us, impacting all of our daily lives and quality of life," said Dr. Maria Church, CEO and founder of Government Leadership Solutions. "With local governments responsible for managing over $2 trillion in taxpayer dollars annually, the success of stewardship is heavily dependent on the ability to invest and deploy these funds wisely. However, what we found in the study is that only 10 percent of local governments prioritize leadership development."

The study also revealed that lack of trust and challenges in maintaining optimal staffing levels were greater threats than funding. Respondents ranked organizational culture as a top priority for attracting candidates, yet only one-third reported a strong workplace culture.

Furthermore, only 25 percent of respondents rated their leadership pipeline as good or excellent, with just 29 percent having a budget to develop their leaders.

"Not addressing the leadership pipeline is a problem for providing services, resulting in delays in meeting the needs of the public," said Church. "Without an effective culture, investment in leadership development will be undermined, and local governments will not attract or retain the leaders they need."

The study provides valuable insights for local governments to benchmark themselves against the market and formulate a business case for wisely investing their limited time and resources. For a private briefing on the study, contact [email protected].

ABOUT GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP SOLUTIONS

Government Leadership Solutions is a certified minority-owned, woman-owned consulting firm dedicated to helping local governments develop ready-now leaders and create organizational cultures that support their strategic vision. For more information, please visit https://governmentleadershipsolutions.com/.

SOURCE Government Leadership Solutions