Brad Stafford on city manager burnout and knowing when to step away
Brad Stafford spent 34 years in local government, 28 of them as a City Manager, and loved the work. Then, in his last year, it stopped being fun. In this episode of The Clear Voice, host James Groom and Clear Senior Vice President Kelly Kuenstler talk with Stafford, now a Senior Vice President with Clear, about city manager burnout and what can be done about it.
Kuenstler, a former city and county manager, suggested the episode after hearing Stafford speak on a burnout panel at the Texas City Management Association (TCMA) conference. She describes the job as working in a political fishbowl, where managers absorb council conflict, citizen complaints and staff morale problems, and where some candidates now report receiving threats.
The warning signs he did not see
Stafford says he was not aware he was burning out. He came home one day and told his wife something was wrong because he no longer wanted to go to work. Looking back, he noticed his opinions coming out in public when they used to stay at home.
No single thing caused it. Years of long hours, calls on vacation and being responsible to a council, a staff and a community added up. COVID and then a major winter freeze, back to back, were what he says finished him off.
"How did you balance it? I didn't."
Asked how he balanced council meetings, community events and administrative work, Stafford answers plainly that he did not. He told his staff to take their vacations and not worry about the office, and never did the same himself.
His advice is to set boundaries early with both council and staff and to say out loud that time to recharge is what lets a manager do the job well. It took retirement for him to move the email icon off the first screen of his phone.
Identity, embarrassment and life after
It took Stafford almost two years to talk about it publicly. He felt he had let people down until his wife asked who, and the answer was only himself. City management had been his identity. He now says part of doing a good job is knowing when to step away, and that there is life after.
What councils, staff and peers can do
Stafford says he worked for good councils and that none of them knew how the job was affecting him, because he never told them. He wants councils and staff to understand what the role demands. One practical step: a council member checks in, tells the manager to take a week off and asks the rest of the council not to call or email.
Peers were his best resource after his family. He credits TCMA for bringing mental health into the open and describes a regional meeting that now starts with a mental check-in. When a neighboring manager is in the news for the wrong reasons, he says, send a note or pick up the phone.
Groom adds a comparison from policing. Cities bring in counselors for police and fire after a critical incident, and Stafford recalls that nobody ever asked whether the City Manager was all right.
Civility and the next generation of managers
Kuenstler and Stafford both point to declining civility as a source of stress. Stafford says disagreements that once ended with a handshake now turn into efforts to keep someone from being hired again. Kuenstler says some candidates listen to one or two council meetings and withdraw.
Ways to reduce burnout
Set boundaries with council and staff early in the job.
Take the vacation and stay out of email while away.
Build a peer network through TCMA and regional groups, and use it.
Councils: check in on the manager as a person and protect real time off.
After a crisis, include the City Manager in the support offered to staff.
Episode chapters
- 00:00Introduction to city management and burnout
- 02:27Personal experiences with burnout
- 05:19The impact of COVID-19 on city managers
- 07:36Strategies for preventing burnout
- 10:07The role of City Councils in supporting managers
- 12:25Mental health awareness in city management
- 15:00Peer support and resources for city managers
- 17:25Professional development and resilience training
- 20:11Civility and stress in municipal government
- 22:40Recommendations for reducing burnout
- 25:09Conclusion and final thoughts
Questions this episode answers
What are the early signs of city manager burnout?
Stafford's first sign was that the work stopped being fun. He also noticed frustration showing in public and a reluctance to go to work that was not normal for him. He says he did not recognize it as burnout until it had fully set in.
What causes burnout in city management?
In Stafford's telling it is cumulative: years of long hours, being reachable at all times and answering to a council, a staff and the public. Major events such as COVID and the winter freeze brought it to a head.
How can a City Council support its City Manager?
By understanding the demands of the role, checking in personally and protecting time off. Stafford suggests telling the manager to take a week away and asking the full council not to call or email during it. A private thank you also carries weight.
Where can city managers find support?
Stafford points first to peers and family. He also names TCMA and its regional groups, which now make room for these conversations, and he has offered to talk with anyone going through it.
Watch the episode
Watch Brad Stafford on City Manager Burnout on YouTube
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The Clear Voice is a dedicated platform for transparency and expert led dialogue within the professional and public sectors. The show serves as a vital resource for leaders who want to move past surface level discussions and dive into the real world mechanics of governance, management, and organizational growth. James Groom is the host of the program.
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