ACHIEVEMENTS, BLUNDERS AND CHALLENGES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT
By Len Wood & Joe Baker
The Authoritative Book on Local Government Management for Students, Beginning Managers and Seasoned Professionals. Tales from the Trenches deals with the key management issues for local government professionals. Chapter headings include:
1. Leadership and Management Style
2. Decision Making
3. Communications
4. Human Resources Management
5. Budgeting Skills
6. Citizen Advisory Boards
7. Community Relations
8. Relations with Elected Officials
9. Media Relations
10. Ethics
11. Career Issues
Book Specifics
Cover: Hard Bound
Pages: 320
Size: 6 1/2 by 9 1/2
ISBN: 0-9634374-9-6
Publisher: Training Shoppe, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
Price: $44.95
Distributors: Training Shoppe - Baker & Taylor - Unique Books -Quality Books Ingram - Brodart
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Authors Joe Baker and Len Wood are former city managers. Their combined local government experiences exceed 75 years. |
The Book Seasoned Public Managers Use When Mentoring Proteges
Each chapter begins with a cartoon depicting a management theme. Cartoons are augmented by introductory comments and Tales from the Trenches that provide realism to the common sense management approach advocated by the authors.
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Leadership & Management Style A partial listing of the Tales: • The manager who still wants to be one of the guys. |
| Relations with Elected Officials
A partial listing of the Tales: • The manager who overtrusts the elected body. |
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Media Relations A partial listing of the Tales: • The staffer who learns the importance of returning telephone calls. |
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Budgeting Skills • The manager who oversold his budget recommendation. |
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Here's what the top leaders in public management are saying about Tales from the Trenches:
"I couldn't help but chuckle as I read some of the cases because I have been there and made the same blunders illustrated. Too bad you didn't put this together 30 years ago." – Gary Gwyn, former President, International City/County Management Association
"New and experienced managers alike will find this book useful. It paints a clear picture of the challenges we face and gives important reminders on how to deal with difficult situations." – Jan Perkins, City Manager of Fremont, California
"This book is must reading for all aspiring local government managers as well as seasoned executives." – Roger Kemp, City Manager of Meriden, Connecticut
"I think this book is needed and should be used by students wishing to enter the profession. Indeed, it is a quick course for Administrative Assistants." – J. David Foell, Retired City Manager of Oakwood, Ohio
"I wish I had such a book for my staff and for myself when I was a city manager. It is filled with commonsense wisdom in a well-packaged format that will be exciting reading for anyone interested in how to master the critical job of city management. As executive director of ICMA for sixteen years I saw a variety of similar books but nothing as practical for present and future CEOs of our cities as this." – Mark Keane, Executive Director (Ret.), International City/County Management Association
"New and experienced managers alike will find this book useful. It paints a clear picture of the challenges we face and gives important reminders about how to deal with difficult situations." – Richard Simmons, Retired City Manager, Kissimmee, Florida
"Tales from the Trenches is as practical and thoughtful as city management gets. The cases are carefully prepared, and even reading one after another they hold the reader's attention. A particularly appealing feature is carefully placed tips throughout the cases that capture the authors' years of experience. I know of no better casebook on local government management." – John Nalbandian, Professor and Chair, Department of Public Administration, University of Kansas
Click HERE for a Free Copy of Chapter One!
(Requires Adobe Reader)
Please contact June Wood at
310-832-5652 or LenWood@aol.com for quantity discounts!
