What would you tell your early career self?

When I asked my community what they would tell their early career selves, and what they wished they had known when they started out, the responses ranged from humorous, to practical, to wistful. This month we are grieving the loss of recently retired manager Rocco Longo who served in numerous communities for more than three decades. Rocco was the manager who practically everyone I know would turn to for advice. Since Rocco was one of the very first managers to complete my (rather lengthy) “Somehow I Managed” survey, I wanted to go back and see how he would answer this question, and whether his answers would follow the common themes. They certainly did.

Rocco told me that he was lucky from the start – he always liked what he was doing for work. He wished he had understood the personal nature of attacks on local government officials, and the toll that living in the community where you work can take on your family, especially your kids. He grew to realize that living in the community you serve is not mandatory. He wished he had taken writing courses in his early years. (This is a great idea – I’m going to look into this even for us seasoned managers). He summed up with a sentiment that I have heard from many managers now entering retirement: “I think as a baby boomer, the profession itself was growing, so a lot of what was going on was learning on the job, and that was part of the enjoyment.” In other words, maybe the best advice we can give our early career selves is that there is just no substitute for experience, and make sure you enjoy the ride while you are gaining it.

As with Rocco, “don’t take things so personally” was the universal advice of survey respondents. Others wished they had truly understood and planned for just how unsettling the night meetings are. The impact of the workload on family was also a common theme: “A community never rests, and sometimes those closest to us feel the greatest burden.” And, “Life at the top is lonely. While it is nice to be part of a team, the coach has a distinctly different job to do, and he or she is the only one doing it.”

Many managers remarked that they wished thy had had more confidence in their early career abilities. One colleague noted “Don’t hold back. You can do what you see the senior managers doing. They are not bigger than life.” I can recall watching the “big kids” when I started out, and yet now that I am arguably one of them, I find that I learn the best new approaches from those who are just starting out. Managers also wish they had understood early the power of community: “I would have been less nervous about embarking on this career if I really knew the extent of the support out there for municipal managers.” Another colleague said that he wished he had more confidence, had been willing to take risks and put himself “out there.” On the other hand, other managers noted that the career is a marathon not a sprint, and urged their younger selves not to rush so fast to get to the manager seat. Here is some timeless advice for women just starting out: “As a woman in local government, standing up for yourself is nothing to apologize for.”

The question of colleagues versus confidants is a regular part of our Boot Camp for new and aspiring managers. Managers need to be keenly aware that there are very few, if any, confidants in their organizations once they are in the top job. Confusing colleagues for confidants is a mistake many managers make, often the hard way. Said one manager, “Get to know your staff members but do not get too close. You will never truly be their friend, you will always be the boss.” Another manager offered this practical advice: “As far as having the technical knowledge will allow you to figure out what needs to be done, having the people skills will allow you to actually accomplish something.”

What would you tell your early career self? My favorite advice from the survey: “Don’t panic.” “Dress better.” “You’re an idiot.” Let our community know your best advice by leaving a comment! Let’s practice.