The Ripple Effect: How Small Acts of Connection Transform Municipalities

Throughout my years of military service and various leadership roles in security, I learned firsthand the value of teamwork, discipline, and community engagement. Those experiences shaped my approach to leadership—not just in uniform, but also as I transitioned to serving on several boards within my local community. I've learned several key components to building trusting relationships.

In the field of municipal management, where budgets are tight, responsibilities are vast, and public trust is fragile, relationships matter more than ever. Cities and towns rely on leaders who not only execute policies but also build bonds—with colleagues, vendors, community members, and fellow public servants. Yet in a broader culture that often promotes individual ambition, personal branding, and transactional networking, those of us in local government must remember that our greatest asset is our people. Not only the ones we serve, but also the ones we work with, advocate for, and mentor along the way.

True networking, in this context, is not about climbing ladders. It’s about building bridges. It means remembering the planner who helped you meet a deadline three years ago, and recommending them for a new opportunity. It means checking in on the parks and recreation director you met at a regional conference, not because you need something from them, but because you know they were navigating a difficult budget cycle. This kind of relational networking doesn’t just benefit individuals—it strengthens entire municipalities. Research shows that high-performing local governments are often built on strong internal and external relationships, where trust and collaboration are not just buzzwords, but norms of daily practice¹.

Municipal leaders who practice relational networking act as connectors. They may not always realize it, but their actions create ripple effects that improve service delivery, foster innovation, and even boost employee retention. A study published in the Public Administration Review found that collaborative governance thrives when leaders build and maintain informal networks that cut across departments and sectors². These networks allow for quicker problem-solving, more creative solutions, and a deeper understanding of community needs.

I’ve seen this firsthand. In my early years as a city administrator, I met a passionate housing coordinator at a community development workshop. We exchanged ideas and stayed loosely connected over the years. When our city later needed to form a regional housing task force, it was easy to reach out to her—not only because I remembered her work, but because we had maintained mutual respect and shared goals. That task force, in turn, succeeded not because of top-down mandates, but because of the relationships we all brought to the table.

These experiences have taught me four guiding principles that I believe are particularly relevant for those of us in municipal roles.

First, know your people. This goes beyond recognizing a face or remembering a title. It means paying attention to what motivates them, what challenges they face, and what dreams they’re chasing. In a study on local government leadership, researchers found that managers who took time to understand their colleagues' personal and professional values were better able to align teams and boost morale³. Municipal work can be thankless. When we take time to know our people, we give them a reason to stay invested.

Second, be a bridge. Introduce people who might benefit from knowing each other—even when you gain nothing from the connection. Municipal leaders often act as conveners, bringing together stakeholders from various departments or community sectors. When we make introductions that are thoughtful and strategic, we foster a culture where collaboration becomes second nature. An article in the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory emphasizes that successful inter-organizational partnerships often begin with informal relationships and trust-building between individuals⁴. These are seeds we can plant every day.

Third, stay present. Follow up. Send a quick email to congratulate someone on a recent win. Check in with a former colleague to see how their new role is going. These small gestures create continuity in relationships, which is especially important in a field where staff turnover can be high. According to a study by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), nearly 60% of local government employees report that personal acknowledgment from peers and supervisors significantly influences their job satisfaction⁵. Presence, even when there’s no immediate need, builds loyalty and trust.

Lastly, lead with generosity. Give without expecting anything in return. Whether it's sharing a resource, recommending someone for a grant, or simply offering encouragement, generosity in networking has long-term effects. A qualitative study of leadership in small municipalities found that leaders who were perceived as generous and community-focused were more likely to be trusted and supported by both staff and constituents⁶. In short, those who give first are remembered longest.

These principles matter not only because they help us become better professionals, but because they create stronger cities and towns. When we genuinely care about the people we meet—their growth, their challenges, their potential—we create networks that are deep, not just wide. And when decisions need to be made, crises managed, or policies implemented, those deep networks become our foundation.

Relational networking also helps combat one of the biggest challenges in municipal management: siloed thinking. When departments operate in isolation, inefficiencies multiply. But when parks staff feel comfortable reaching out to public works, or when an economic development director has a good rapport with the finance team, coordination improves. Research confirms that cross-functional collaboration in local governments is often driven by informal networks and interpersonal trust, not just formal reporting structures⁷.

To those of you already practicing this kind of networking—thank you. Your efforts may not always make headlines, but they are the glue holding many of our communities together. And for those looking to build stronger professional relationships, start small. Ask a colleague how their project is going. Make an introduction between two people with shared interests. Send a note of appreciation to someone who helped you last year. These actions don’t require a strategy deck or a social media campaign. They just require intention.

Municipal management will always require technical skills—budgeting, planning, compliance, and more. But the leaders who thrive are those who also cultivate relationships that last across jobs, projects, and even generations. Because when we focus on people—not just outcomes—we build institutions that are resilient, innovative, and deeply human.

Let’s keep showing up for each other. Not for personal gain, but because we believe in each other’s potential. When we do, we make our cities stronger, our teams more united, and our public service more meaningful.

1. Ansell, Christopher, and Alison Gash. "Collaborative Governance in Theory and Practice." Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 18, no. 4 (2008): 543–571.

2. Bryson, John M., Barbara C. Crosby, and Melissa Middleton Stone. "The Design and Implementation of Cross-Sector Collaborations: Propositions from the Literature." Public Administration Review 66, no. s1 (2006): 44–55.

3. Denhardt, Janet V., and Robert B. Denhardt. "The New Public Service: Serving, Not Steering." Public Administration Review 60, no. 6 (2000): 549–559.

4. Goldsmith, Stephen, and Donald F. Kettl. The Next Government of the United States: Why Our Institutions Fail Us and How to Fix Them. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

5. International City/County Management Association (ICMA). "State of the Profession Survey." ICMA, 2022.

6. O’Leary, Rosemary, and Lisa B. Bingham. The Collaborative Public Manager: New Ideas for the Twenty-first Century. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2009.

7. Van Wart, Montgomery. "Dynamics of Leadership in Public Service: Theory and Practice." Public Administration Review 63, no. 2 (2003): 214–228.