ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with the ability and the motivation of public leaders themselves. Political leaders are those individuals who are elected to represent the interests of their constituents in deciding what a local government should do and how it should do it. Leadership is an intangible quality. Political leaders, unlike the municipal managers they appoint, are directly accountable to the public for the performance of a local government. Political leaders can indirectly affect performance by encouraging private interests, especially the media, and citizens to participate more actively in the decision-making process. The ability of political leaders to manage a local government for performance depends, in large part, on their relationships to municipal managers and municipal employees, the adequacy of management tools, the responsiveness of government structure, and the involvement of external groups. Defining precise objectives may also help political leaders justify raising taxes or charging special users’ fees.
