ABSTRACT
“How’m I doin’?” was the trademark question of Ed Koch, mayor of New York City during the 1980s. In posing his question, Mayor Koch sought reassurances regarding the depth of his political base and feedback on his stewardship of municipal operations. 1 As veteran mayors and city managers know, these two dimensions of municipal leadership are not independent of each other. Just as political waves can rock an administration, weak operational stewardship can undermine political strength and stability.
