Talent Initiative

Engage emerging leaders of cities, counties and special districts.

Tools for Developing Talent

  • Stay Interviews

    A key tool to retain and re-recruit talent is a “stay interview.” A stay interview is a one-on-one interview between a manager and a valued employee.

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  • Talent Discussion Template

    A simple online fill-able form and suggested guidelines for its use by chief executives and their department directors

    Fillable Form

  • Completed Sample Form

    A sample completed form

    See an Example

  • Menu of Development Activities

    See the menu of Development Activities

    Menu Here

  • A Coaching Model for Managers

    Conducting a development conversation with an employee promotes their learning and growth and helps accelerate their career advancement. Here are the basic steps in conducting a development conversation.

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Talent Discussion Template

How to Conduct a Development Conversation

In late 2016, Cal-ICMA announced the launch of a Talent Initiative to be undertaken by the Cal-ICMA Talent Development Team (formerly known as the Preparing the Next Generation Committee). The purpose of the Talent Initiative is to engage Chief Executives, HR Directors, and emerging leaders of cities, counties and special districts in a conversation about three questions:

Let’s Talk

  1. What are the kinds of talent challenges that confound local governments in California?

  2. What obstacles hinder our efforts to address talent challenges?

  3. What are the best practices from public and private, culture-building strategies, and other resources so we can better attract, retain and grow talent?

Talent Initiatives Include

  • A survey of City/County Managers, HR Directors and emerging leaders regarding talent development needs.

  • Five to seven focus groups with senior management leaders across the state.

  • A summary report, including recommendations on how professional organizations can help us address the workforce challenges.

  • A website showcasing best practices and other resources.

  • Use of resources as part of existing training programs and conferences.

Since local government agencies are struggling to address a number of talent challenges, Cal-ICMA has developed a Template for Talent Discussions with Executive Teams. The online fillable Template is aimed at helping City Managers and other chief executives and their department head teams achieve several goals:

  • Assess the readiness of talented employees already working for the agency.

  • Accelerate their development.

  • Retain their talent.

Other Resources

Talent 2.0 Report

  • A Modern Approach to Attracting and Retaining Top Talent in Local Government.

    • Read the Spring 2018 Report, produced by the Cal-ICMA Talent Initiative.

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  • Results Summary: Read the summary of results from the 2016 survey of local government executives and leaders in California.

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Talent Initiative

  • Local Government Innovation in the Face of the Pandemic Webinar

    • Watch the free recording of this Cal-ICMA webinar "Local Government Innovation in the Face of the Pandemic – How Agile and Adaptable Leaders Get Results" (July 2020)

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  • Winter 2018 Presentation

    • Download the presentation delivered at the League of California Cities’ City Managers’ Department Meeting in Newport Beach. (January 2018)

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  • Download a summary of ten ideas for leaders to start attracting, retaining and growing talent. (February 2018)

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  • Download a December 2015 report from the Local Government Research Collaborative and the Center for State and Local Government Excellence (SLGE) on attracting and retaining talent.

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  • Learn more about how to conduct a stay interview.

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  • ICMA Leading Edge Research Report on Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented Populations

    • A report by Kendra L. Smith, Ph.D., director of community engagement for the University of Houston - College of Medicine, offers new findings and recommendations that can help local leaders in building programs that go beyond compliance by creating hiring and retention processes that are robust and equitable, and secure the best candidates possible.

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  • “Transforming Talent Development: Six Ways to Get Started”, Public Management Magazine, April 2019.

    • An article by Talent Initiative Co-Chairs, Nat Rojanasathira and Dominic Lazzaretto.

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Additional Resources

  • With its roots in California, the ICMA Coaching Program has gone nationwide and continues to provide learning opportunities for local government professionals in all career stages.

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  • Cal-ICMA has teamed up with the Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) and the Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC) to provide a credentialing program to emerging leaders.

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  • The Southern California-based program is structured in the same manner, providing a collaborative learning experience for local government professionals.

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  • Download the August 2018 Western City article on the role of elected officials in talent recruitment and development.

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