by Michael Egan | Jan 20, 2026 | Consultant Spotlight, Leadership Development & Support
David Brandt is an MRG affiliated consultant with over 30 years of public sector leadership experience. He has served as the City Manager of Redmond, OR, and as City Manager of Cupertino, CA. He has also served as the Assistant City Manager of Alameda and held...
by Mary Egan | Dec 8, 2025 | Ask Mary, Leadership Development & Support, Mary Egan
Dear Mary, I’m a newly appointed City Manager, and lately I’ve noticed a pattern in my own behavior: When problems come in fast—particularly from Council members—I tend to respond by quickly and decisively taking action. It’s efficient, but I’m starting to realize it...
by Jessica Deakyne | Oct 13, 2025 | Conferences, Leadership Development & Support, MRG Perspective
We are knee deep in conference season and leaders keep telling me how much they dread networking. The loud ballrooms, the business card bingo—it can all feel very “ick” when you think of networking in the traditional sense. I get it, we are not all up for the gauntlet...
by Mary Egan | Oct 13, 2025 | Ask Mary, Leadership Development & Support, Mary Egan
Dear Mary, Our City Manager is retiring. He has been a great leader (from my perspective). He’s also been a champion for several initiatives that are still underway that are important to our community and won us a lot of credibility. I worry that these initiatives...
by Mary Egan | Sep 15, 2025 | Ask Mary, Coaching & Training, Human Resources Services, Leadership Development & Support, Mary Egan, Organizational Audits & Strategic Solutions
This is Ask Mary, an advice column dedicated to helping public sector leaders address common issues and challenges with grace, humility and wit. In this column, MRG CEO and founding partner Mary Egan offers her unique perspective and wisdom honed over two decades of...
by Shirley Concolino | Sep 15, 2025 | Human Resources Services, Leadership Development & Support, Organizational Audits & Strategic Solutions, Project Management
In the last eight years working with MRG, I’ve performed organizational assessments at cities across California, often focused on City Clerks’ offices. Recently I’ve noticed an alarming trend of what I’ll call “policy deserts”: policies and procedures are often...
