We’ve covered a lot of ground over the past few months! For your final blackboard post I’d like you to reflect on our classroom discussions, case studies, text readings, and articles and craft a brief but thoughtful synthesis of your takeaways from this class. Since this will serve as your final post, it will be worth 15 points. I’ve provided a few thoughts to serve as prompts …

– We’ve focused our weekly discussions around a study core local government services and specifically studied them through the lens of City Management. Recognizing that each of those core services is important to the overall success of a municipality, what do you consider to be the three most critical from a city management perspective and why? Please keep in mind that there is no real right or wrong answer to this. I’m just looking for a well-reasoned argument.

– What are the most relevant new thoughts or facts that you will carry away from this course and how will those elements impact / re-frame your perspective or outlook?

– We have talked frequently of the importance of “core competencies” in managerial hiring. Of the various competencies that we discussed, which three to you consider to be most applicable to all senior management positions?

– Is there anything we didn’t cover in class that you wish we had?