KUCIMAT Spring 2007 Newsletter
Lessons Learned from Tom Muehlenbeck
KU MPA graduate, Tom Muehlenbeck, has distinguished himself and brought great recognition to KU. Muehlenbeck, city manager of Plano, Texas, has been awarded a National Public Service Award which annually recognizes the best in public service. The National Public Service Awards are presented jointly by The American Society for Public Administration and The National Academy of Public Administration to recognize outstanding practitioners who have spent most of their careers in public service. They have been awarded since 1983 to give greater recognition and support for individuals who have "made a difference" in public administration for a sustained period of time.
What we learned from National Public Service Award winner, Tom Muehlenbeck over lunch
Within the first few minutes of speaking with Plano, Texas City Manager Tom Muehlenbeck, it is apparent that he is truly dedicated to local government and the profession of city management. His passion, excitement, and commitment to public service are unwavering. Mr. Muehlenbeck was recently recognized as one of seven National Public Service Award winners at the Annual Conference of the American Society for Public Administration in Washington, D.C. The National Public Service Awards are presented jointly by The American Society for Public Administration and The National Academy of Public Administration to recognize outstanding practitioners who have spent most of their careers in public service.
Tom Muehlenbeck’s career in public service began in Parsons, Kansas in 1965. Today, he manages an All-America City that for nearly a decade was recognized as “the nation’s fastest growing city.” During his tenure, the city’s population has increased from 114,500 residents to more than 252,000. In ably managing the issues that surround that kind of growth, Mr. Muehlenback has acquired a list of accomplishments and successes that could fill the pages of this newsletter for at least a year. We could fill volumes more in detailing the lessons learned from his 40-year career in city management and the lasting impact he’s had in the communities of Parsons, Kansas; Atchison, Kansas; College Park, Georgia; Valdosta, Georgia; Galveston, Texas; Austin, Texas; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. Because our space is limited, we have chosen to focus our attention on a few key lessons that we learned while having lunch with Tom Muehlenbeck:
Lesson #1: Love what you do, laugh a lot, and don’t take things to seriously.
When we asked Mr. Muehlenbeck about what attracted him to city management and the reason for his long career, he replied, “What would I do if not this?” Mr. Muehlenbeck remarked that when he speaks to younger audiences about a career as a public servant, some children indicate an interest in working at the state or federal levels. He said that he always responds, “Why not local government?” Mr. Muehlenbeck said he loves working in local government because you often directly see the results of your hard work. Mr. Muehlenbeck likened his passion for local government to another activity he enjoys – mowing grass. He reasons, you can smell the fresh cut grass and, at any time, turn around and see exactly the strip of grass that you have cut and progress that you have made. Mr. Muehlenbeck says job enjoyment comes from learning to laugh when you can and not taking things too seriously. He says experience has taught him, no matter how difficult an issue is – it will pass and another one will follow right behind it.
Lesson #2: Mentor and promote the next generation.
Mr. Muehlenbeck’s dedication for mentoring and developing young talent for future municipal leadership is astounding. Mr. Muehlenbeck stated that he recognized the gap in management succession several years ago when this topic was presented at a conference. After doing some research, Mr. Muehlenbeck learned that roughly 46% of Plano’s senior staff members were eligible to retire and that something needed to be done to fill this void. As a result, Mr. Muehlenbeck was active in the creation of Plano’s Management Preparation Program of Plano (MP3). MP3 is a 12 month in-house management succession program designed to build managerial skill sets, enhance opportunities for promotions, and reinforce the City’s commitment to service excellence. MP3 is now a model that many other cities have adopted.
Lesson #3: Relationships and chemistry are key.
Mr. Muehlenbeck stated it’s important for city managers to cultivate good chemistry with their City Councils. He has learned this through the transition of six Mayors and 43 councilmembers in Plano. How does he accomplish this? Mr. Muehlenbeck makes sure that the Mayor and Councilmembers know the same thing at the same time. He has also focused on building the bridge between staff and Councilmembers and continuing that from one Council to the next. His consensus building skills and ability to work effectively with city councils is proven by his 20 year tenure as the City Manager of Plano.
Finally, as our lunch concluded, we asked Mr. Muehlenbeck about his recent trip to Washington D.C. to accept this prestigious award. One of his first comments was not how excited he was to receive his award; but instead, how impressed he was with the other award winners and the interesting work that they had done. In reflecting on the other lessons learned at lunch, we couldn’t help but notice that, he did not take credit for the things he told us about, choosing to focus instead on the city council, city employees, and the community – a true example of a Level 5 Leader.
Congratulations Mr. Muehlenbeck on receipt of your National Public Service Award, and thanks for lunch!
Katie Corder, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Rowlett, TX
Kate Smith, Assistant to the City Manager, City of University Park, TX
top