AuthentiCity FM | Real Stories. Bold Ideas. Better Communities.

• AuthenitiCity FM, Episode 15: Compass, Curiosity, and a Career Well-Lived with Craig Rapp

  What does 48 years in local government teach you about leadership, reinvention, and staying authentically yourself? In this episode, we sit down with Craig Rapp, consultant, mentor, and creator of Compass Peer Groups, for a conversation that spans from his first job as a 25-year-old city administrator to his current work supporting the next generation of local government leaders.Craig takes us through two remarkable halves of his career: the first 22 years as a striver in city management, and the last 25 years as a seeker navigating consulting, face plants, learning curves, and ultimately building something meaningful. Along the way, we explore the unexpected connections between Canadian tuxedos, Gordon Lightfoot, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, bow ties, and the leadership frameworks that shaped Craig's journey.We dig into the messy middle of career transitions, the courage it takes to reinvent yourself at any age, the power of peer support, and why putting the ladder back down matters more than pulling it up. Craig shares wisdom about navigating failure, staying curious, and being a person of your time while still pushing forward into new territory (yes, even AI artifacts).This is a conversation about authenticity, longevity, and what it means to build a career that serves not just yourself, but the profession and the people coming up behind you.#LocalGovernment #Leadership #CareerReinvention #CityManagement #AuthenticityFM01:34 Craig Rapp's Journey into Local Government04:13 Career Transitions and Reinvention09:48 The Importance of Support Systems15:33 Authenticity in Professional Life22:36 The Connection to Ore Boats and Personal History25:54 Early Influences and Upbringing29:03 Navigating Political Challenges37:42 Lessons from Jesse Ventura's Tenure42:59 Courage in Leadership48:27 The Importance of Peer Support58:50 Compass Peer Groups and Their Impact01:01:06 The Power of Optimism in Leadership01:04:28 Peer Support: The Backbone of Resilience01:08:31 Real Stories of Peer Group Impact01:10:58 Improv and Leadership: A Unique Connection01:15:39 Imagining Life Beyond City Management01:21:17 Advice for the Next Generation of Leaders

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• AuthenitiCity FM, Episode 14: Tips and Tricks for ICMA Tampa

  Stories, strategy, and spontaneous connection. This is your guide to transforming five days in Tampa into friendships, insights, and moments that remind you why you love this work.Whether you're boarding your first plane to an ICMA conference or you're a veteran of twenty, Phil, Mike, and Corri break down how to turn five overwhelming days into career-defining moments. From the anxiety of walking into a room with 5,000 strangers to the magic of hallway conversations that become lifelong friendships, this episode is your honest, practical guide to making ICMA 2025 unforgettable.The hosts share their own evolution—from sticking close to familiar faces to actively seeking out the most eccentric sessions, from treating keynotes like optional background noise to sitting front row and soaking in every word. They reveal the 10-10-10 rule for conference success, why your badge lanyard matters more than you think, and how to ask questions that create real connection instead of awkward small talk. Mike confesses his technology shortcuts, Corri challenges you to meet people outside your comfort zone, and Phil makes the case for being unapologetically present.This isn't about maximizing sessions or collecting vendor swag—it's about showing up for a profession that can feel lonely, finding your people, and remembering why this work matters. From Arthur Brooks and Amy Cuddy keynotes to the Mount Rushmore panel of legends, from regional meetings to the expo hall puppies, every detail is an invitation to engage differently.Plus: Why you should take your badge off when exploring Tampa, the power of handwritten thank-you notes, and an invitation to join the live podcast recording on Monday afternoon.#ICMA2025 #LocalGovernment #CityManagement #PublicService #Tampa #ProfessionalDevelopment #AuthenticityFM02:45 Personal Experiences at ICMA Conferences05:55 Keynote Themes and Speakers10:23 Navigating the Conference as a Newcomer19:33 Engaging with Speakers and Networking27:02 Strategies for Meeting New People34:46 The Importance of Vendor Interactions40:33 Setting Goals for the Conference51:08 Preparing for the Conference Experience01:00:31 The Value of Keynote Speakers01:09:05 Closing Thoughts and Final Tips

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• AuthenitiCity FM, Episode 13: Legacy, Service and the Long View

  Join us for an extraordinary conversation with two legends of local government management: John Phillips and Steve Carter. After decades leading communities and another decade as senior advisors mentoring Illinois managers, these veterans share unfiltered insights about what it really takes to sustain a career in public service.From their first internships in the 1960s and 70s to wrapping up their roles as ILCMA senior advisors, John and Steve discuss the evolving challenges of the profession—from navigating social media storms and changing council dynamics to building trust in university towns and managing multi-jurisdictional relationships. They reveal why they stayed in their communities for 25-30 years when others leave after five, how they built staff cultures that outlasted their tenures, and what it means to show up with integrity when the work gets hard.This isn't a retirement party—it's a masterclass in relationship building, ethical leadership, and the quiet art of making local government work. Whether you're new to the profession or a seasoned manager, their stories about hiring good people, maintaining work-life balance, and keeping the code of ethics close will resonate deeply.#CityManagement #LocalGovernment #PublicService #LeadershipLegacy #ICMA #ILCMA #AuthenticityFM01:07 Meet the City Management Legends02:59 The Role of Senior Advisors08:55 Understanding Downstate Illinois13:10 Building Networks in City Management16:06 The Importance of Professional Local Government17:32 Navigating Modern Communication Challenges22:19 Evolving Relationship Management33:11 Reflections on Long-Term Careers in City Management43:07 Hiring for Values and Integrity48:41 Evolving Paths to City Management55:14 Ambassadors of Change in Local Governance01:02:17 Legacy and Collaboration Beyond Boundaries01:09:07 The Importance of Work-Life Balance01:16:08 Reflections on Mentorship and Inspiration

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• AuthentiCity FM, Episode 12: Listening, Leading, and Letting Go

  #AuthentiCityFM #Leadership #Resilience #Creativity #EmotionalIntelligence #GenX #Millenials #GenZ #Homelanders #ArtistArchetypeWhile seasoned leaders have been perfecting the art of holding things together, the next generation has been quietly mastering something entirely different: the art of making things beautiful. In Part 2 of this conversation, we explore what happens when crisis-forged leadership meets artist-generation innovation.Through stories of children drawing with grandparents, asking deeper questions at dinner tables, and naturally building inclusive communities, they discover that the Homelanders aren't just surviving the storm—they're learning to dance in it. These digital natives possess emotional intelligence that cuts through professional facades, form communities around shared interests rather than geographic boundaries, and treat creativity not as luxury but as essential processing power.The conversation moves from theoretical observations to practical implications: What does it mean when vocal tones become the new body language? How do you lead when maps no longer define communities? Why might grandma hobbies be the most strategic thing leaders aren't doing?But the biggest revelation isn't about generational differences—it's about generational collaboration. As these three leaders grapple with letting go of systems that no longer serve, they realize the Artist Generation isn't waiting for permission to rebuild. They're already creating what comes next, with tools their parents are just beginning to understand.Raw, hopeful, and surprisingly practical, this episode captures the moment when exhausted leaders discover that the future might not just be in good hands—it might be in better hands than they ever imagined.00:00 Introduction to the Framework02:36 Navigating Complexity as a Gen X Manager04:43 The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership08:10 The Role of Curiosity and Courage in Leadership11:22 Generational Perspectives on Winning and Participation18:14 Creating a Culture of Care and Curiosity25:21 The Power of Intuition in Decision Making30:58 Intergenerational Connections and Learning37:53 The Impact of Free Speech and Civil Discourse49:34 Embracing Analog Experiences in a Digital World01:01:38 The Future of Local Government and Community Engagement

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• AuthentiCity FM, Episode 11: Leading Through Crisis in the Fourth Turning

  #Leadership #Crisis #LocalGovernment #PublicSector #Resilience #AuthentiCityFM What happens when crisis stops being exceptional and becomes the constant? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Mike, Corri, and Phil explore how two generations now share leadership during what feels like permanent emergency.Gen X—the latchkey kids who watched the Challenger explosion—learned early that adults couldn't always protect them, developing the radical self-reliance that would serve them through decades of managing the unmanageable. Millennials entered adulthood believing institutions could be reformed, only to have that faith tested by the 2008 financial collapse and everything that followed. Now both generations find themselves leading through COVID, civil unrest, and institutional breakdown, each bringing their own crisis-forged strengths to the work of holding things together.Through personal stories spanning childhood memories to real-time leadership decisions, they examine how these experiences shaped their approaches to trauma, resilience, and the exhausting work of showing up when systems feel fundamentally broken. But the conversation takes an unexpected turn when they realize something remarkable: while they've been patching and managing, they're raising what generational theorist Neil Howe calls the "Homelanders"—the Artist Generation who may already possess what's needed to rebuild rather than just repair.Raw and reflective, this episode captures three seasoned leaders confronting a profound question: What if the most courageous thing they could do is finally let go?Next time: Part 2 explores how the Artist Generation is already showing us what rebuilding looks like—and why that might require us to lean into a little childhood joy.00:00 Navigating the Chaos of Modern Life02:59 Generational Reflections: Understanding Gen X07:48 The Impact of Shared History on Generations13:02 Crisis and Awakening: The Generational Cycle18:24 The Weight of Responsibility in a Relentless Era21:29 Crafting Solutions: The Role of Gen X25:38 Art as a Unifying Force in Turbulent Times32:32 Nostalgia and Changing Times35:37 The Rise of Grandma Hobbies38:15 Navigating Change and Uncertainty41:34 Rebuilding and Opportunities Ahead48:48 Letting Go and Moving Forward55:36 Courage and Community in Crisis

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