The Poor Manager Sparkle: Time for Action in Local Government Leadership

Inspired by Sarah Jowett’s original post on LinkedIn

Leadership within local government is a uniquely demanding and multifaceted responsibility. It requires a delicate balance of strategic vision, operational delivery, political acumen, and perhaps most importantly people management. Officers and elected members alike are tasked with navigating complex systems, responding to ever-evolving community needs, and delivering high-quality public services, often under intense scrutiny and with limited resources. Yet, despite decades of investment in leadership development, organisational transformation, and cultural change initiatives, one persistent issue continues to undermine progress: the presence and persistence of poor managers.

This blog, inspired by Sarah Jowett’s insightful and provocative LinkedIn post “The Poor Manager Sparkle – Time for Action?”, seeks to explore this enduring challenge. Why, in a sector so committed to improvement and accountability, do poor managers not only remain in post but sometimes rise through the ranks? What systemic, cultural, and behavioural factors allow this to happen? And most importantly, what can local government officers and elected members do to confront and change this reality?

The Persistent Problem: Why Are Poor Managers Still Here?

Local government is no stranger to the language of leadership. From the Local Government Association’s (LGA) flagship leadership programmes to in-house training academies and external consultancy-led interventions, there is no shortage of frameworks, models, and toolkits designed to cultivate effective leadership at every level of the organisation.

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And yet, as Sarah Jowett so aptly asks: If we are surrounded by so many good leaders, why do poor managers still exist and worse, why do they continue to be promoted?

This is not a rhetorical question. It is a systemic issue that has real and lasting consequences. Poor management erodes staff morale, stifles innovation, damages organisational culture, and ultimately undermines the quality of services delivered to the public. It also creates a ripple effect disengaged teams, increased turnover, higher sickness absence, and a loss of trust in leadership. Let’s explore two of the most significant contributing factors to this problem.

1. The Sparkle Effect: Managing Up vs. Leading Down

One of the most frustrating and often demoralising dynamics in local government is what Sarah refers to as the “sparkle effect.” This phenomenon describes how certain individuals, despite being ineffective or even harmful managers, manage to maintain a positive reputation with senior leaders and elected members. They are skilled at “managing up” they know how to present well in meetings, align themselves with strategic priorities, and speak the language of leadership. They are visible, vocal, and often charismatic.

But beneath this polished exterior lies a very different reality. Their teams experience something else entirely: micromanagement, lack of empathy, inconsistent communication, and a failure to support or develop staff. These managers may avoid difficult conversations, deflect accountability, or create toxic team environments where fear and frustration replace collaboration and creativity.

This disconnect is particularly dangerous in hierarchical organisations like councils, where senior leaders and members may have limited visibility into the day-to-day experiences of frontline staff. The “sparkle” blinds those at the top, while those at the bottom are left to deal with the consequences. The result? Poor managers are not only tolerated they are sometimes rewarded. They are given high-profile projects, invited to strategic planning sessions, and even promoted. Meanwhile, the staff who raise concerns are often dismissed as “difficult,” “negative,” or “not team players.” This dynamic is not just unfair it is corrosive. It sends a message that style matters more than substance, and that those who speak truth to power will be sidelined rather than supported.

2. The Cost of Performance Management

One of the most significant and enduring barriers to addressing poor management in local government is the complexity, sensitivity, and resource intensity of performance management. Unlike in many private sector organisations, where underperformance can often be addressed more swiftly and with fewer procedural constraints, local government operates within a framework that prioritises fairness, transparency, and due process. These principles are foundational to public service they protect employees from arbitrary decisions, ensure equity, and uphold the values of democratic accountability.

However, these same principles can also create unintended inertia when it comes to dealing with persistent poor behaviour. The reality is that performance management in local government is rarely straightforward. It is often a long, drawn-out process that requires significant time, documentation, and emotional investment from all parties involved. Managers may hesitate to initiate formal procedures due to fear of conflict, potential legal implications, or reputational damage especially in politically sensitive environments where relationships and optics matter.

Human Resources teams, already stretched by competing priorities and limited capacity, may struggle to provide the intensive support needed to navigate complex cases. This is particularly true when the issues at hand are not overt breaches of conduct, but rather patterns of behaviour that erode team morale, hinder collaboration, or stifle innovation. These behaviours such as passive aggression, favouritism, poor communication, or a lack of emotional intelligence are difficult to quantify and even harder to address through formal channels.

Senior leaders, too, may be reluctant to intervene. In some cases, the individual in question may be perceived as strategically valuable, politically astute, or indispensable to a high-profile project. There may be concerns about destabilising a team, attracting negative attention, or triggering union involvement. As a result, poor managers are often allowed to continue unchecked, with their behaviour rationalised or minimised.

What makes this issue even more challenging is the intangible nature of poor management. It’s not always about missed KPIs, budget overspends, or formal complaints. Often, it’s about how people feel. It’s about the talented officer who quietly leaves for another council, the team member who dreads coming to work, or the service that never quite reaches its potential because the team is disengaged and demoralised.

These are not metrics that appear on a dashboard. They are not easily captured in a performance review. And yet, they are among the clearest indicators of leadership failure. When staff feel unsupported, undervalued, or unheard, the organisation suffers not just in terms of productivity, but in its ability to innovate, adapt, and serve the public effectively.

Local government must find ways to reconcile the need for procedural fairness with the imperative to act decisively on poor management. This means investing in leadership development that includes emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and courageous conversations. It means equipping managers with the tools and confidence to address issues early, before they escalate. And it means creating a culture where performance management is seen not as punitive, but as a pathway to growth, accountability, and excellence.

The View from Below: Teams See What Leaders Miss

Sarah Jowett’s observation that teams can see poor leadership in “dramatic detail” is both accurate and deeply resonant. Staff are often the first to notice when a manager is ineffective, disengaged, or toxic. They experience the consequences of poor leadership directly in their workloads, their wellbeing, their professional development, and their day-to-day interactions. From the ground level, the signs are unmistakable. There’s the manager who avoids difficult conversations, leaving unresolved tensions to fester. The one who takes credit for others’ work, or who micromanages to the point of paralysis. The one who fails to provide clarity, direction, or support, leaving teams to operate in a fog of uncertainty. These behaviours may be invisible to senior leaders or elected members, but they are painfully obvious to those who live with them every day.

1. The Silence of Staff

Despite this clarity, staff rarely speak up. The reasons are complex and deeply rooted in organisational culture. Challenging a manager especially one who is well-connected or perceived as untouchable can feel risky. Employees may fear retaliation, isolation, or damage to their career prospects. In some cases, raising concerns can even trigger formal disciplinary processes not against the manager, but against the whistleblower. This culture of silence is compounded by a lack of psychological safety. If staff do not believe their concerns will be taken seriously or worse, if they fear they will be punished for speaking out they will remain silent. And in that silence, poor managers continue to operate unchecked, often emboldened by the absence of accountability. This dynamic is particularly damaging in local government, where trust, transparency, and public service values should be paramount. When staff feel they cannot speak truth to power, the organisation loses its moral compass. It becomes a place where dysfunction is tolerated, and where the voices of those closest to the work are ignored.

2. The Missed Intelligence

This silence represents a profound missed opportunity. Staff are the frontline they experience leadership in its most immediate and practical form. Their insights are not just valuable they are essential. They know what’s working, what’s broken, and what needs to change. Yet, many councils lack robust mechanisms for capturing and acting on this intelligence.

Anonymous feedback tools, regular pulse surveys, and safe spaces for dialogue can help surface issues early. But these tools must be more than symbolic. They must be backed by a genuine commitment to listen, learn, and act. If staff see no change in response to their feedback, they will disengage and the cycle of silence and dysfunction will continue.

Local government must do more to empower staff to speak up. This means creating a culture of psychological safety, where feedback is welcomed and valued. It means training managers to receive and respond to criticism with humility and openness. And it means ensuring that concerns are not just heard, but addressed with transparency, fairness, and urgency. Ultimately, the view from below is not just a perspective it’s a diagnostic tool. It tells us where leadership is failing, where culture is eroding, and where intervention is needed. If we ignore it, we do so at our peril.

Leadership vs. Management: Reclaiming the Role of the Manager

Sarah Jowett’s question “Is it still uncool to say management?” is more than a witty aside. It points to a deeper cultural shift in how we talk about and value leadership within organisations, particularly in the public sector. Over the past decade, the term “leadership” has become synonymous with vision, inspiration, and transformation. It’s the language of TED Talks, strategy documents, and executive coaching. Meanwhile, “management” has been quietly relegated to the background seen as operational, transactional, and, at times, uninspiring. But this binary framing is not only misleading it’s dangerous.

1. Management Is Leadership

In the context of local government, management is not a lesser form of leadership it is its foundation. Effective management is what turns vision into reality. It’s what ensures that services are delivered, teams are supported, and resources are used wisely. Good managers are the ones who translate strategic goals into day-to-day action, who coach and develop their staff, who create clarity in complexity, and who hold themselves and others accountable.

Without strong management, leadership becomes hollow. A compelling vision without the operational discipline to implement it is just rhetoric. Conversely, management without leadership can become rigid and reactive. The two must work in tandem.

Reclaiming the role of the manager means recognising that the ability to lead people, manage performance, and build cohesive teams is not just a “soft skill” it is a critical leadership competency. It is what enables councils to deliver on their promises to residents and communities.

2. The Role of Elected Members

Elected members play a pivotal role in shaping the leadership culture of their councils. While they may not be involved in the day-to-day management of staff, their influence is significant. Through scrutiny, oversight, and political leadership, members set the tone for what is expected and what is tolerated.

When members ask the right questions about staff wellbeing, team dynamics, and leadership behaviours they signal that these issues matter. When they challenge poor performance or support officers in addressing difficult situations, they create the conditions for accountability. And when they model respectful, values-driven leadership themselves, they reinforce a culture of integrity and trust. Leadership in local government is not the sole responsibility of senior officers. It is a shared endeavour between members and officers, rooted in mutual respect, shared purpose, and a commitment to public service.

The Challenge: Time to Tackle Poor Management

Sarah’s post ends with a bold and necessary challenge: If we’re such good leaders, why aren’t we tackling poor managers? It’s a confronting question one that requires us to move beyond platitudes and into the realm of action. Here are five ways local government officers and elected members can rise to that challenge:

1. Be a Leader (Grow Some)

Leadership is not about popularity it’s about responsibility. It requires courage, especially when it comes to addressing poor behaviour. This means having difficult conversations, making tough decisions, and standing firm in the face of resistance.

In local government, the stakes are high. Poor management doesn’t just affect internal morale it affects the quality of services, the experience of residents, and the reputation of the council. Leaders must be willing to confront underperformance, even when it’s uncomfortable or politically inconvenient.

2. Wear Sunglasses (Not Rose-Tinted Ones)

It’s easy to be dazzled by confidence, charisma, or strategic alignment. But effective leadership requires discernment. Leaders must be able to see beyond the surface to look past the “sparkle” and understand what’s really happening in teams.

This means listening to staff, observing team dynamics, and being curious about what isn’t being said. It means asking probing questions, seeking multiple perspectives, and being open to uncomfortable truths. Only then can we make informed, fair, and courageous decisions.

3. Take a Deep Breath, Look, Listen, and Act

Leadership is not a spectator sport. It requires presence, attentiveness, and action. Leaders must take the time to understand the lived experiences of their teams. This might involve shadowing frontline staff, holding open forums, or simply making space for honest conversations. But listening is only the first step. What matters most is what happens next. When concerns are raised, leaders must act promptly, transparently, and with integrity. Inaction is not neutral; it is a form of complicity.

4. Don’t Condone Poor Behaviour Especially Your Own

Accountability starts with self-awareness. Leaders must hold themselves to the same standards they expect of others. This means reflecting on their own behaviours, acknowledging their blind spots, and being open to feedback.

It also means challenging the culture of tolerance that often surrounds poor management. When we excuse, ignore, or rationalise bad behaviour especially from those in senior roles we erode trust and undermine our values. Leaders must be willing to say, “This is not acceptable” and to follow through.

5. Reflect and Do 360s Are You Still a Good Leader?

Leadership is not a fixed identity it is a practice. It evolves over time, shaped by experience, feedback, and reflection. Regular 360-degree reviews, coaching, and peer learning can help leaders stay grounded and grow.

But reflection must be honest. It’s not about ticking boxes it’s about asking hard questions: Am I creating a culture of trust? Am I empowering my team? Am I living the values I espouse? And if not what am I going to do about it?

Moving the Debate Forward: A New Era of Leadership in Local Government

Sarah’s final plea is one we should all take seriously: Let’s move the debate forward. For too long, leadership discourse has been stuck in the basics how not to be a bad boss, how to avoid micromanaging, how to give feedback. These are important lessons, but they are no longer enough. It’s time to raise the bar. To move from reactive to proactive, from compliance to culture, from individual performance to collective accountability.

Let’s start talking about:

• How to build cultures of accountability that are fair, transparent, and values-driven.

• How to empower teams to speak up without fear of retaliation or dismissal.

• How to support struggling managers with compassion and clarity without enabling poor behaviour.

• How to redefine leadership as both inspirational and operational where vision and delivery go hand in hand.

• How elected members can champion better leadership by modelling integrity, asking the right questions, and holding the organisation to account.

Local government deserves better. Our staff deserve better. Our residents deserve better. And we, as leaders, must be willing to do the work.

Conclusion: The Sparkle Stops Here

Sarah Jowett’s post is more than a reflection it’s a rallying cry. It challenges us to stop admiring the glitter and start confronting the grit. To stop being passive observers and start being active agents of change.

If you are a local government officer or elected member, ask yourself:

• What poor behaviour am I tolerating?

• What feedback am I ignoring?

• What action am I avoiding?

• What kind of leader do I want to be?

The truth about local government is that change doesn’t come from policies or programmes alone it comes from people. From leaders who are willing to listen, to learn, and to lead with courage. Because in ten years’ time, we shouldn’t still be reading articles about how not to be a bad boss. We should be writing the next chapter on how to be a transformative one.