If you work in local government long enough, you’ll face public criticism. That comes with the territory. But what happens when it stops being about policy and becomes about you—your name, your reputation, even your livelihood?
In this solo episode of Gov360, City Manager Chris Mann shares a deeply personal story of facing an organized, relentless campaign to drive him out of his role. For two years in Yucaipa, California, an anti-growth group targeted him with disinformation, weaponized public comment, hostile Facebook groups, public records requests, and political pressure on the city council.
This is not theory. This is what cancel culture looks like inside city hall.
Chris walks through the emotional, professional, and ethical tightrope of leading under attack—and what it takes to come out the other side with clarity, courage, and conviction.
🔑 Key Learnings
• Cancel culture in local government is slow, coordinated, and often hidden behind a veneer of legitimacy
• Being targeted is often the result of doing your job well in a politically volatile environment
• Ethics rules can trap city managers in silence when they become the story
• Trust equity must be built long before misinformation begins
• Leaving is not weakness—sometimes it’s a strategic reset
🎧 Featured Topics
• What “cancel culture” looks like for city managers and senior staff
• How organized opposition movements weaponize public processes
• The psychological, family, and career impact of becoming a target
• The city manager’s ethical dilemma when false narratives spread
• Why councils often stay silent when attacks escalate
• Five strategies for surviving and leading through a smear campaign
• How the profession can create healthier council–manager dynamics
• Hope and perspective for leaders currently “in the storm”
📚 Links & Resources
• Connect with Chris Mann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismann76/
• Subscribe to the free Gov360 Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7320606146577186817
• Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gov360/id1807649614
• Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Rq8Hxqvx23OVL0H4bQdqa
🗣️ About Gov360
Gov360 is the show for local government professionals who want to lead with impact, master their craft, and rise to the top of the profession.
TAGS: LocalGovernment, CityManager, Leadership, Gov360, PublicService, CancelCulture, CityHall, CityManagement, CouncilManager, ResilientLeadership
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