Providing a critical examination of government in American cities, The Facilitative Leader in City Hall presents the startling view that mayors in council-manager cities are better positioned to develop positive leadership than their peers in mayor-council cities. This book develops a deeper understanding of city government institutions from groundbreaking conceptual models of leadership and local government forms. Academic scholars offer empirical contributions that address governmental reform issues. Based on mayors who have served in the past decade, various case studies evaluate factors that contribute to effective leadership as well as new conditions that are faced by today's cities.

Conceptualizing the Facilitative Model Reexamining Models of Mayoral Leadership, J.H. Svara Exploring Conceptual Issues Defining Facilitative Leadership: Lawrence, Kansas, J. Nalbandian and S. Negron Facilitation in its 'Natural' Setting: Middelfart, Denmark, R. Berg and U. Kjaer Mixing Models of Leadership in a Mayor-Council City: Yorkville, Illinois, C. Wood, G. Gabris, and B. Olson Facilitation in the Council-Manager Form Switching Roles from Administrator to Mayor:Winston-Salem, North Carolina, K.A. Klase Guiding Change in a First Ring Suburb: Plano, Texas, D.J. Watson and A.C. Schortgen Commitment to Engagement: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, V.M. Upshaw Building a Town and Its Institutions: Midway, Florida, Y. Zhang and K. Yang Expanding The Scope of Policy Leadership Through Networks: Grand Rapids, Michigan, E.S. Zeemering and R.J. Durham From Conflict to Cooperation: Auburn, Alabama, W.L. Hassett Partial Leadership and Alternating Styles: Stockholm, California, R. Benedetti and S. Lambuth Charting Progress of the Empowered Mayor: Cincinnati, Ohio, J.T. Spence Beating the Odds or Changing the Odds in a Large City: Phoenix, Arizona, J. Denhardt and M. Vanacour Facilitation in the Mayor-Council Form Building Trust and Developing a Vision: Akron, Ohio, R.W. Cox III The Power to Persuade: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, C.M. Wheeland Conclusion Advancing Facilitative Leadership in Practice, J.H. Svara