Advancing Your Local Government Career & The Art of Assistant Leadership

Some of the most influential leaders in local government lead from the second chair. How can assistant leaders maximize their impact, strengthen their leadership skills, and position themselves for what comes next? In this Innovate interview, Allison Scheck, Deputy City Manager for the City of Arvada, Colorado, shares insights on navigating the unique demands of assistant leadership while building the skills, confidence, and influence to grow your career. Together, we explore how to manage up, build credibility, navigate complex organizational dynamics, and become an even more effective leader. In This Interview: 1. Discover how to build influence and credibility across your organization. 2. Strengthen the leadership and communication skills that help assistant leaders thrive. 3. Learn how to turn the assistant role into an opportunity for greater impact and career growth. Continue the Conversation at the ICMA Annual Conference Allison Scheck will join the panel for “Art of Assistant Leadership: The Art of Being #2: Leading from the Second Chair” at the 2026 ICMA Annual Conference, October 17–21 in Long Beach, California. Explore the realities of assistant leadership and gain practical strategies to lead with confidence, navigate organizational dynamics, and expand your impact. Learn More and Register: conference.icma.org ____________________ About ICMA ICMA’s vision is to be the leading association of local government professionals dedicated to creating and supporting thriving communities throughout the world. We do this by working with our more than 13,000 members to identify and speed the adoption of leading local government practices to improve the lives of residents. ICMA offers membership, professional development programs, research, publications, data and information, technical assistance, and training to thousands of city, town, and county chief administrative officers, their staffs, and other organizations throughout the world. Find out more about ICMA, and the profession, at our website: https://www.icma.org Sign up for ICMA e-Newsletters: https://icma.org/e-newsletters Follow us! Twitter:   / icma   Facebook:   / icmaorg   LinkedIn:   / icma   Instagram:   / icmaorg