New Study Highlights Alarming Leadership Gaps in Local Government

Government Leadership Solutions (GLS) has just released the 2025 State of Local Government Leadership Pipeline Study, uncovering deepening leadership gaps and alarming trends affecting local governments nationwide. This latest research highlights the erosion of public trust, talent retention challenges, and significant budget constraints that are affecting leadership development and succession planning.

The report introduces three new leadership personas: Challengers, Culturists, and Guardians, each representing the evolving dynamics and demands on today’s public-sector leaders.

Among the most striking findings:

• 65% of local government leaders cite erosion of public trust as a major obstacle to effective governance.
• 59% report ongoing struggles with retaining top talent.
• 53% face budget limitations that impact succession planning and leadership development.
• 49% identify workplace culture as a top area of concern and opportunity.

To explore these insights and actionable strategies, GLS is hosting a live webinar on May 14, 2025, at 1:00 PM MST. This interactive session will guide local government leaders, HR professionals, and talent strategists through the study’s results and highlight real-world approaches being used by peer agencies.

Webinar Registration: Register here

To read the full press release, click here: Press Release – PR Newswire

At Government Leadership Solutions, we’re committed to changing the world one local government at a time.