Suicide numbers presented in the May PM article “Trauma Takes Its Toll,” by authors John Fitch and Jim Marshall, are jarring. Among the 4,000 EMS and fire professionals surveyed in 2015 by Fitch & Associates, 37 percent reported contemplating suicide and 6.7 percent had attempted suicide, all higher rates than national averages.

According to the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, at least 759 firefighters have committed suicide since 2012. In law enforcement, estimates suggest between 125 and 300 police officers commit suicide every year. I trust this article can be helpful to managers because it provides actions that can be taken to possibly prevent a continuing rise in the numbers.

More numbers in the article “Losing Experienced Workers Is Costly” by author Howard Risher: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014 the U.S. workforce was some 144 million, including 6.7 million working in public administration. Of this PA workforce, 52 percent are over age 45. Risher writes that emerging skill gaps suggest that replacing these experienced workers will become difficult. He includes 15 ways to encourage these workers to continue contributing to the workplace.

You’ll find more useful facts and numbers in “Local Government That Clicks.” Author John Stephens provides some 40 urls/free apps that are available to local governments needing skilled IT assistance. Volunteer assistance is a growing part of the IT world, and Stephens is a member of a volunteer IT “brigade” or local group of IT specialists who can help convert open data into useful information. He writes that volunteer assistance can provide a starting point, especially for communities with limited IT expertise.

ICMA members Kimball Payne, Carolyn Lehr, and Grayson Path submitted responses to the issue’s On Point question: What’s the Hardest Thing You’ve Ever Done as a Manager? Community crises, employee performance issues, and becoming a leader are among the tougher issues they’ve faced.

Leadership practices is the subject of 3 articles: On the Leadership Path, Promoting Authentic Leadership (book review), and Public Leadership: The Profession We All Depend On.

With the May issue just out in the past two weeks, I’ve already been told by members that the council relations, international ties, and management minute articles are worth reading. These articles together have at least 20 educational tactics that I hope are useful to management professionals!

Numbers? Find out 7 things to do to be more effective and productive in work and life (Thriving at Work and in Life Is a Choice We Can Make) and 9 career-damaging bad listening habits and what you can do about them in (If You Can't Listen, You Will Become Irrelevant).

It’s all in the numbers!

May 2016 PM Magazine

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