Coping with dilemma in the council-manager relationship : an analysis of managerial behavior

The purpose of this study is to consider the influence-survival dilemma confronting the city manager and to examine how he copes with the dilemma. The managerial imperatives to influence council decisions and to politically survive while exercising influence pose an apparent dilemma for the city manager. To cope with the dilemma, the manager must in some manner integrate the two imperatives.

The strong executive and role conformity models of managerial behavior applied in previous studies suggest two disparate explanations of how the manager copes with the dilemma. Responses of Tennessee city managers in interviews and seminar sessions confirm the significance of the managerial dilemma. Furthermore, the strong executive and role conformity models are found to be inadequate in explaining how the manager integrates the imperatives of influence and survival. An alternative model of managerial behavior based on the strategy of impression management is suggested.