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Municipal leadership comes with challenges few people outside the profession fully understand.
The difficult decisions. The competing expectations. The responsibility for people, organizations, and communities. And the reality that even the most experienced leaders don’t always have someone they can talk to openly.
That’s why we created MLDC Masterminds.
Small, intentionally assembled groups of municipal leaders from across the country who come together to share experiences, challenge perspectives, navigate difficult decisions, and build trusted relationships that extend far beyond a monthly meeting.
Because the right people around you can change the way you lead.
Not another webinar. Not another leadership course. A circle of leaders who understand your world.
Each Mastermind brings together 8–10 municipal leaders in a hand-selected cohort built around shared leadership contexts, complementary experiences, and diverse perspectives.
Members meet virtually throughout the year for candid conversations about the challenges, decisions, and opportunities they’re navigating in real time.
There are no canned presentations or predetermined lessons.
Instead, members bring their actual experiences into the conversation. They ask questions, challenge assumptions, share perspectives, and help one another lead with greater clarity and confidence.
It’s not about having someone tell you what to do. It’s about having the right people around you while you figure it out.
A facilitated, monthly 90-minute virtual Mastermind session with the same cohort throughout a year. The same leaders. Deeper relationships. Meaningful growth.
Every session combines two essential dimensions of leadership:
30 Minutes | LIFE
A confidential conversation about the personal and professional realities of leadership, because the person behind the position matters just as much as the position itself.
60 Minutes | LEADERSHIP
Focused conversations, peer problem-solving, and leadership hot seats built around the challenges members are actually facing, from difficult personnel decisions and council relationships to organizational culture, strategic priorities, and personal leadership growth.
The conversations are relevant because they’re driven by the leaders in the room.
Our January 2027 Mastermind cohorts are currently being finalized, but we’re continuing to connect with municipal leaders interested in future groups.
If you’d like to be considered for an upcoming cohort, we invite you to complete a short application.
Applications help us understand your leadership role, the challenges you’re navigating, and the perspectives you would bring to a group.
When an appropriate opportunity becomes available, we’ll reach out to explore whether it’s the right fit.
Completing an application does not guarantee placement. Cohorts are intentionally assembled to create the strongest possible experience for every participant.
If you’re an ICMA Credentialed Manager, you already know that professional development isn’t difficult to find.
Documenting it can be.
For applicable MLDC programming, Credentialed Managers receive clear documentation identifying the activity, professional development hours, format, relevant ICMA Practices for Effective Local Government Leadership, and learning context.
We prepare the documentation. You add your personal learning reflection.
No digging through old agendas.
No reconstructing session descriptions months later.
No trying to determine which ICMA Practices apply.
It’s one more way we’re making MLDC participation practically useful for municipal leaders.
The annual investment is $1,500 per participant for the virtual Mastermind experience.
No. MLDC is open to municipal leaders regardless of ICMA membership or credentialing status.
Cohorts are personally assembled based on leadership role, community context, experience, perspective, and group compatibility. Selection is not first-come, first-served.
Yes. Trust is foundational to the experience. Members are expected to maintain the confidentiality of conversations within their cohort.
Consistent participation is essential. Members are expected to prioritize their sessions, with limited absences permitted under the participation agreement.
New cohorts are formed as sufficient interest develops among leaders with compatible roles, experiences, and leadership contexts. Applicants will be contacted when a potential opportunity becomes available.
Yes. Municipalities can pay by invoice/check or credit card.
Applicable sessions can support ICMA-CM professional development documentation. We provide information about session hours, leadership practices, and learning context to make reporting easier.
