How is your community navigating the national divide?

The Trust Paradox

Here’s the paradox: Americans trust local government far more than federal government – 67% versus under 20%. Yet local leaders increasingly feel the spillover effects of national polarization in their daily work. Council relationships, public meetings, and stakeholder expectations all operate differently than they did five years ago.

This creates a Face the Truth challenge – not because local government is broken, but because the environment around it has shifted. The playbook that worked in 2019 doesn’t account for the new pressures local leaders navigate today.

Why This Matters

Local government is where democracy actually works. It’s where people interact with their government directly, where services get delivered, where problems get solved. When national polarization spills into local governance, it doesn’t just make meetings harder – it threatens the one level of government most Americans still trust.

The research suggests two things simultaneously: local government is more resilient than headlines suggest, AND the pressures are real and increasing. Leaders who navigate this well aren’t the ones who avoid controversy. They’re the ones who’ve built environments where disagreement can happen productively – where people can work together despite different political identities.

This is why The Shift That Sticks methodology emphasizes seeing reality clearly before trying to change it. The political environment has shifted. Acknowledging that – without catastrophizing it – is the first step toward adapting effectively.

One conversation to try this week: Ask a colleague, “What’s one way the political environment has changed how we do our work?” Then listen without defending the old approach. The answer tells you something about what your team is actually navigating.