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City Leadership in the Face of Rising Incivility and Polarisation: Ten Considerations for Mayors and Local Governments

Last updated:

07/12/2025

Publication Date:

07/12/2025

Content Type:

Policy Briefs

Introduction

Around the world, mayors and local governments are grappling with how to mitigate the local impacts that national, regional and global crises are having. They are reckoning with the growing polarisation and rising incivility in their cities and communities. These challenges have far-reaching implications as residents grow increasingly distrustful of institutions and political processes and sceptical of the benefits of civic engagement. As residents withdraw from their communities, polarisation festers and incivility and intolerance become the norm. In a growing number of cases, violence or other harm results.

Mayors are uniquely qualified to confront these challenges by demonstrating and promoting civility and dialogue to foster community connection and belonging. No other level of government leader combines authority, visibility and proximity to residents’ daily lives, making elected local leaders powerful stewards of civic culture. The nature of their office and deep engagement in public life across communities provides mayors, in particular, with the authority to promote and embody civil behaviour. When mayors model respectful dialogue, practice active listening and demonstrate compassion, they help create an environment where residents feel heard, valued and motivated to contribute constructively. When mayors embody empathy, patience and a willingness to understand differing perspectives, they set expectations for how disagreements should be approached, with curiosity rather than suspicion and with a shared commitment to the common good.

This policy brief encapsulates key findings from conversations and interviews Strong Cities Network conducted with mayors and city officials across the globe. It outlines practical steps municipal leaders and governments can take to foster healthier community conversations and turn disagreement into opportunity. Some of the considerations outlined are relevant for mayors and other elected local leaders, some are relevant for local governments and others for both. The considerations include:

• Working with community partners to create accessible forums for public dialogue
• Elevating diverse voices in decision-making
• Promoting active listening
• Building credibility through transparent communication

By leading with civility and compassion, mayors and local governments can help their communities move beyond divisions toward productive, inclusive and sustainable outcomes.

1. Model Civil Discourse and Compassion

Mayors demonstrating civil discourse and compassion is essential for effective governance and sets the tone for their communities. Successful civil discourse involves respectful, constructive communication that works towards finding understanding, even when viewpoints differ. Participants feel heard, the conversation stays productive and the outcome strengthens relationships and trust. When mayors model compassion, especially in times of heightened tension, they strengthen community cohesion and help residents feel seen and heard. Through their actions, they help humanise local government and create a sense of belonging that encourages civic engagement and participation in the governance process. Intentional efforts to demonstrate and encourage civility during public meetings and in civic life (especially among those with differing viewpoints) build public trust, reduce polarisation and leads to better decision-making. When residents see that respectful and transparent civil discourse leads to successful outcomes in local government, they are more likely to exemplify and carry those lessons into their daily lives.

Together, the cities of Tempe and Mesa Arizona created the Disagree Better AZ campaign, a platform originally developed by the National Governors Association to model and promote strategies for healthy civic discourse. The campaign engaged Tempe Mayor Corey Woods, a Democrat, and Mesa Mayor John Giles, a Republican, to model civil dialogue and encourage residents to disagree in a way that avoids polarisation. The campaign offers tools, resources and techniques for communities and individuals to help navigate discussions, find common ground and address challenging issues with civility and respect.  

Active listening is a powerful tool mayors can promote and model for building trust and reducing polarisation and conflict. Active listening involves engaging with the speaker to understand their message and intent and responding in a way that shows genuine engagement. When leaders demonstrate they are willing to reconsider their views after hearing new information or better understanding someone’s lived experience, they build credibility and trust. It signals that public input and civic engagement truly matters, not just as a formality, but as a meaningful part of the decision-making process. It also encourages healthier public dialogue, reflecting opportunities to learn rather than an argument to be won. This encourages residents to be more open to share ideas, collaborate and approach dialogue or discussion on hard topics with flexibility rather than defensiveness. When mayors model this behaviour, they improve problem-solving, policy outcomes and promote a civic culture grounded in respect, learning and shared responsibility.  

2. Formalise a Civility Pledge

Civility pledges can provide communities with both a symbolic commitment and practical framework for strengthening community trust as they set clear standards for public behaviour and guide healthier public engagement. These pledges can establish explicit expectations for how public officials, staff and residents should communicate, collaborate and behave. This sends a strong message that respectful dialogue is not only a mayoral priority but a community norm. A pledge can strengthen public confidence in local governance and reinforce the mayor’s role as a fair and empathetic leader.

Community members are more willing to participate in public meetings and local initiatives when they feel their voices are valued and respected. A civility pledge can help ensure diverse voices, especially those who might otherwise disengage from hostile environments, feel welcome. When conflicts arise, a pledge can act as a shared agreement that leaders can reference to redirect conversations and de-escalate disputes. This norm setting can strengthen community cohesion and help residents see one another as neighbours working towards a shared goal, rather than opponents. This contributes to a more united and resilient community capable of working through differences.

The Pennsylvania (USA) Municipal League’s Civility campaign for elected and appointed officials encourages individuals to complete an online Civility Pledge, committing to civil engagement, respecting different viewpoints and building bridges to achieve better solutions for communities.

3. Be the Chief Convener and Unifier

The mayor can play both a symbolic and strategic role in keeping a city cohesive. As a convener, a mayor can bring residents, cross-sector partners and community and faith leaders together around common issues. Mayors have the authority and visibility to create spaces for dialogue, coordinate efforts on prioritised issues and encourage collaboration among groups that may not otherwise work together. By convening these stakeholders, the mayor can help ensure important decisions reflect a broad range of voices and expertise and ensures that community priorities are addressed. Mayors can help stakeholders break siloed decision-making processes and better coordinate city-wide planning on key issues.

The mayor is in unique position to unify residents and communities around a common vision, to maintain cohesion across diverse neighbourhoods, cultures and interest groups and to provide visible, empathetic leadership that reinforces a sense of safety and common purpose. During a crisis or period of uncertainty, residents look to mayors to be the unifier, communicating shared values and setting a city-wide vision for a better future. Together, these roles allow mayors to lead not just the government, but the entire civic ecosystem of a city.

Former Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, USA) Mayor Bill Peduto, recounting his experience leading his community following the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in US history at the Tree of Life synagogue in October 2018, shared that a mayor’s role following a crisis is to be the face of recovery and a ‘unifier in chief’. This is a leader who is visibly seen with and actively supports victims and impacted communities and who works to prevent ‘us versus them’ narratives by abstaining from policy arguments and instead communicating messages of unity and healing across the community. By visibly modeling empathy, a unifier in chief sets the tone for how the entire community responds to and recovers from tragedy.

4. Communicate Inclusively and Transparently 

Inclusive and transparent communication strengthens democratic governance and builds trust and legitimacy across communities. When a mayor communicates inclusively, they ensure that all communities, especially those historically underrepresented in government processes, can understand, participate in and feel connected to city decision-making. This helps build a sense of belonging and shared ownership over local initiatives. Transparent communication establishes credibility and sets an expectation of how public funds are being used and what outcomes residents can expect from city programs and policies. When mayors share information openly about challenges as well as successes, they demonstrate accountability and reinforce the integrity of municipal leadership. This also empowers residents with information on how to engage government constructively, provide feedback and hold public officials accountable. In times of crises or when community tensions are elevated, clear and transparent communication becomes even more important. It helps counter mis- and dis-information, reduces confusion and fear, and enhances confidence in the city’s response.

Reflecting on his time in leadership during the pandemic, former Anaheim (California, USA) Mayor Harry Sidhu shared guidance for local leaders when responding to crises, emphasising clear and frequent communication, leaning on established partnerships and leveraging data and experts to aid decision-making. These strategies build trust and help set a steady tone of moral and organisational leadership.

Local government can achieve transparent and inclusive communication by intentionally designing how information is shared and residents are engaged with an eye towards equitable access. Because cities serve diverse populations with varying needs, effective communication should include materials and engagement strategies that are culturally relevant and accessible to all residents in all relevant languages. Government leaders should consider proactive partnerships with a diverse range of community-based organisations to create culturally appropriate and accessible materials that can be shared widely across the city. These efforts ultimately strengthen trust, reinforce democratic values and enhance the effectiveness of local government.

5. Prioritise Active Listening

Cities are diverse places where residents reflect a variety of experiences, perspectives and concerns that can be overlooked if leaders rely on outdated or inadequate methods of community input and feedback. Residents hold firsthand knowledge of neighbourhood conditions, service gaps and community challenges that data alone cannot capture. Local government leaders should intentionally create forums and opportunities for all parts of the community to safely share their experiences and opinions. By engaging in active listening – asking questions, seeking out underrepresented voices, reflecting back what they hear and demonstrating how public input shapes local decisions – local government can design solutions that are more responsive and equitable. Setting this norm encourages city staff and partner organisations to adopt similar practices, helping create a city-wide culture of engagement that better reflects the community.  

To ensure it is successfully capturing the voice and priorities of its youth, the City of Toronto (Ontario, Canada) developed a Youth Engagement Strategy. Designed for youth by youth, the plan helps mobilise youth engagement in four focus areas across city planning. The proactive strategy helps ensure city planning processes are inclusive and representative of the entire community, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among youth.  

6. Proactively Engage Diverse Communities

Proactively engaging diverse communities enhances equity, trust and effectiveness of city governance by ensuring all voices are heard in decision-making processes and helps prevent policies that unintentionally exclude or harm marginalised groups. If a mayor engages only the most vocal or well-connected individuals or groups, important perspectives are lost, and local policies can unintentionally reinforce inequities. Proactive engagement ensures that communities who may have historically been overlooked or ignored, including immigrants, people with disabilities and communities of colour, are included in shaping decisions that impact their lives. This purposefully designed outreach and engagement leads to more fair, relevant, and sustainable policies.

This engagement also builds trust in government systems that may have previously harmed or not adequately served certain communities. When local government leaders make intentional efforts to host listening sessions, partner with community and cultural leaders or attend community events, they signal respect and commitment to improved relations. These actions can help repair relationships, improve public confidence and foster a stronger sense of civic belonging. A mayor who proactively engages all communities can surface challenges sooner, build broad-based support for initiatives and ensure success by forming policies that work for all residents.

Community or cultural leaders that control access of these communities can be valuable partners for mayors but may represent only a subset of perspectives. Relying too heavily on these partners risks missing young or emerging voices, reinforcing power imbalances, misunderstanding community needs or neglecting the diversity in viewpoint within a community. To avoid this, mayors should broaden their outreach methods to gain insights from a wider range of residents, consult multiple community organisations and avoid overdependence on ‘go-to’ group or leaders. Mayors can also increase transparency about how decisions are informed, creating accountability for engagement practices and allowing new voices to emerge.

Newark (New Jersey, USA) Mayor Ras Baraka initiated an integrated and innovative approach to capturing and integrating diverse voices into local decision-making processes. The strategy focuses on leveraging strategic partnerships, implementing targeted outreach and ensuring Black people are fully represented in local governance through the statewide ‘Black Agenda’. This approach ensures local government prioritises equity-based policies and a commitment to listening to communities that have historically been left out civic engagement.

In 2021, the City of Bellevue (Washington, USA) City Council launched the Centering Communities of Color (CCC) Initiative, an innovative public engagement method to better capture resident voices to help shape city policy. Phase I of the CCC focused on trust building through community dialogue sessions, prioritising cultural responsiveness, language access and compensation for community expertise.  

7. Cultivate ‘Third Spaces’ for Humanising Dialogue

Third spaces, i.e. social spaces outside of home and work, serve as places where people can interact and connect with their community, make humanising connections across communities or opposing groups and lay the groundwork for deeper understanding and dialogue. Unlike formal civic spaces, third spaces cultivate organic conversation, social mixing and reduce barriers to participation. For mayors, third spaces offer powerful opportunities for fostering civic belonging and participation and promoting social cohesion by meeting people where they are. These spaces are more familiar, accessible and less intimidating than traditional government-led forums and events.

Mayors and local governments can support third spaces by collaborating with local businesses and community hubs to host conversations, distribute information and seek feedback in familiar settings. Mayors can encourage or, where appropriate, direct local government to offer municipal buildings and property to host community events to bring diverse groups together in fellowship and celebration.

The City of Albuquerque (New Mexico, USA) partnered with local McDonald’s owners to host a series of Citywide Coffee with A Cop events throughout the community. These events served as an opportunity for neighbours to come together and discuss concerns or ideas to improve the community with local patrol officers in an informal setting.

The City of Colorado Springs (Colorado, USA) supported the 1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings initiative, encouraging residents to host or attend neighbourhood gatherings to promote community connections and address social isolation.

In the summer and fall of 2025, the City of Brooklyn Center (Minnesota, USA) hosted the Neighborhood Meetings series in local parks, offering an opportunity for neighbours to come together, meet elected officials, hear community updates and share their ideas and feedback with local government.

In 2024, Columbia (South Carolina, USA) Mayor Daniel Rickenmann announced the city’s new 4 Block Promise initiative. The initiative aims to increase community outreach and engagement through strategic collaborations with faith-based partners. Faith institutions are encouraged to take ownership of the four blocks around their houses of worship by hosting community events and promoting community connections to build social cohesion and help address the most pressing issues in their neighbourhoods.

8. Guide Disagreement toward Productive Outcomes

Mayors can guide disagreement towards productive outcomes by creating structures, norms and opportunities that move conflict towards constructive dialogue and collaborative problem-solving which accepts that disagreement is an inevitable and healthy part of civic life. The goal is not to eliminate disagreement but channel it into processes that build understanding, generate better solutions and strengthen civic trust. Mayors can help achieve this by setting the tone through modelling respectful behaviour in policy debates or contentious moments and communicating shared values like fairness, respect and commitment to the common good. They can also create structured, inclusive forums for discussion that minimises polarisation by supporting solution-oriented dialogue. These forums could include facilitated listening sessions, participatory budgeting meetings, advisory councils and working groups focused on key community issues. Residents may lose faith if their feedback from these collaborative conversations leads nowhere. Leaders should work to translate this dialogue into visible action by sharing next steps and progress updates on key projects and remain transparent when certain proposals do not move forward. Seeing tangible progress reinforces that opposing or alternative ideas are not just tolerated but meaningfully integrated into decision-making.

Local government should consider partnering with community organisations to offer training on mediation, conflict management and resolution, and values-based negotiation to staff and residents. These trainings can be leveraged in community engagement sessions and public meetings and can help build community capacity, reduce polarisation and foster civic cohesion.

When mayors, city councils and local governments create conditions where people can disagree constructively, they transform disagreement from a source of division to a driver of stronger, more democratic governance. To this end, the City of Charlotte (North Carolina, USA) offers free ‘Conflict Resolution for Neighbourhood Organizations’ workshops open to residents and community groups to help build skills in active listening, de-escalation and mediation.

The National Civic League’s Promising Practices Database features innovative programmes, strategies and tools from local governments across the US that cities can consider to help them build capacity and improve civic engagement and participation.

To elicit more productive resident feedback and reduce council meeting disruptions, the Boulder City Council (Colorado, USA) developed Community and Council Forums reimagining traditional council meetings as spaces for structured dialogue rather than standard public comment periods. The format aimed to promote diverse participation, better facilitate dialogue through breakout groups and dismantle traditional hierarchies in public meetings.

The Standing Strong Toolkit: A CAO’s Guide to Professionalism Amidst Incivility from the Canadian Association Municipal Administrators provides tools and resources for Chief Administrative Officers navigating incivility from residents, staff, stakeholders and elected leaders. The toolkit includes strategies on recognising early warning signs of incivility and building resilience and self-care.

9. Set the Standard: Zero Tolerance for Hate

Mayors and local governments can set a standard for zero tolerance by taking a visible, consistent and proactive approach that signals to residents, institutions, community partners and city staff that discrimination, harassment and violence will not be tolerated. Sharing these values helps protect vulnerable communities, reinforces trust and government, and fosters a safe work and civic environment.

Mayors should consider issuing a clear public statement denouncing hate and intolerance in all forms. This statement can be leveraged to regularly reiterate the city’s commitment to zero tolerance as an ongoing priority, and not just as a reactive stance to current events. This statement could be published online and shared at all city-owned public buildings and spaces. Beyond the statement, mayors should ensure city programs and services are safe, welcoming and accessible to all residents. Local government leaders can collaborate with faith groups, advocacy organisations and neighbourhood associations on awareness campaigns to educate residents on conflict management, dialogue building and the harms of hate.

In 2019, elected and appointed officials and city staff from the City of Highland Park (Illinois, USA) drafted a Statement Against Hate emphasising the City’s commitment to stand against all forms of hate, discrimination, and harassment. The statement was updated in July 2023, a year after a mass shooting killed seven and wounded over 40 residents at an Independence Day parade. The statement has been frequently leveraged in response to local and national events that are counter to city values.

10. Prepare the City’s Leadership Team – do not wait for a crisis

Mayors and local governments can help prepare the city’s leadership team to appropriately respond to incivility by building skills, establishing clear norms and protocols and fostering resilience within their team. When tensions heighten and incivility arises, whether from fellow colleagues, residents or political actors, city staff should be equipped to respond calmly and effectively to prevent an escalation that can disrupt governance.

Internally, local governments should establish clear behavioural norms and expectations, for staff through a defined code of conduct and clear, standard responses to breaches of rules. Leaders should consider training staff in conflict management and de-escalation through guides and workshops on active listening, mediation and crisis communication. They should also ensure that city staff are familiar with mental health and peer support options available to them and encourage stress management and empathy skill building to foster resilience following an incident or escalation of incivility.

Mayors can best prepare staff by modelling civility at the top. The mayor’s behaviour sets the tone for city leadership and wider civic environment. Demonstrating patience, empathy and fairness under pressure builds trust among staff and helps preserve civic order and community trust.

In 2021, the City of San Diego adopted and later published an online Inclusive Public Engagement Guide for city staff to leverage before, during and after public engagement events. The guide standardises public participation techniques to ensure consistency across city government and features resources on conflict management, inclusive language and trauma-informed community engagement.

In December 2024, the City of Sydney (New South Wales, Australia) re-adopted the Code of Meeting Practice with updates and enhancements to ensure all meetings of the Council and its Committees are fair and respectful, conducted in a transparent, orderly and consistent manner and that all Councillors have an equal opportunity to participate. 

Conclusion

Modelling and strengthening civility is essential for mayors, other, elected local leaders, and local governments because they operate at the closest level to residents and play an integral role in shaping the tone of a city’s civic environment. Civility from local leaders and officials is not just symbolic, it is foundational to effective governance. Their actions directly influence how communities handle disagreement, navigate tension and engage across differences. When local leaders demonstrate civility through active listening, respectful dialogue and steady leadership, they build trust and prevent tension or conflict from escalating. Promoting civility also strengthens the legitimacy of local government by fostering a civic culture where residents feel heard and are more willing to participate constructively in working towards a common good. By embedding civil norms in internal and external processes and community engagement, local governments help create healthier and more resilient communities.

Strong Cities will continue to create opportunities for city-to-city learning, knowledge sharing and provide tools and resources focused on strengthening social cohesion through a whole-of-city approach to prevention. Building on the themes and good practices from this report, upcoming activities will prioritise supporting local leaders in advancing practical, city-led solutions to hate, incivility and polarisation.

Additional Resources  

• Mayoral Leadership in the Face of Rising Incivility and Polarisation: Modelling Civility and Bridging Divides in Times of Crisis – Strong Cities Network (November 2025)
• A Toolkit for Cities: Building a Multi-Actor Local Prevention Framework – Strong Cities Network (October 2025)
• A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism & Polarisations, Strong Cities Network (updated March 2025)
• A Guide for Cities: Preventing Hate, Extremism & Polarisation (see Navigating Difficult Issues), Strong Cities Network (updated March 2025)
• A Guide for City-Led Response, Strong Cities Network (updated February 2025)
• A Ten-Step Roadmap for Enhancing City-Led Support for Community-Based Programmes to Address Hate and Extremism, Strong Cities Network (February 2025)
• City-Led Youth Engagement in Addressing Hate, Extremism and Polarisation: Ten Recommendations for Cities (February 2025)
• Bridging Differences Playbook, Greater Good Science Center & Bridging Differences (February 2025)
• Countering Hate Speech in Times of Crisis: Considerations for Mayors and Local Governments, Strong Cities Network (December 2024)

Contact

For more information on Strong Cities programming, tools and resources, please contact the North America Regional Hub at [email protected]

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