When Things Go Off the Rails: Leadership Derailment in Local Government

Abstract

Using focus group data, this exploratory study examines beliefs about leadership derailment among local elected officials across North Carolina. Our respondents generally conceptualized derailment as the consequences that had happened to elected leaders, particularly no longer being in office, and identified a range of problematic behaviors that can derail officials. Compared to the private sector, derailment in a public setting can impact a wider segment of society. It can occur when elected public officials violate not only professional but also broader public service values or when they have missteps outside of their governance roles.