Leading in a Crisis: A Tribute to Mayors of the World

Toronto, June 24, 2020- CitiIQ dedicates this communication to the Mayors of the world who, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic are facing the ultimate test of leadership – keeping their people alive. 

The mayor of a town or city exercises leadership that is public, symbolic, practical, direct and personal -often all at once. The Chain of Office, a rather unwieldy decoration worn by Mayors for centuries, symbolizes that they have been appointed with unique responsibilities to serve their neighbours and fellow-citizens: they have a profoundly local duty. With myriad roles and expectations, a Mayor is constantly pressed for time, faces shortages of resources to run their town or city, and must balance significant competing interests and claims.

“The city, always the human habitat of first resort…has become democracy’s best hope.”

Benjamin Barber, founder of the Global Parliament of Mayors

And in a crisis, one of life and death, the role of a Mayor takes on newfound prominence. With little time for endless debate, the people are looking for – indeed are counting on - wise leadership and a trusted voice they can follow. Thankfully, the world’s Mayors have stepped up to the COVID-19 challenge.

City residents may not think of their mayor when considering the global pandemic, but with 60% of the world living in cities, the leadership efforts of local elected officials will determine, to a large degree, how we emerge from COVID-19. While it seems that the work of waste collection, taxation, delivery of clean water and law enforcement is challenge enough in normal times, local councils around the world are being asked to continue these services and manage a pandemic simultaneously.

“The reality is that mayors don’t rule the world… they run the world—or much of it, anyway.”

Milton Friesen, Stanford Social Innovation Review

The mission of CitiIQ is to help a city achieve its destiny. It does this through the deployment of a unique system that comprehensively measures city health and wellbeing. CitiIQ provides coherent, clear, and useable information for leaders like mayors and their local officials. This insight enables them to see, in a timely way, how their community is doing, even in very dynamic circumstances. This is our way of providing support for the challenging work of municipal leadership. 

The destiny of virtually every city in the world is being reshaped in a very short time by the impact of COVID-19.  While Public office is always challenging, in this crisis, the pressure on your Mayor who lives where they lead, is enormous.

“…a mayor looks the people in the eye every day.”

Bart Somers, 2016 World Mayor prize winner

We call on the people of cities everywhere to unite in gratitude and support behind their Mayor and fuel them with their encouragement and trust.