Why Councils Feel So Challenging — and How We Can Change the Narrative
This article is adapted from the first in a four-part series of webinars on civility and respect in councils for the SLCC. It explores why local government can feel uniquely challenging, how cultural narratives shape behaviours inside and outside council chambers, and what we can do to build healthier, more resilient working environments.
Why the public sector feels harder than other workplaces
If you’ve ever worked in councils, you’ll know they can feel more challenging than almost any other environment. Budgets are squeezed, workloads never end, and expectations from the community are sky high. But beneath the practical pressures lies something deeper: human psychology and cultural narrative.
Unlike corporate roles where hierarchy and HR structures provide buffers, councils sit in the messy middle of public life. Officers, councillors, and community members are caught in a constant push and pull of accountability, expectation, and scrutiny. To understand this properly, we need to step back and look at the human lens — what makes us thrive, and what undermines us.
The Robin Hood narrative and the Drama Triangle
British culture has long romanticised the tale of Robin Hood: the noble hero fighting the corrupt sheriff. In modern politics and media, this story repeats — “us versus them”, the righteous citizen against the incompetent or exploitative authority.
Applied to councils, it casts local government staff and councillors as the Sheriff of Nottingham: faceless, wasteful, “computer says no.” Meanwhile, the public — often in the form of keyboard warriors — assume the hero role, pointing out flaws, demanding change, and holding councils to account.
Psychology gives us a name for this pattern: the Drama Triangle. Every story needs a hero, a persecutor, and a victim.
The public often sees themselves as the hero, swooping in to save the day.
Councils become the persecutor, accused of wasting money or ignoring residents.
And the community positions itself as the victim of poor governance.
Inside councils, however, the reality looks very different. Most staff and councillors entered public service because they want to do good work, feel connected, and make a difference. They’re trying to play the role of the hero too. But when their efforts are met with criticism or suspicion, the imbalance of the triangle deepens.
The human need for connection
Whether in therapy or governance, the same truth holds: people thrive on connection.
As a counsellor, I know it’s not the technique that heals but the relationship. Clients improve when they feel heard, safe, and connected. And if they leave my sessions and return to an isolated, disconnected life, the healing can unravel.
The same applies in civic life. Council officers and councillors who feel connected to colleagues and communities report higher resilience, stronger purpose, and lower stress. Residents who feel listened to, valued, and engaged show higher levels of trust and wellbeing.
Disconnection, by contrast, breeds resentment, burnout, and disengagement. In public service, this plays out as staff turnover, toxic chambers, and negative community narratives.
The “cortisol sandwich”
One of the reasons council work feels so intense is what I call the cortisol sandwich. Studies show that stress doesn’t peak at the top of organisations (like CEOs or clerks), but in the middle layers of responsibility. Middle managers carry pressure from above and expectations from below.
In councils, this sandwich has extra layers:
Community members demanding more.
Councillors with their own agendas.
Officers and clerks caught in between.
Each unresolved conflict, each negative comment on social media, is like another drip of cortisol. Over time, without balancing rewards like dopamine (progress, achievement) and oxytocin (connection, trust), that drip feed creates burnout.
Recognising burnout in councils
Burnout shows up in subtle but telling ways:
Loss of empathy: a colleague shares bad news and the only response is irritation or indifference.
Sense of futility: “Nothing I do ever amounts to much.”
Withdrawal: dread when opening emails, avoiding residents, reluctance to engage.
This is how dedicated staff become the very caricature they’re accused of being: the jobsworth, the “computer says no.” It isn’t laziness; it’s accumulated exhaustion.
Why some people join councils
Most councillors volunteer with the best of intentions: to serve their community, contribute skills, and make meaningful change. But because of the Robin Hood narrative, councils also attract those who see themselves as disruptors or rescuers. They come in determined to “fix the mess” — often without understanding the structures, limits, or protocols of governance.
Without onboarding, training, or a shared strategy, frustration grows. These councillors may slip into adversarial roles, disrupting not just debates but the culture of the organisation itself. Staff then experience the disrespect directly, sometimes leading to resignations or toxic workplaces.
Changing the narrative: values, strategy, and comms
If we can’t change democracy itself, we can change how councils frame their work and communicate their purpose.
Build strategies around values, not just actions.
Ask communities not only what they think but how they feel. Use questions like, “What’s your favourite part of town?” or “What frustrates you most?” to uncover values that matter. Turn these into pillars (e.g. Cleaner & Greener, Safer Streets, A Bright Future).Tie actions to those pillars.
Every decision, from new bins to tree planting, sits beneath a value. Assign clear ownership, timelines, and success measures.Track visibly.
Use traffic lights: Red (not started), Amber (in progress), Green (achieved). This creates visible progress, fuelling dopamine and oxytocin for staff and councillors alike.Communicate achievements loudly.
Share wins in newsletters, videos, and social media posts. Counteract the algorithm’s negativity bias by deliberately platforming positive stories. Residents become advocates when they see momentum.
Towards civility and respect
The first step to civility and respect in councils is understanding the psychological dynamics at play: the Drama Triangle, the cortisol sandwich, and the human need for connection. From there, we can:
Train councillors and staff in resilience and respectful communication.
Create protocols that set boundaries while still empowering people to contribute.
Build strategies and stories that invite residents to feel part of something bigger.
The outcome isn’t just smoother meetings or happier staff — it’s healthier communities. Councils that model respect, connection, and listening create ripple effects far beyond the chamber, improving trust, wellbeing, and civic pride.
Looking ahead
This article is part one of a four-part exploration. Future sessions will cover:
Personal resilience: how officers and councillors can avoid muddying the waters themselves and stay strong against burnout.
Why people become challenging: the psychological roots of difficult behaviour.
Psychopaths and narcissists in governance: why certain personalities are drawn to power, how to spot traits, and how to protect teams.
Each builds on the last, with one central message: councils are not powerless. By shifting how we frame, engage, and connect, we can reclaim councils as places where both staff and communities thrive.
👉 Want to explore this more deeply? Visit CouncilCulture.uk for free resources, upcoming training dates, and details of my launch webinar.