Implications of successful career paths of top local government finance managers

Little is known about successful local government financial management careers and their implications for organizations. This study identifies three levels of career success-top managers, aspirants, and the plateaued status-and how these groups differ on important personal and professional characteristics. Findings reveal that top managers differ in important ways from aspirants and the plateaued. Furthermore, top managers hired from outside the organization pay more attention to the financial viability of the organization and are more willing to innovate financially than those promoted from within. Results have implications for professionals, their employing organizations, educators, and the ethics of government finance.