Employee-driven initiative strengthens Team Dublin’s culture, collaboration and commitment to exceptional public service
(Dublin, Ohio) — The City of Dublin has received the International City/County Management Association’s (ICMA) Strategic Leadership and Governance Award for the development and implementation of its Culture Playbook, recognizing the City’s commitment to building a stronger, more connected organization through employee engagement and shared values.
The award is part of ICMA’s Local Government Excellence Awards Program, which recognizes outstanding achievements in professional local government management.
“Our Culture Playbook gives us a shared language for who we are and how we work together,” said Lindsay Weisenauer, chief communications & public relations officer. “Its value is not simply in articulating our culture, but in helping us live it every day—in how we support one another, approach challenges and serve our community.”
Developed in response to employee engagement survey findings, the City of Dublin Culture Playbook was designed to strengthen organizational alignment and create a shared understanding of the values and behaviors that define Team Dublin. In 2023, the City gathered employee feedback through an engagement survey completed by nearly 70% of employees, five focus groups involving 40 employees and a collaborative workshop to help define the culture framework.
In 2024, all full-time employees participated in an eight-hour training session focused on the Playbook’s core beliefs: Better Together, Driven by Excellence and Dedicated to Service. The rollout introduced the concept of “20 Square Feet,” encouraging every employee to take ownership of their immediate sphere of influence and contribute to a positive workplace culture.
Since its launch, the Culture Playbook has become part of the City’s everyday practices, including new employee onboarding, leadership development, department meetings and employee recognition programs. Culture moments, Celebration Stations and recognition programs such as the Strongest Link award reinforce the behaviors that support collaboration, accountability and exceptional service.
In the City’s 2025 post-implementation employee engagement survey, 74% of employees reported that the City operates according to strong values, while 70% said they experience a sense of inclusion among their coworkers.
ICMA received more than 200 nominations across five Outstanding Local Government Program Award categories. Awards recognize communities across three population ranges: fewer than 10,000 residents, 10,000 to 49,999 residents and 50,000 or more residents.
The award was presented during ICMA’s Annual Conference in Long Beach, California, Oct. 17–21, 2026. Weisenauer and City Engineer Jeremy Hoyt, both ICMA members, accepted the award on behalf of the City. Weisenauer also presented a conference session titled “Reclaiming Civic Trust: New Models for Fiscal Transparency and Engagement,” where she shared real-world examples of how Dublin’s approach to communication and public engagement promotes transparency and informs policy decisions.
Award recipients will also be highlighted in the October 2026 issue of PM magazine.
About the City of Dublin, Ohio, USA
Dublin is a city of nearly 50,000 residents located just northwest of Columbus, Ohio. It offers residents and corporate citizens responsive services, attractive housing options, superior public education, direct regional highway access, abundant park space, thoughtful and strategic planning, innovative ideas and technology and a dynamic community life. Dublin is ranked the number one small city in Ohio and is consistently named one of the safest cities in the nation. It is home to more than 20 corporate headquarters, an entrepreneurial center, 4,300+ businesses, world-class events and the urban, walkable Bridge Street District. For more information, visit DublinOhioUSA.gov or call 614.410.4400.
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Media Contact:
Aisling Babbitt
Deputy Director of Communications & Marketing
614.410.4508
ababbitt@dublin.oh.us
Newsroom: https://dublinohiousa.gov/newsroom/
