Will millennials have the opportunity, capacity and right stuff to lead?

A wave of bright, young leaders is rising across the country, from Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend (IN) to Mayor Lydia Mihalik of Findlay (OH) to Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami. Millennial leaders possess many characteristics that public executives need to face the future—the humility to be admit ignorance, the courage to ask questions, the ability to multi-task and the willingness to share and borrow great ideas.

Distressed or stagnating local jurisdictions, like South Bend was in 2012 when Newsweek labeled it one of “America’s Dying Cities,” will test our local leaders. But they also will offer exciting opportunities for the untested idealists of today to become the proven leaders of tomorrow. A youthful public executive office offers hope to voters, an opportunity to replace nostalgia with foresight, to see old problems with new eyes, to trade caution and certainty for innovation and experimentation.

The torch of leadership is inevitably from one generation to the next. Millennials are no different. They may surface first in local government, but their service as Mayor or County Executive will likely be a stepping stone to higher executive office. We should embrace such rising stars and help them take the next step.

If we believe in government and care about its quality, we must think more about how to enhance its leadership. Supporting young, emerging leaders can take many forms, but one way is to provide them with the systems and tools they will need to attain their vision for their communities and restore public faith in government.