Impounded: Lessons in Leadership, Humanity, and Holding the Line
From summer camp cabins to the city impound lot — stories of chaos, humor, and hope that reveal what it really takes to lead in messy systems.
About the Book
What can a former summer camp director learn at a city impound lot? More than you’d think.
When Chris Rehs-Dupin traded cabins and campfires for tow trucks and ticket disputes, he stepped into one of the loudest, toughest, and most thankless workplaces in the city. What followed was three years of chaos, conflict, hard-won lessons—and a surprising amount of grace.
Impounded: Real Lessons in Leadership, Humanity, and Holding the Line is part memoir, part field guide to human leadership. From late-night customer meltdowns to cashier team rivalries, Chris tells raw, funny, and deeply human stories that always circle back to the lesson inside. Each chapter pairs real-life absurdity with a “Human Code”—a counterweight to City Code—offering practical takeaways on leadership, staying human, trust, conflict, burnout, and resilience.
For anyone who’s led a summer camp, managed a public service team, or just tried to build community in impossible places, Impounded is proof that meaning can emerge even in the messiest systems. At its heart, it’s not a book about cars or municipal rules. It’s a book about people—their desperation, their humor, and the hope that shows up where you least expect it.
Keynotes Based on Impounded
Chris Rehs-Dupin delivers keynotes that blend humor, storytelling, and real-world lessons from one of the unlikeliest places imaginable: the city impound lot. A former camp director turned civil servant, Chris takes audiences inside a workplace full of chaos, conflict, and comedy — and pulls out timeless insights on leadership, resilience, and humanity. His talks are funny, raw, and deeply practical, reminding us that even in the messiest systems, there’s always room to learn, laugh, and lead with hope.
Fail Better: Lessons in Failing and Trying Again
At the impound lot, failure wasn’t optional — it was daily. From bungled surveys to customer blowups, Chris learned that the real test wasn’t about avoiding mistakes, but about what you do after them. This keynote explores the power of resilience, humor, and humility in failure — and how “trying again” can become a leadership superpower.
Staying Close to Good: Leading with Humanity in Hard Places
Between angry customers, shifting rules, and staff conflicts, Chris found that the real work was not about cars — it was about people. This keynote invites audiences to explore what it means to “stay close to good” in leadership: centering compassion, protecting dignity, and remembering that people, not policies, are what make systems work.
No Parking Anytime: Leading Change Without Speeding
At the impound lot, rules and systems shifted constantly — you couldn’t stop for too long. This keynote explores how leaders can embrace change as necessary, but not overwhelming: pacing it thoughtfully, bringing people along, and remembering that sustainable change is always better than sudden overhaul.