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Every week, you’ll get insights and actionable steps to help you navigate personal growth and professional success.
“I don’t have time for professional development.”
It’s a common refrain among city managers, and understandably so. Between council meetings, community crises, budget challenges, and departmental oversight, finding time for leadership development can feel impossible. But what if the path to transformative growth didn’t require hours of your already-packed schedule?
Picture yourself in your office at city hall on a typical Tuesday morning. Your inbox is overflowing with urgent requests, three department heads are waiting for critical decisions, and the mayor just texted about an emerging community crisis. Meanwhile, you’re trying to maintain focus on the long-term strategic initiatives that will shape your city’s future. Sound familiar?
This is the daily reality for city managers across the country – a complex dance of immediate demands and strategic vision, political navigation and organizational leadership, personal well-being and public service. But what if there was a framework specifically designed to help you not just survive these challenges, but transform them into opportunities for growth and impact?
As we approach the final days of 2024, I’m reminded of Stephen Covey’s profound insight about proactive leaders: “They pick up the phone while others are letting it ring. They act while others are being acted upon.”
This principle has never been more relevant for municipal leaders. In my conversations this week alone, I’ve heard two distinct perspectives:
“I need to wait until the new budget cycle to think about development.”
“I can’t afford another year of reactive leadership.”
One of these leaders will transform their municipality in 2025. The other will be having the same conversation next December.
Hello, Impactful City Leaders!
Welcome to this week’s edition of “The Leader’s Lens!” As we gather during this special week between Christmas and New Year’s, we’re exploring Stephen Covey’s timeless wisdom through a municipal lens, discovering how his principles can transform both our leadership impact and personal effectiveness in 2025.
As we close out both this holiday week and 2024, it’s time to transform the powerful insights from Covey’s work into concrete action steps for your municipal leadership journey. This week, we’ve explored three transformative habits: Beginning with the End in Mind, Seeking First to Understand, and Sharpening the Saw. Now, let’s create a practical implementation plan that works in the real world of city management.
The decorations are still up, the leftovers are still in the fridge, and that familiar post-Christmas contemplation sets in. As municipal leaders, this quiet moment between Christmas and New Year’s offers us a rare gift – the space to think beyond the urgent and consider the ultimate.
Stephen Covey challenges us to “begin with the end in mind.” But let’s be honest: When was the last time you had the clarity and space to truly envision your leadership legacy?
As we gather with loved ones this holiday season, many city managers find themselves still tethered to their phones, responding to emails between family moments, or mentally processing work challenges during what should be downtime. This reality makes Covey’s seventh habit, “Sharpen the Saw,” perhaps the most crucial yet challenging principle for municipal leaders to embrace.
In municipal leadership, there is a common temptation to pride oneself on the ability to explain complex policies, defend budget decisions, or present compelling visions for your cities. Yet, as Stephen Covey teaches in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” the most powerful tool in our leadership arsenal isn’t our ability to speak – it’s our capacity to truly understand.
As I sit here on Christmas Eve, I’m reminded of a conversation I had last week with a city manager. “Seth,” he said, his voice tired, “I just want time to focus on what actually matters. Everything feels urgent, but I’m not sure it’s all important.”
His words echo Stephen Covey’s profound insight: “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Yet for most municipal leaders, this feels like an impossible dream – especially during the holidays when personal and professional demands collide with even greater intensity.
In the quiet moments between council meetings and community crises, we’ve captured something special: a celebration of municipal leadership wrapped in holiday tradition. Today, we’re excited to present a unique tribute to city managers in two formats: an immersive audio experience on the HaltingWinter Podcast and a beautifully crafted PDF keepsake.
When everyone else has gone home for the holidays, city managers remain vigilant, ensuring their communities continue to thrive. This reimagining of the classic “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” honors that dedication, transforming municipal service into holiday magic. From neighborhood concerns to late-night emergencies, this poem captures the essence of local government leadership with a festive twist.
Listen to the Story: Episode 129 of The HaltingWinter Podcast brings this municipal Christmas tale to life through narration.
Download the PDF: Our professionally designed PDF version serves as a lasting reminder of municipal leadership’s impact.
In local government, the holiday season doesn’t mean operations pause. This piece recognizes those who maintain our communities while others celebrate – the true spirit of public service wrapped in seasonal charm.
Know a city manager, department head, or municipal leader who could use some holiday encouragement? Forward them this celebration of their dedication.
From our office to your city hall, thank you for your unwavering commitment to public service. Here’s to the leaders who, like the poem’s protagonist, ensure our communities thrive through every season.
Seth Winterhalter is President of HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions, dedicated to making stronger cities through stronger leaders. Through executive coaching, results-based consulting, and the Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC), HaltingWinter helps city managers and municipal leaders transform their vision into reality while building lasting foundations for community success. Looking for year-round municipal leadership development? Explore the Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) for ongoing support and growth: www.HaltingWinter.com/MLDC
