Municipal Leaders: Develop Faster, Lead Stronger, Build Better
Every week, you’ll get insights and actionable steps to help you navigate personal growth and professional success.
You hired good people. You know they’re capable. So why does your talented team seem disengaged during strategic planning but energized during crisis response?
Why do some council meetings leave you feeling drained while others fuel your enthusiasm for the work? Why does that department head who’s brilliant at operations struggle to build support for new initiatives?
Here’s the breakthrough: It’s not about competence. It’s about alignment.
Episode 230 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
What happens when you’ve spent your entire career building and protecting the city you grew up in, only to face the challenge of handing it over to the next generation?
That’s the story of William “Buzzy” Newman, former city manager and now assistant city manager of Henderson, Kentucky. His leadership journey is anything but conventional. From being the son of a six-term mayor, to leading Henderson through economic transformation, social unrest, and the chaos of COVID, Buzzy embodies what it means to lead with courage, honesty, and a love for community.
Episode 229 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
Most municipal leaders learn their craft in boardrooms, classrooms, or city council chambers. Jason Monroe learned his in burning buildings and on the back of an ambulance.
Before becoming City Manager of Frankfort, Kentucky, Jason spent more than two decades as a firefighter and paramedic. His career path was anything but conventional, beginning with an EMT class he took on a whim, leading to years of public safety service, and ultimately landing him in the city’s top leadership role.
Are you exhausted from trying to be everything to everyone?
Do you feel like you’re supposed to be a budget wizard, crisis communication expert, strategic visionary, and community relations master all rolled into one superhuman city manager?
Are your best people leaving because they’re tired of being told to fix their weaknesses instead of using their strengths?
Episode 227 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
When you hear “Medina, Washington,” you might picture manicured waterfront estates, private security gates, and neighbors named Gates or Bezos. From the outside, it looks like a city flush with wealth. But as veteran city manager Doug Schulze shares in this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, the reality is far more complicated: a city filled with billionaires can still struggle to pay its bills.
Episode 226 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Tyler Technologies and Zencity
In Episode 226 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, I sat down with Andrew Hart, Town Manager of Carmel, Maine. Andrew’s story is a masterclass in resilience, humility, and the unseen realities of municipal leadership.
Most city managers never plan to enter the profession. Andrew certainly didn’t. But at just 24 years old, he was thrown headfirst into leadership when his town uncovered embezzlement, all before he’d even officially started. His trial by fire set the stage for a career that would span three decades, across towns and counties, with lessons every local government leader can relate to.
This week, we’re exploring Thomas Erikson’s “Surrounded by Idiots,” a fascinating guide to understanding the four personality types that shape every interaction in your professional life. Based on the proven DISC behavioral model, this book reveals why smart people often seem to completely miss each other’s points and provides a practical framework for communicating effectively with anyone.
Episode 224 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
Scott Andrews didn’t take the straight road into city management. He started as a recreation supervisor, hustling his way into opportunities by handing out resumes at conferences, introducing himself to strangers, and following up with handwritten thank-you cards.
That persistence paid off. He helped build Sugar Hill, Georgia’s downtown from scratch, transformed development in Smyrna during the Atlanta Braves’ stadium move, and eventually took the reins as City Manager of Covington—all before moving west to serve in Bakersfield, California, and now as County Manager in New Mexico.
But behind the titles is a much deeper story.
Episode 223 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Brought to you by Zencity and Tyler Technologies
What does it take to become a city manager? For Dylan Ward of Henderson, Kentucky, the journey started with a box of Legos.
As a kid, Dylan loved to build, problem-solve, and create. That curiosity led him to study civil engineering. But he soon realized he didn’t want to spend his life behind a computer screen designing projects in AutoCAD. He wanted to be where the action was—out in the field, working with people, and seeing ideas come to life.
You’ve balanced another budget. Completed another major project. Navigated another political crisis. Your performance metrics look strong, your council is satisfied, and your community is growing. By every traditional measure, you’re succeeding.
So why do you feel like you’re failing at what matters most?
