Cultural Beliefs and Leadership: The City Manager’s Guide to Authentic Culture Change

When was the last time you heard someone in your organization say, “Well, that’s just politics” or “You can’t fight city hall”? These aren’t just casual comments – they’re windows into the cultural beliefs that shape your municipal organization’s reality every day.

As we continue our exploration of “Change the Culture, Change the Game,” today we focus on perhaps the most crucial element of cultural transformation: the role of leadership in shaping and sustaining cultural beliefs. For city managers, this challenge is uniquely complex, requiring navigation between elected officials, department heads, employees, and the public.

The Leadership Paradox in Municipal Culture

As a city manager, you face a distinct challenge: you must lead cultural change while operating within a political framework you don’t fully control. It’s like trying to steer a ship while the rudder occasionally responds to someone else’s commands. However, this constraint makes your role in shaping cultural beliefs even more critical.

The Three Spheres of Cultural Leadership

1. Personal Leadership Beliefs

• How your own beliefs about municipal governance shape your actions
• The impact of your responses to challenges and opportunities
• Your visible commitment to cultural transformation

2. Leadership Team Alignment

• Creating shared beliefs among department heads
• Building a unified approach to cultural change
• Developing cultural champions across departments

3. Organizational Belief Integration

• Connecting cultural beliefs to daily operations
• Creating systems that reinforce desired beliefs
• Measuring and celebrating belief-aligned behaviors

Breaking Down Belief Barriers

The most common cultural beliefs that hinder municipal excellence:

Limiting Beliefs:

• “Innovation is too risky in the public sector”
• “Political realities prevent real change”
• “Budget constraints make improvement impossible”
• “Different departments will never truly collaborate”

The Four Keys to Cultural Leadership

1. Authentic Modeling

• Demonstrate the beliefs you want to see
• Share your own journey of belief transformation
• Be transparent about challenges and learnings

2. Consistent Communication

• Regularly articulate desired cultural beliefs
• Share stories that reinforce positive beliefs
• Address limiting beliefs openly and constructively

3. Strategic Experience Creation

• Design meetings that reinforce cultural beliefs
• Create opportunities for cross-departmental wins
• Celebrate examples of desired cultural behaviors

4. Sustainable Support Systems

• Align recognition systems with desired beliefs
• Develop metrics that track cultural progress
• Build feedback loops that reinforce positive change

Measuring Cultural Belief Change

How do you know if your cultural leadership is working? Look for these indicators:

• Changes in language used in meetings
• Increased cross-departmental collaboration
• Employee-initiated improvement suggestions
• Faster problem-solving and decision-making
• More open discussion of challenges and solutions

Your Next Steps

Take a moment to assess your organization’s current cultural beliefs:

• What beliefs do you consistently hear expressed in meetings?
• How do your own actions reinforce or challenge these beliefs?
• Which belief, if transformed, would most impact your organization’s effectiveness?

Choose one limiting belief you’ve identified and outline a 30-day plan to begin shifting it through your leadership actions. Remember, cultural change starts with leadership beliefs and behaviors.

Share your observations and plans on my LinkedIn page – your insights could inspire other municipal leaders facing similar challenges.

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Transform Your Municipal Culture in 2025

Leading authentic cultural change requires more than individual effort – it demands a supportive community of fellow leaders and proven frameworks for success. The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC), launching January 2025, offers city managers a structured approach to cultural leadership development.

Through our program, you’ll connect with peers who understand the unique challenges of leading municipal culture change. You’ll gain access to leadership tools specifically designed for cultural transformation, along with expert guidance on implementing these tools in your political context.

Learn More and Save Your Spot

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Seth Winterhalter is President of HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions, dedicated to making stronger cities through stronger leaders. Through executive coaching, consulting, and the Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC), HaltingWinter helps city managers and municipal leaders transform their leadership impact and their organizational culture.