Introducing: The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) - Save 50% During Launch Phase
Every week, you’ll get insights and actionable steps to help you navigate personal growth and professional success.
When you think of the typical career path to city administration, you probably don’t envision thirty years of Friday night football broadcasts, owning the local newspaper, and having family roots that stretch back to 1895. But for Monte Walker, City Administrator of Howe, Texas, this unique combination of experiences created a leadership perspective perfectly suited for guiding his hometown through transformative change.
Are you trapped in the productivity paradox? As municipal leaders, you might often pride yourself on being the first in, last out, and handling multiple crises simultaneously. But what if this dedication to productivity is actually holding you back from true leadership effectiveness?
In this week’s episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter challenges our fundamental understanding of municipal leadership with insights from Peter Drucker’s “The Effective Executive.” Through a compelling story of a city manager caught in the productivity trap, we explore why doing things right isn’t the same as doing the right things.
What happens when you grow up in a family where public service runs deep? For Martha Bennett, City Manager of Lake Oswego, Oregon, watching her father’s career in city management wasn’t what initially drew her attention – in fact, she was so determined not to follow in her dad’s accounting footsteps that she almost missed her calling in municipal leadership altogether.
In this week’s episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Martha shares her unique journey from a “city hall kid” to becoming one of Oregon’s most respected municipal leaders. Her story offers invaluable insights for anyone invested in the future of local government leadership.
As a city manager, you face moments every day where technical expertise alone isn’t enough. That contentious council meeting, the frustrated department head, the concerned community group – these situations demand a different kind of intelligence. One that determines whether you merely manage challenges or truly lead through them.
That’s why this week’s episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast is crucial for your leadership journey. We’re exploring Daniel Goleman’s groundbreaking work on “Emotional Intelligence,” specifically through the lens of municipal leadership where the stakes are high and the pressures are constant.
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
As city managers, you can often find yourself in a unique position during this final week of the year. While many professionals are fully disconnected for the holidays, you’re straddling two worlds – trying to be present with family while keeping our cities running smoothly. It’s in this sacred space between Christmas and New Year’s that you have a rare opportunity to both reflect and look forward.
That’s why this week’s episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast couldn’t be more timely. We’re diving into Stephen Covey’s transformative work, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” but with a specific municipal leadership lens that makes these principles immediately applicable to your role as a city manager.
“If you stop performance reviews, even if you don’t have a plan to replace them, your organization will improve by probably 20-30% immediately.”
This bold statement from Sam Anselm, City Administrator of West Plains, Missouri, sets the tone for one of our most provocative and practical episodes yet. In Episode 127 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Sam joins us to challenge everything you thought you knew about municipal performance reviews.
A city manager recently told me: “I’m doing everything the books tell me to do. I’ve time-blocked my calendar. I’ve set boundaries. I’ve delegated. So why do I feel like I’m failing?”
This haunting question echoes through city halls across America. As municipal leaders chase the ever-elusive ideal of “work-life balance,” they’re finding themselves more frustrated, more exhausted, and more disillusioned than ever.
But what if we’ve all been misled?
In our latest episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, we sit down with Mike Land, City Manager of Coppell, Texas and ICMA President-Elect, for a fascinating conversation about intentional culture-building in municipal government.
Mike’s journey from delivering bread in Houston with his father to leading one of Texas’s most culturally innovative cities offers powerful insights for every municipal leader. “Culture is either by chance or by choice,” Mike explains. “And I would say throughout our organization, we believe in and work towards culture by choice.”
Last week, a city manager told me something that stopped me in my tracks: “I came to this role passionate about serving my community. Now I feel like I’m just surrendering pieces of myself every day.”
Does that resonate with you?
