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When Brooks Williams arrived as city manager of Ferris, Texas, bets were literally being placed on how long he would last. The city had churned through 12 city managers in 10 years, and a local magazine had dubbed Ferris “the town where everyone hates each other.”
Today, Ferris is known for something entirely different: being too fast for its private sector partners to keep up.
In this week’s powerful episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Brooks Williams shares his remarkable journey from banking executive to transformational city manager, offering a masterclass in how to create high-performing municipal organizations that break free from the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset.
What happens when you bring private sector performance standards and innovative thinking to local government? Brooks, author of “Rising to Serve: A Re-imagining Public Administration for a New Era,” demonstrates that municipal excellence isn’t just possible – it’s essential for our communities’ future.
“Converting oxygen into carbon dioxide is not going to work for us here,” Brooks explains, describing his approach to performance expectations. “That is not the litmus test to prove you’re a successful employee.”
Perhaps most compelling is Brooks’ approach to organizational transformation. In a city known for dysfunction, he didn’t start with new policies or reorganization charts. Instead, he began with radical transparency and authentic leadership.
His team’s approach to social media complaints? Instead of engaging in online debates, they invite critics to have coffee with the city manager. The result? “About 95% never respond to that invitation,” Brooks notes, revealing powerful insights about authentic community engagement.
This episode offers invaluable insights for anyone in municipal leadership:
Ready to transform your own municipal organization? The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC), launching in January 2025, offers city managers a systematic approach to creating high-performing organizations that serve with excellence.
Through our innovative program, you’ll join peers who understand the challenge of organizational transformation and gain access to tools, frameworks, and expert guidance for implementing lasting change in your municipality.
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 leadership impact and their organizational culture.
