You Can’t Lead What You Don’t Value: Why Local Government Needs Better People, Not Just Better Process

Local government doesn’t have a process problem.
It has a people problem.

That’s the bold but deeply accurate statement from this week’s guest on The HaltingWinter Podcast, Janice Allen Jackson. With decades of experience as a city and county manager in Georgia and the Carolinas, Janice has seen firsthand how policies and procedures can only go so far when the real issues stem from leadership gaps, cultural toxicity, and organizational fear.

Now an executive coach, Janice works with public sector leaders across the country, not just to help them survive the job, but to transform how they show up and how their organizations operate.

This episode is for every local government leader who’s felt stuck in the grind of process, burned by public perception, or unsure how to rebuild a team that’s already halfway out the door.

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In This Episode:

• Why we need to stop fixing systems and start developing people
  If your city is struggling, chances are it’s not a software or policy problem—it’s a leadership one.
• How to earn the right to lead, week after week
  Council meetings are more than agendas. They’re auditions for public trust.
• What real executive presence looks like
  It’s not about polish—it’s about clarity and emotional alignment, especially under pressure.
• Why public engagement isn’t a performance
  Janice offers a refreshing, practical approach to listening first and leading second.
• The quiet harm of unhealthy cultures
  You can’t demand results from employees who feel unsafe, unseen, or unsupported.

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Why This Conversation Matters

In a time when burnout, turnover, and public skepticism are high, this episode offers something rare:
Hope rooted in strategy.
Clarity backed by experience.
And a call to lead with more courage and more care.

As Janice says:

“You can’t lead what you don’t value. And if you don’t value your people, they’ll feel it—and they’ll leave.”

Whether you’re a city manager, department head, or aspiring leader, this episode is a timely reminder:
Your presence matters. Your culture matters. Your people matter.

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The HaltingWinter Podcast celebrates and elevates the people who power local government. Through in-depth conversations with leaders from cities, counties, and communities of all sizes, host Seth Winterhalter explores the journeys, challenges, and innovations happening in municipal leadership across America.