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When Joe Irvin took the helm as City Manager of South Lake Tahoe in May 2020, he faced an extraordinary challenge. Tourism revenue had plummeted from over $1 million to under $50,000 a month, his staff was working remotely, and he had to build relationships with a team he could barely meet in person. But this wasn’t the first time Irvin had embraced a challenge in South Lake Tahoe.
In our latest episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Irvin shares his remarkable journey from entrepreneurial college student selling snowboard wax to leading one of California’s most unique cities. His story offers valuable insights for any municipal leader grappling with organizational change, crisis management, or work-life integration.
South Lake Tahoe presents a fascinating case study in municipal management. While the permanent population hovers around 22,000, the city regularly swells to 125,000 on weekends. This dramatic fluctuation requires innovative approaches to staffing, resource allocation, and community planning.
“You need to ensure you have a good quality of life with good stable housing and a good workforce for the people that call this place home 365 days a year,” Irvin explains. “But we can’t bite the hand that feeds us. Our revenues are largely generated from transient occupancy tax.”
Perhaps most compelling is Irvin’s approach to cultural transformation. Over five years, he completely rebuilt his leadership team, using tools like Myers-Briggs assessments and shared reading to build vulnerability and trust. His “high speed, low drag” philosophy encourages calculated risk-taking and welcomes pushback on his ideas.
“I let people know they can push back on me,” Irvin shares. “I don’t want you to just accept and say ‘yes.’ Tell me why I’m wrong. I don’t know everything. If I knew everything, I wouldn’t need anyone here.”
For city managers struggling with work-life balance, Irvin offers practical strategies that go beyond conventional wisdom. His approach includes early Saturday morning deep work sessions and regular hockey games with a local league – showing how leaders can maintain both personal well-being and professional effectiveness.
This conversation is essential listening for any municipal leader interested in:
You can listen to the full episode on your preferred podcast platform or directly on the player above.
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Ready to take your municipal leadership to the next level? Join our Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) where we dive deeper into these crucial topics with city managers from across the nation.
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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.
