Municipal Leaders: Develop Faster, Lead Stronger, Build Better
Every week, you’ll get insights and actionable steps to help you navigate personal growth and professional success.
Episode 389 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Sponsored by Tyler Technologies
Local government is full of systems, processes, and traditions built for good reasons. But what happens when the way we’ve always done something is no longer the best way forward?
In Episode 389 of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Marketa Oliver, City Administrator of Bondurant, Iowa, for a conversation about creativity, calculated risk, and the willingness to challenge assumptions in local government leadership.
Marketa has spent her career looking for opportunities to do things differently. In Bondurant, that has meant navigating rapid growth while protecting the community’s hometown character, pursuing economic development that actually benefits residents, finding creative new uses for existing community assets, and embracing technology to help a growing city accomplish more.
But creative leadership requires something else: permission to get things wrong.
As Marketa puts it: “You can’t take risks without making mistakes.”
That philosophy extends to how she leads her team. If local governments want employees to innovate, leaders have to create cultures where people can experiment, learn, and improve without believing every mistake could end their career.
The conversation also turns toward AI and the changing workplace, where Marketa offers another challenge:
“AI won’t take your job, but somebody who knows how to use it will.”
This episode is a reminder that innovation in local government doesn’t always require a massive initiative. Sometimes it starts with a leader willing to ask a deceptively simple question:
Who says we have to do it that way?
Listen to Episode 389: Marketa Oliver: Who Says We Have to Do It That Way?
This episode is sponsored by Tyler Technologies, the leader in empowering the public sector with software solutions that connect data, streamline operations, and improve service delivery. From AI to budgeting solutions, Tyler helps local governments build stronger, more resilient communities. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter →
The MLDC is where local government leaders go to grow, together. It’s the fastest-growing leadership development community designed specifically for the public sector, now paired with a comprehensive 9-month Leadership & Culture Program for those ready to elevate their leadership and their organization. Learn more at haltingwinter.com/mldc →
The HaltingWinter Podcast shines a spotlight on the people behind our cities and counties. Through candid conversations with local government leaders from across the nation, host Seth Winterhalter explores the journeys, challenges, and ideas shaping stronger communities while inspiring the next generation of public servants.
