Show Notes: Nichole Rutherford: Finding Courage When Opportunity Calls Episode 154 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

Overview In this inspiring episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Nichole Rutherford, City Manager of Coos Bay, Oregon. From her beginnings as a finance assistant to becoming city manager, Nichole shares her remarkable journey through municipal leadership. Their conversation explores her unexpected path to public service, the challenges of transitioning from technical expertise to leadership, and the delicate balance between professional demands and personal life in the municipal arena.

Episode Highlights:

• An Unexpected Journey: Nichole's path from a small CPA firm to city management, illustrates how saying "yes" to opportunities can lead to fulfilling careers in public service
• From Finance to Leadership: The transition from technical expertise in finance to the broader leadership challenges of city management
• Intentional Succession Planning: Insights into Roger Craddock's three-year mentorship approach that prepared Nichole for the city manager role
• Leading with Heart: How bringing compassion and humanity to government can transform municipal work culture and service delivery
• The Technical-to-Leadership Challenge: Nichole's candid reflections on shifting from producing tangible work to leading and influencing
• Family Support Systems: Thoughtful strategies for maintaining work-life balance in a position that "never shuts off"
• Building Professional Networks: The importance of reaching out to fellow city managers and creating a support system in what can be an isolating role
• Small Town Impact: Perspectives on leading in Coos Bay (population 16,000) and the unique challenges and opportunities of smaller municipalities
• Fresh Eyes on Old Problems: How leadership transitions can reinvigorate established processes and bring new perspectives to municipal challenges

Connect with Nichole Rutherford:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nichole-rutherford-3374ba44/

About HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions:

At HaltingWinter, our mission is to build stronger cities through stronger leaders by providing municipal leadership development services, rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Leadership framework. To explore how we can strengthen you and your municipality, visit haltingwinter.com.

Upcoming Events:

Don't miss Seth Winterhalter at the Missouri City and County Managers Association Spring Conference at the Margaritaville Resort, starting April 30th. Register now at www.momanagers.org/191/Spring-Conference.

Connect With Seth Winterhalter

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

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