Show Notes: Dawn Peters - "The Shame No City Manager Talks About (But Everyone Feels)"Episode 170 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

Overview In this episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews Dawn Peters, Executive Director for both the Illinois and Wisconsin City and County Management Associations and Assistant Director of the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University.

Dawn shares her unexpected journey from growing up in a family restaurant business to becoming one of the most influential figures in municipal leadership development across the Midwest. Their conversation explores the emotional challenges of public service leadership, the vital importance of professional support networks, and strategies for sustainable leadership in demanding municipal roles. Dawn's candid reflections on vulnerability, shame, and asking for help offer powerful insights for municipal leaders at all stages of their careers.

Episode Highlights:

• An Unconventional Path to Public Service: How Dawn evolved from hospital auxiliary volunteer to leading two state municipal associations without ever serving as a city manager
• Bold Career Moves: The pivotal moment when Dawn boldly told a mentor "I want your job" and how that single conversation changed her professional trajectory
• The Municipal Leadership Support Gap: Why city managers need protected spaces to be vulnerable and share challenges without public scrutiny
• Work-Life Integration Reality: Why "work-life balance" is a myth and how leaders can instead leverage seasonal cycles for sustainable leadership
• Breaking Through the Shame Barrier: The emotional burden that city managers carry and why asking for help is both essential and incredibly difficult
• Creating Transformative Internships: How meaningful internships expose future leaders to the full municipal experience rather than just busy work
• Leadership Through Self-Advocacy: The power of asking for what you want and how advocating for yourself creates unexpected opportunities
• The Midwest Leadership Institute: An innovative program helping leaders develop emotional intelligence to better navigate interpersonal dynamics
• Invisible Impact: The professional challenge of taking credit in a role where you're taught to stay behind the scenes
• Finding Your Community: How professional associations provide crucial support, mentorship, and safe spaces for growth

Connect with Dawn Peters:

• LinkedIn: Connect with Dawn

Connect With Seth Winterhalter

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

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 as he keynotes the 2025 APWA South Carolina Chapter Annual Conference in Spartanburg, June 23rd-26th. Register here: https://southcarolina.apwa.org/event/2025-annual-conference/

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