The HaltingWinter Podcast

Show Notes: Book of the Week – Primal LeadershipEpisode 195 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: Primal Leadership Series) Episode Title: The Emotional Ripple Effect: How Your Leadership Mood Shapes Your Entire City

Episode OverviewYour emotions don't just affect you; they ripple through your entire organization and into the community you serve.

In this kickoff episode of our Primal Leadership series, Seth Winterhalter explores how emotional intelligence drives municipal effectiveness in ways most leaders never recognize. Drawing from Daniel Goleman's research, we discover that the difference between thriving and struggling municipal organizations often comes down to one factor: the leader's emotional wake.

Whether you're navigating council tensions, managing crisis response, or building team morale, your emotional state becomes contagious before you say a single word. In this episode, we examine why emotional leadership isn't a "soft skill"—it's the foundation that determines whether your technical expertise can be successfully implemented.

Key Takeaways

• How emotional contagion amplifies in high-stakes municipal environments
• Why your stress during budget season affects your entire team's performance
• The connection between leader emotional regulation and community confidence
• How crisis leadership begins with emotional self-management
• Why traditional "just focus on the facts" approaches fall short in public sector leadership

This Week's Journey in the MLDC

• Monday: The emotional ripple effect and why it matters for municipal leaders
• Tuesday–Thursday: Deep dives into self-awareness, social awareness, and leadership style flexibility
• Friday: Virtual Book Club for live conversation and practical emotional intelligence tools

Join the MLDC: Summer Special

Now is the best time to join the MLDC, giving you access to: ✔ All five episodes breaking down Primal Leadership for municipal applications ✔ Daily blog reflections and emotional intelligence implementation tools ✔ A community of city managers and municipal leaders developing leadership effectiveness ✔ Our live, weekly Virtual Book Club session

➡ Join now at www.HaltingWinter.com

Resources Mentioned

• Book: Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, Annie McKee
• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

Connect with Seth

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

Episode 194 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Janice Allen Jackson, a veteran city and county manager turned executive coach and consultant, to talk about the one thing that most local governments get wrong: they focus on process when they should be investing in people.

With decades of experience leading in Georgia and the Carolinas—often as the first or only Black woman in the room—Janice brings a rare blend of clarity, courage, and compassion. Now, as a sought-after coach for local government executives, she's helping today's leaders build the confidence, presence, and culture their teams need.

From transparency in public engagement to the quiet harm of toxic cultures, this conversation offers a masterclass in what it really takes to lead in today's municipal environment.

Local Government Has a People Problem: Why policy and process won't fix what's broken and why every city needs to start with leadership development and culture.

Every Monday Is an Audition: Janice explains how public trust is earned in council meetings, not press releases and why your executive presence matters more than your title.

Executive Presence, Redefined: What it really means to "show up" as a leader and how to move beyond image to authentic alignment.

The Truth About Accountability: You can't demand results from employees who don't feel safe, valued, or supported.

The Leadership Lessons No One Taught You: How coaching helps leaders avoid burnout, build confidence, and navigate the emotional complexity of public service.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/janice-allen-jackson

Website (new): www.janiceallenjackson.com

Website: www.janiceallenjackson.weebly.com

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

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

2025 South Carolina APWA Chapter Annual Conference June 24 | Spartanburg, SC Details at SCAPWA

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 24 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 4 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is where municipal leaders grow together through weekly podcasts, curated book insights, and a nationwide peer community focused on real leadership, real culture, and real conversations.

Secure Your Summer Special and Start Your FREE 7-day trial Join the MLDC

Episode 193 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Rebecca Houseman, City Manager of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin—a leader who didn't chase the title but earned it through grit, adaptability, and a relentless commitment to the communities she serves.

From stepping into planning and clerking roles without formal training to building full-time EMS/fire services in a city that had long relied on volunteers, Rebecca's story is a masterclass in the kind of leadership that local government demands: practical, people-focused, and profoundly personal.

We talk about what it means to lead in a mid-sized city with limited resources, how to build trust with staff and residents alike, and the emotional weight that comes with being the one in the chair when no one else will step up.

If you've ever juggled multiple hats in a small or mid-sized city, fought for a referendum, or wondered how to keep going when a major project falls through, this conversation is for you.

A Reluctant Leader Finds Her Way: How Rebecca's journey from "reluctant leader" to city manager began with internships, encouragement, and saying yes to the roles no one else would take.

Planning, Clerking, and Everything In Between: The power of learning on the job and how wearing multiple hats shaped her ability to lead from the center.

EMS Reform That Changed Everything: Why Rebecca took a leap of faith to break an EMS contract before the referendum passed and how that risk paid off.

When Development Deals Fall Apart: The emotional and professional cost of investing two years in a housing project that never happened and why Rebecca kept pushing forward anyway.

Collaboration Over Competition: How Fort Atkinson benefits from regional partnerships and why economic development is a shared mission, not a solo act.

Leadership in the Shadows: What most people never see about the long, lonely, and meaningful work of city management.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-houseman

WCMA: www.wcma-wi.org

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

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

2025 South Carolina APWA Chapter Annual Conference June 24 | Spartanburg, SC Details at SCAPWA

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 24 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 4 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is where municipal leaders grow together through weekly podcasts, curated book insights, and a nationwide peer community focused on real leadership, real culture, and real conversations.

Secure Your Summer Special and Start Your FREE 7-day trial Join the MLDC

Episode 192 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: Measure What Matters Series) Episode Title: Why Most Local Government Goals Fail

It's not that local government leaders don't set goals—it's that we rarely set the right ones.

In this kickoff episode of our Measure What Matters series, Seth Winterhalter introduces the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework popularized by John Doerr. With roots in Silicon Valley but massive relevance for city management, this system helps teams clarify outcomes, track progress, and stay aligned—without drowning in endless to-do lists.

Whether you're managing city operations, launching a new initiative, or leading internal culture change, OKRs offer a clear path to success. In this episode, we look at why so many government goals fall flat—and what to do instead.

• Why goals often stall out in local government

• The difference between output and outcome

• What makes the OKR framework so powerful and practical

• The danger of measuring activity instead of progress

• How clear, measurable objectives improve alignment and momentum

• Monday: Introduction to OKRs and why they matter in public service

• Tuesday–Thursday: Deep dives into setting objectives, defining key results, and team implementation

• Friday: Virtual Book Club for live conversation and practical takeaways

This week's free trial gives you access to: ✔ All five episodes breaking down Measure What Matters ✔ Daily blog reflections and practical implementation tools ✔ A community of city managers and municipal leaders from across the country ✔ Our live, weekly Virtual Mastermind session

➡ Start your free 7-day trial now at HaltingWinter.com

• Book: Measure What Matters by John Doerr

• MLDC Info: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

• Weekly Newsletter: The Leader's Lens

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

• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: Sam Toles – Belonging Beats Bureaucracy: What CiviSocial Reveals About Our Civic Crisis Episode 191 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

In this return conversation, Seth Winterhalter welcomes back Sam Toles, CEO of CiviSocial, to explore the ideas behind his new book and a growing movement to rebuild trust, identity, and participation in local government.

Sam's not just a civic tech founder—he's a former digital executive (Warner Bros, MGM, Bleacher Report) who now devotes his career to reimagining how communities connect. And what he sees is urgent: a civic crisis driven by disconnection, disillusionment, and a sense that government doesn't feel personal anymore.

This episode dives deep into the future of civic engagement, the power of belonging, and why municipalities must evolve from broadcasting to co-creating if they want to earn public trust.

This conversation is anchored in Sam's new book, The Social Media Playbook for City and County Managers—a practical, entertaining guide for local government leaders looking to modernize their approach. Download your free copy

The Civic Disconnect Why most Americans feel more emotionally connected to influencers than to their own cities and what that means for trust in local government

Civic Social Capital Defined How Sam's new book reframes community strength not in demographics or voter turnout but in shared rituals, digital touchpoints, and micro-interactions that build trust

From Transaction to Relationship Why cities must stop optimizing for efficiency alone and start designing systems that feel human, not bureaucratic

The Real Public Square How to rethink public meetings, local apps, and digital engagement platforms to serve as modern civic gathering spaces—not just information dumps

Designing for Belonging What local governments can learn from entertainment, social platforms, and storytelling when it comes to relevance and emotional connection

Hope Through Infrastructure Sam shares what he's seeing on the front lines—cities experimenting with belonging as infrastructure and local teams hungry for something that works

Website: www.civisocial.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/samtoles Grab his new book: The Social Media Playbook for City and County Managers Download your free copy or purchase a paperback copy on Amazon

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

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

2025 South Carolina APWA Chapter Annual Conference June 24 | Spartanburg, SC Details at SCAPWA

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 24 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 4 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is where municipal leaders grow together through weekly podcasts, curated book insights, and a nationwide peer community focused on real leadership, real culture, and real conversations.

Secure Your Summer Special and Start Your FREE 7-day trial Join the MLDC

Episode 190 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Michael Herbert, Town Manager of Ashland, Massachusetts, for one of the most powerful conversations we've had on the podcast to date.

Michael's story isn't just about policy or public administration—it's about personal transformation. From struggling with addiction and homelessness to becoming a respected municipal leader, Michael shares how hitting rock bottom gave him the perspective, resilience, and purpose he now brings to his role every day.

We talk about the long arc of recovery, the slow work of rebuilding a town's identity, and the courage it takes to lead with transparency even when it's unpopular.

If you've ever wondered how someone's past can shape their impact or how small towns can create big change, this episode is a must-listen.

From Rock Bottom to Town Hall: Michael opens up about the lowest point in his life and the decision that helped him climb out and into a career of public service.

The Long Game of Leadership: Why real change in local government requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to plant trees you may never sit under.

The Price and Power of Transparency: An honest look at the emotional cost of being open with residents and why Michael believes it's still worth it.

A New England Perspective: What it means to lead in a "Open-Town-Meeting" form of government, and how tradition shapes leadership expectations in Massachusetts.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michael-herbert

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

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

2025 South Carolina APWA Chapter Annual Conference June 24 | Spartanburg, SC Details at SCAPWA

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 24 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 4 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is where municipal leaders grow together through weekly podcasts, curated book insights, and a nationwide peer community focused on real leadership, real culture, and real conversations.

Secure Your Summer Special and Start Your FREE 7-day trial Join the MLDC

Episode 189 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: Dare to Lead Series) Episode Title: Leadership Requires Vulnerability

If you think leadership is about power and perfection, think again.

In this first episode of our five-part series on Brené Brown's Dare to Lead, Seth Winterhalter explores the foundational—and often uncomfortable—idea that real leadership begins with vulnerability. In the public sector, where scrutiny is constant and mistakes are public, vulnerability can feel risky. But according to Brown's research, it's also the birthplace of innovation, trust, and courageous leadership.

This episode unpacks what vulnerability really is (and isn't), and how it becomes the foundation for stronger teams, braver conversations, and more resilient cultures in local government.

• Why vulnerability is the prerequisite for trust, connection, and accountability

• The difference between oversharing and leading with openness

• How fear of failure and self-protection erode effective leadership

• Why leaders who avoid vulnerability often create cultures of silence and burnout

• How embracing discomfort leads to better decisions and stronger relationships

• Monday: The myth of strength vs. the reality of vulnerability in leadership

• Tuesday–Thursday: Digging into courage, trust-building, and fear-based leadership traps

• Friday: Live Virtual Mastermind – Peer reflection, challenges, and implementation strategies

Join the Municipal Leadership Development Circle and get access to: ✔ All five episodes in the Dare to Lead podcast series ✔ Daily blog reflections and implementation guides ✔ Friday's national Virtual Book Club ✔ A thriving network of city managers and municipal leaders across the U.S.

➡ Start your free 7-day trial now at HaltingWinter.com/MLDC

• Book: Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

• Learn more: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

• Weekly Newsletter: The Leader's Lens

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

• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com

Episode 188 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Dalton Pierce, City Manager of York, South Carolina, to explore the leadership tensions every municipal executive knows too well: how do you balance the urgency to improve with the patience required to bring people along?

Dalton shares his journey from city planner to city manager, and how that unique path shapes his approach to decision-making, team building, and navigating the political and personal complexities of local government. His insights on culture, hiring, and pace will resonate with leaders at every level—especially those who feel the pull between visionary change and community trust.

• Planning Roots, Manager Realities How Dalton's background in planning helps him hold the long-term vision while managing short-term demands.

• The Pace of People The leadership lesson that transformed his mindset: lasting progress happens at the speed of trust, not the speed of urgency.

• Culture Over Credentials Why hiring people who align with values, not just skillsets, is one of his top priorities as a leader.

• The Isolation of Leadership Dalton reflects on the quiet challenges of being a city manager and why honest conversations with peers can be lifesaving.

• Public Service with a Purpose The difference between checking boxes and creating buy-in—and why your team, not your title, defines your success.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dalton-pierce

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

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

2025 South Carolina APWA Chapter Annual Conference June 24 | Spartanburg, SC Details at SCAPWA

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference & Expo September 24 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 4 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is where municipal leaders grow together through weekly podcasts, curated book insights, and a nationwide peer community focused on real leadership, real culture, and real conversations.

Secure Your Summer Special and Start Your FREE 7-day trial Join the MLDC

Episode 187 of The HaltingWinter Podcast

In this episode, Seth Winterhalter sits down with Will Ibershof, City Administrator of Madras, Oregon—and former mayor of Duval, Washington—for a conversation that's as raw as it is inspiring. From throwing up during his first campaign event to building parks, securing grants, and mentoring the next generation of public leaders, Will's story is a powerful reflection on the real work of local government.

Will opens up about what it takes to lead with courage in small communities—especially through burnout, rapid growth, and the constant push-and-pull between progress and preservation. Whether you're an elected official, a department director, or aspiring to either, this episode offers a front-row seat to the challenges and rewards of leading where you live.

• From Dare to Duty: How a challenge from friends led Will to run for office despite never having attended a council meeting

  Doorbelling and Discomfort: The unforgettable (and stomach-turning) campaign moment that taught him the power of grit and authenticity

  No Administrator, No Problem: What it's like to serve as an elected mayor and CEO in a city without a city manager or administrator

  Burnout and Regret: A candid look at the personal cost of public service and what Will wishes he had done differently

  Mentorship That Matters: How Will forged a powerful partnership with the City Manager of Bend, Oregon and why big-small city collaboration is a rising-tide strategy

  Rural Growth, Urban Expectations: Lessons from Sultan and Madras, where housing demand, infrastructure realities, and small-town identity collide

  The Heart of Connection: Why events, community grants, and everyday kindness are essential tools for cities battling isolation and division

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/willibershof

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

At HaltingWinter, we help local government leaders build thriving teams and resilient workplace cultures through keynotes, workshops, and leadership development programs rooted in the ABCs of Impactful Leadership.

Learn more at HaltingWinter.com

2025 South Carolina APWA Chapter Annual Conference June 24 | Spartanburg, SC Details at SCAPWA

2025 Kentucky League of Cities Conference & Expo September 24 | Owensboro, KY Details at KLC

2025 Kansas City/County Management Association Annual Conference December 4 | Manhattan, KS Details at KCMA

The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is where municipal leaders grow together through weekly podcasts, curated book insights, and a nationwide peer community focused on real leadership, real culture, and real conversations.

Secure Your Summer Special and Start Your FREE 7-day trial Join the MLDC

Episode 186 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: "Turn the Ship Around" Series) Episode Title: Why Giving Up Control is the Boldest Leadership Move You Can Make

What if the key to stronger teams isn't more control, but more trust?

In this opening episode of our 5-part series on Turn the Ship Around by David Marquet, Seth Winterhalter unpacks the transformative concept of "leader-leader" culture. Instead of the traditional "leader-follower" model, where a single person gives orders and everyone else executes, Marquet proposes something radically different: giving up control to create real ownership.

For local government leaders, where decisions are often high-stakes and staff are overextended, this model creates a blueprint for deeper engagement, higher competence, and more strategic thinking across all levels of your team.

• Why traditional leadership models limit growth, autonomy, and performance

• The difference between empowerment and actual transfer of control

• How pushing decision-making down creates buy-in and drives initiative

• Why control, clarity, and competence must move together

• The first steps to shifting your culture from passive compliance to active leadership

• Monday: Why control is overrated—and what to replace it with

• Tuesday–Thursday: Building clarity, competence, and initiative at every level

• Friday: From follower to leader—how to multiply leadership across your org

Join the Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) this week and unlock: ✔ All 5 podcast episodes from the Turn the Ship Around series ✔ Daily blog reflections and tools for implementation ✔ Friday's Virtual Mastermind session ✔ Access to a growing nationwide community of local government leaders

➡ Start your free 7-day trial at HaltingWinter.com/MLDC

• Book: Turn the Ship Around by L. David Marquet

• Weekly Blog & Newsletter: The Leader's Lens

• MLDC Membership Details: www.haltingwinter.com/mldc

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

• Website: www.HaltingWinter.com