The HaltingWinter Podcast

Show Notes: Bridgette Gransden – The Price of Perfection: Leading Through Grace, Not Grit Alone Episode 181 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this honest and deeply human episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast , Seth Winterhalter sits down with Bridgette Gransden , County Administrator of Midland County, Michigan, and current President of the Michigan Municipal Executives Association. Bridget...

Show Notes: Book of the Week – "The Confidence Code" Episode 180 of The HaltingWinter Podcast The Confidence Paradox in Municipal Leadership (Part 1 of 5: "The Confidence Code" Series) Episode Overview In this opening episode of our latest MLDC series, Seth Winterhalter explores the "confidence paradox" that so many municipal leaders quietly wrestle with: how it's possible to be highly competent,...

Show Notes: Kevin Richardson – The Silence of Our Service: Why Public Works Is Where Purpose Lives Episode 179 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In celebration of National Public Works Week , The HaltingWinter Podcast features a powerful and personal conversation with Kevin Richardson , Water and Wastewater Engineering Project Manager for the City of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and a proud U.S....

Show Notes: Ryan Blancke – More Than Roads: Building Systems, People, and Purpose in Public Works Episode 178 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In honor of National Public Works Week , The HaltingWinter Podcast turns the spotlight on one of the most vital yet often misunderstood pillars of local government: public works . In this episode, host Seth Winterhalter sits down with Ryan Blancke , As...

Show Notes: Book of the Week – "The Hard Thing About Hard Things" Episode 177 of The HaltingWinter Podcast The Hard Things About Municipal Leadership (Part 1 of 5: "The Hard Thing About Hard Things" Series) Episode Overview This week inside the MLDC, Seth Winterhalter kicks off a new series exploring The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz , reframed for the real-world realities of munici...

Show Notes: Christopher Garges – The Infrastructure of Trust: How to Lead Growth Without Losing Identity Episode 176 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast , host Seth Winterhalter sits down with Christopher Garges , Township Manager of Solebury, Pennsylvania, to explore one of the most critical leadership tensions in local government today: how to manag...

Show Notes: Arthur Capello – From Bowling Alleys to Town Hall: How Customer Service Shaped a Town Manager Episode 175 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast , Seth Winterhalter sits down with Arthur Capello , Town Manager of Berwick, Maine, to explore how growing up in a family-run bowling alley unexpectedly prepared him to lead in local government. With...

Show Notes: Book of the Week – "The Speed of Trust" Episode 174 of The HaltingWinter Podcast The Cost of Distrust: Why Everything Takes Too Long in Local Government (Part 1 of 5: "The Speed of Trust" Series) Episode Overview This week, Seth Winterhalter kicks off a new series inside the MLDC focused on The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey, beginning with a hard truth municipal leaders can't af...

Show Notes: Jennifer Poirrier - Shifting Sands: Navigating Tourism, Hurricanes and Leadership When You Never Planned to Be in Charge Episode 173 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews Jennifer Poirrier, City Manager of Clearwater, Florida. Jennifer shares her remarkable journey from HR professional to leading a major tourism...

Show Notes: Kevin Phelps - From 'Near Bankruptcy' to Entertainment Powerhouse: Reimagining City Identity in the Desert Episode 170 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews Kevin Phelps, City Manager of Glendale, Arizona. Kevin shares his remarkable journey from private sector entrepreneur to transformational public sector lead...

Show Notes: Book of the Week – "The Happiness of Pursuit" Episode 171 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: "The Happiness of Pursuit" Series) Episode Overview In this kickoff episode, Seth Winterhalter introduces a concept that feels revolutionary for municipal leaders: reclaiming personal fulfillment in the middle of public service. Drawing from Chris Guillebeau's The Happiness of Pursuit ,...

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 Illino...

Show Notes: Peter Crichton: From 'The Dark Side' to Lasting Impact: Leading with Your Glass Half Full Episode 169 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews Peter Crichton, retired city and county manager turned author. With over four decades in public service, Peter shares his remarkable journey from a small town in northern Ma...

Show Notes: Book of the Week – "Quiet" Episode 168 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Episode Overview In this opening episode, Seth Winterhalter introduces Susan Cain's Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking  through the lens of municipal leadership—and challenges the long-held assumption that louder leadership is better leadership. This isn't just a conversation about introv...

Show Notes: Shawna Davis: Blazing Your Own Trail, Balancing the Municipal Tightrope, and Fighting Burnout with Four Paws Episode 167 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews Shawna Davis, City Administrator of Odessa, Missouri. Shawna shares her journey from a small-town Illinois farm background to becoming one of Missouri's r...

Show Notes: David Cline: Undercover Cops, Crime-Ridden Hotels, and the Green River Killer Episode 166 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this compelling episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews David Cline, a retired city administrator and current affiliate associate professor at the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. David shar...

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – "Unreasonable Hospitality" Episode 165 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: "Unreasonable Hospitality" Series) Episode Overview Seth Winterhalter launches a fresh 5-part series exploring Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara —one of the most compelling books on service, culture, and leadership in the last decade. In this kickoff episode, Seth unpacks wh...

Show Notes: Jimmy Liles: The Think Tank Approach to Municipal Innovation Episode 164 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews Jimmy Liles, City Administrator of Nixa, Missouri. Jimmy shares his remarkable journey from a 20-year career in law enforcement to municipal leadership, where he's established an award-winning culture o...

Show Notes: Luke Dyer: The Power of "Why Not Us? Why Not Now?" Episode 163 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews Luke Dyer, Town Manager of Van Buren, Maine. Luke shares his remarkable journey from a 30-year career in law enforcement to municipal leadership, where he's leading a small-town revival that's capturing attention...

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week – "The Innovator's Dilemma" Episode 162 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: "The Innovator's Dilemma" Series) Episode Overview Seth Winterhalter launches a brand-new 5-part series on The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen , turning its private-sector lessons into actionable insight for municipal leadership. In this episode, Seth unpacks the core...

Show Notes: Brent Buerck: Small-Town Roots, World-Class Vision Episode 161 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews Brent Buerck, City Administrator of Perryville, Missouri. Brent shares his journey from growing up in Perryville to returning as its city administrator after 15 years with the Missouri Division of Youth Services....

Show Notes: Jon Amundson: Thriving at the Crossroads of Nuclear History Episode 160 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this episode of The HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter interviews Jon Amundson, City Manager of Richland, Washington. Jon shares his journey from a curious Cub Scout attending his first city council meeting to leading a city with deep ties to American nuclear history....

Show Notes: Book of the Week – "Essentialism" Episode 159 of The HaltingWinter Podcast (Part 1 of 5: "Essentialism" Series) Episode Overview Seth Winterhalter kicks off a 5-part series diving into Greg McKeown's must-read book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less , applying its insights directly to the daily pressures of municipal leadership. In this episode, Seth challenges the myth of h...

Show Notes: Kristen Dorman: From Reluctant Start to Intentional Journey Episode 158 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this insightful episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter speaks with Kristen Dorman, Assistant City Manager of Warrensburg, Missouri. Kristen shares her fascinating journey from dismissing municipal government as a career ("whatever career that is, I don't wan...

Show Notes: John Mauro: A Global Journey of Purpose-Driven Leadership Episode 157 of The HaltingWinter Podcast Overview In this inspiring episode of the HaltingWinter Podcast, Seth Winterhalter speaks with John Mauro, City Manager of Port Townsend, Washington. John shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Maine to traveling across four continents on a prestigious fellowship, and ultimately...