The HaltingWinter Podcast

Makenzie Lyons: When Your Strengths Become Your Weaknesses
Why Leadership Growth Often Requires a Reboot

Episode 391 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Sponsored by Tyler Technologies

What if the very strengths that helped you become successful are now holding you back as a leader?
Makenzie Lyons, City Administrator of Winnsboro, Texas, joins Seth to talk about her unconventional journey into local government and the leadership transformation that followed. Makenzie shares how resilience, independence, decisiveness, and control helped her navigate difficult circumstances and advance professionally, but eventually began affecting her ability to build relationships and lead effectively.
A pivotal conversation with her mayor forced Makenzie to consider a difficult possibility: "You might be the problem." That realization began a journey toward greater self-awareness, learning to lead in the gray, changing her response instead of blaming the circumstances, and understanding the patterns beneath her leadership.
Makenzie will also bring this conversation to the ICMA Annual Conference in Long Beach through her session, "Control Alt Delete: How to Do a Leadership Reboot."
About Makenzie Lyons
Makenzie Lyons is the City Administrator for Winnsboro, Texas. Her unconventional path into local government has included roles in dispatch, municipal court, banking, and city administration. Known for her resilience and commitment to personal growth, Makenzie is passionate about helping leaders develop the self-awareness needed to build stronger relationships, lead more effectively, and recognize when the behaviors that once served them may be holding them back.
This Episode is Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software and technology solutions built specifically for local government. From artificial intelligence and resident engagement to budgeting, planning, and public service delivery, Tyler helps communities operate more efficiently and serve residents more effectively. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC): Leadership shouldn't be carried alone. The MLDC is evolving in 2027 with practical leadership development and new, role-specific Mastermind cohorts designed to build trusted relationships with municipal leaders who understand your challenges. Mastermind applications are open through October 31st at https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker, storyteller, and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week: The Culture Map
Episode 390 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
When was the last time you walked out of a meeting wondering why a completely reasonable conversation landed so badly with someone else? It might not be personality...it might be culture. In this episode, Seth Winterhalter digs into Erin Meyer's The Culture Map and what her research on cross-cultural business communication reveals about the everyday friction inside local government: the department heads who read each other wrong, the feedback that backfires, the decisions that blow up even when they're technically sound. Local government sits at more of these cultural fault lines than almost any other line of work, and once you can name the pattern, you can navigate it.
The MLDC
Leadership in local government doesn't get easier as you move up. The decisions get harder. The expectations get higher. And the number of people you can openly process those challenges with gets smaller.
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) gives local government leaders a place to keep growing alongside other professionals who understand the complexity of leading in local government.
Inside the MLDC, you'll sharpen how you think, strengthen how you lead, and turn leadership ideas into practical action through:
• Monthly Mastermind Sessions with municipal leaders from across North America
• Leadership Development built specifically around the realities of local government
• Practical Tools & Resources you can immediately apply with your team and organization
• Ongoing Learning designed to keep you growing throughout the year
You spend every day developing your organization, your employees, and your community.
The MLDC is an investment in developing you.
→ Explore the Municipal Leadership Development Circle: https://haltingwinter.com/mldc/
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Marketa Oliver: Who Says We Have to Do It That Way?
How Creative Leadership Is Changing Local Government
Episode 389 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Sponsored by Tyler Technologies

What happens when local government leaders stop asking, "How have we always done it?" and start asking, "What if?"
Marketa Oliver, City Administrator of Bondurant, Iowa, joins Seth to talk about creative leadership, calculated risk, and building community through periods of rapid growth. From economic development and adaptive reuse to technology, AI, and creating a culture where employees have permission to try new things, Marketa shares how local government leaders can challenge assumptions without losing sight of the people they serve.
It's a conversation about innovation in local government, embracing change, and having the courage to imagine a better way.
About Marketa Oliver
Marketa Oliver is the City Administrator of Bondurant, Iowa, and an experienced local government leader whose career has included leadership roles in Bondurant, Norwalk, and Windsor Heights, as well as service with the State of Iowa. Known for her creative approach to community development, economic development, and organizational leadership, Marketa has helped communities navigate growth while protecting the character and connections that make them unique. She has also taught public finance and budgeting at Drake University and has been recognized multiple times through ICMA's Local Government Excellence Awards.
This Episode is Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software and technology solutions built specifically for local government. From artificial intelligence and resident engagement to budgeting, planning, and public service delivery, Tyler helps communities operate more efficiently and serve residents more effectively. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) - The MLDC is a private leadership community designed exclusively for local government professionals. Through practical tools, meaningful conversations, and a nationwide network of peers, members gain the support and perspective needed to lead with greater confidence, clarity, and impact. https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker, storyteller, and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Mark Jackson: You Can Be Right and Still Get It Wrong
Why Municipal Leadership Requires More Than Knowing the Answer
Episode 388 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Sponsored by Tyler Technologies

Being right isn't enough.
After more than three decades as a city administrator, Mark Jackson has learned that successful local government leadership requires more than technical expertise. It requires judgment, communication, relationships, and the humility to recognize that you might be wrong.
In this episode, Mark and Seth discuss the art and science of city management, why leaders should "design the system as if you are wrong," how trust creates the ability to move a community forward, and the simple question Mark uses to evaluate difficult decisions: What benefit, for which people, at what cost?
It's a conversation about longevity, decision-making, community relationships, and the lessons that only come from decades of leading in local government.
About Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson is the City Administrator for Story City, Iowa, where he has served for more than three decades. Throughout his career, Mark has helped lead significant community and economic development efforts while building a reputation for relationship-driven, practical local government leadership. He has also served as president of the Iowa City/County Management Association and is the most recent recipient of the Joe Lukehart Award, presented by the Iowa City/County Management Association in recognition of his contributions to the profession.
This Episode is Sponsored by:
Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software and technology solutions built specifically for local government. From artificial intelligence and resident engagement to budgeting, planning, and public service delivery, Tyler helps communities operate more efficiently and serve residents more effectively. Learn more at https://tylertech.com/winter
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) - The MLDC is a private leadership community designed exclusively for local government professionals. Through practical tools, meaningful conversations, and a nationwide network of peers, members gain the support and perspective needed to lead with greater confidence, clarity, and impact. https://haltingwinter.com/MLDC
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker, storyteller, and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com

Show Notes: MLDC Book of the Week: The Gap and the Gain
Episode 387 of The HaltingWinter Podcast
Ever close out a genuinely good year...budget gaps closed, positions filled, a rough council relationship finally on stable ground...and still feel like you're behind? This episode digs into why that happens, and it's not about work ethic or how much you're getting done. It's about which direction you're measuring in.
Dan Sullivan spent three decades coaching entrepreneurs and noticed the same pattern over and over: his most accomplished clients kept measuring themselves against an "ideal" that never stopped moving, which meant almost nobody felt like they were winning, no matter how much they'd actually achieved. Dr. Benjamin Hardy, an organizational psychologist, brings the research behind why that pattern is so costly, not just for motivation but for long-term stress and well-being.
We talk through why this concept, built originally for entrepreneurs chasing revenue targets, may actually hit harder in local government, where the wins rarely come with a scoreboard attached.
The MLDC
Leadership in local government doesn't get easier as you move up. The decisions get harder. The expectations get higher. And the number of people you can openly process those challenges with gets smaller.
The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) gives local government leaders a place to keep growing alongside other professionals who understand the complexity of leading in local government.
Inside the MLDC, you'll sharpen how you think, strengthen how you lead, and turn leadership ideas into practical action through:
• Monthly Mastermind Sessions with municipal leaders from across North America
• Leadership Development built specifically around the realities of local government
• Practical Tools & Resources you can immediately apply with your team and organization
• Ongoing Learning designed to keep you growing throughout the year
You spend every day developing your organization, your employees, and your community.
The MLDC is an investment in developing you.
→ Explore the Municipal Leadership Development Circle: https://haltingwinter.com/mldc/
Connect With Seth Winterhalter
Seth Winterhalter is a keynote speaker and President of HaltingWinter, a national media company dedicated to telling the stories of local government. Through The HaltingWinter Podcast and the nationwide HaltingWinter Tour, he highlights the people and communities shaping America from the ground up, celebrating public servants, strengthening the profession, and inspiring the next generation to pursue lives of purpose and impact through local government.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter
Website: https://www.HaltingWinter.com