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176: Christopher Garges: The Infrastructure of Trust: How to Lead Growth Without Losing Identity

176: Christopher Garges: The Infrastructure of Trust: How to Lead Growth Without Losing Identity

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 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 manage rapid growth without sacrificing the identity and trust of a community. With a career that began in construction management and evolved through zoning, planning, and now township leadership, Christopher shares how his hands-on background, deep roots in Bucks County, and people-first philosophy help him lead with both strategic clarity and human empathy. Christopher opens up about the transition from private to public sector, the lessons learned in managing small towns with big challenges, and why customer service, humility, and consistent communication are non-negotiables for building a healthy culture in local government. This episode pairs perfectly with this week’s MLDC book: The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey—offering real-world application from the private sector straight to the public sector trenches. Episode Highlights: From Backhoes to Boardrooms: How growing up around construction sites laid the foundation for servant leadership Private vs. Public Sector: Lessons learned working both sides of infrastructure and what government can learn from business First Time in the Manager's Seat: The challenges of wearing every hat in small-town leadership (sometimes including snowplows!) Culture Starts with Listening: Why empathy, consistency, and responsiveness shape how residents perceive their local government Unreasonable Hospitality in Action: How Christopher’s team applies private-sector service principles to zoning, permitting, and even difficult conversations Managing Growth Without Losing Identity: How Solebury is balancing preservation, open space, and development pressure just outside Philadelphia Beyond Bureaucracy: Using volunteerism, cross-department collaboration, and culture-building events to build staff connection and community trust Serving Amid National Tension: How local leaders can buffer their communities from national division through transparency, humility, and people-first service Township Manager of the Year: What Christopher learned from being recognized by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber and how his team made it happen Connect with Christopher Garges LinkedIn: Christopher Garges on LinkedIn Connect With Seth Winterhalter LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalterWebsite: 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/ The MLDC The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) is a community for city managers and administrators from around the country to find support personally and professionally as they lead thriving teams and communities. We're giving podcast listeners 20% off an annual subscription with a 7-day FREE trial to make sure it's the right fit for you. Visit the link below and use the coupon code "PODCAST" when you register today! --> JOIN HERE

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