241: Amber Vogan: Fighting Imposter Syndrome: The Confidence Crisis Every CEO Faces
Podcast: The HaltingWinter PodcastPublished On: Tue Oct 14 2025
Description: What happens when the clerk in the back office becomes the city's CEO? In this episode, Amber Vogan, City Manager of Bonner Springs, Kansas, shares her unexpected journey from utility billing to the city manager's chair and what it feels like to lead when you don't believe you're ready. From fighting imposter syndrome to juggling three counties, nine councilmembers, and an amphitheater that seats 18,000, her story is a raw look at the weight and reward of public service. We talk about: Why imposter syndrome is common even at the highest levels of leadership. The unique pressures of running a "small" city with big-city problems. How mentors and peers can push leaders out of comfort and into growth. Whether you're leading a city, a department, or considering the leap into management, this conversation will remind you: no leader ever feels fully ready, but the seat still needs you. Show Some Love for Our Sponsors Tyler Technologies – the nation's leading provider of software designed for the public sector. Learn more at tylertech.com/winter Zencity – helping hundreds of local governments cut through the noise and make data-driven decisions with confidence. Learn more at info/zencity.io/winter Connect with Seth Winterhalter: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterhalter Website: www.HaltingWinter.com
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