Episode #123: T. Michael Stavres - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

T. Michael Stavres, City Manager of Winter Haven, shares his perspective on effective leadership and community growth. With a team of certified subject-matter experts, Winter Haven's focus is on understanding constituents' emotions and perspectives. T. Michael emphasizes the impact of public investment on private growth, exemplified by Winter Haven's infrastructure improvements. He highlights the transformational power of leveraging public funds for infrastructure, which yielded remarkable private investment returns for Winter Haven. Through his insights, T. Michael illustrates how being receptive to change and investing in a community can lead to positive outcomes.