Staff presents CliftonStrengths review, urges council to use strengths-based practices

City staff delivered a CliftonStrengths briefing to the Hutto City Council on Nov. 20, 2025, saying the assessment highlights the body's dominant motivations and offers practical steps to improve collaboration. David Hamzler, director of strategic operations, told the council the report reflects only participating members and is meant to describe tendencies rather than box individuals into fixed categories.

Hamzler summarized the council as analytically strong and action-capable, with high scores in executing and strategic thinking. "It is just stating what is typically an individual's primary motivation and where a lot of their strengths lie," he said. Staff also singled out a consistent gap: both council and staff scored low in the influencing domain, which affects how the city communicates with residents and builds public support for initiatives.

Hamzler recommended concrete practices tied to strengths: rely on executing members to ensure follow-through, use strategic thinkers to map long-term risks and framing questions, and have relationship builders maintain a respectful tone during contentious discussions. He urged including communications staff earlier in project development so messaging is shaped while projects are still being formed. "When you're watching it get built and you're educating yourself on the product at the same time, that's a lot easier to communicate from a more natural place," Hamzler said.

Councilors asked questions about how to implement the suggestions and whether the council needs more people who naturally influence. Staff proposed a follow-up, hands-on workshop (30–120 minutes) where members would work in mixed groups to practice stretching into less-dominant domains. Councilors discussed scheduling that session around the holidays.