Give her a chance. That’s what I’ve been telling clients and friends since the Dallas City Council named Kimberly Bizor Tolbert the new city manager. Most of these people are surprised that I’m cautiously optimistic. Those calling are mostly City Hall insiders, even employees and elected and appointed officials. They know I’m critical of most things coming out of Marilla Street, and that the city has serious problems — unhappy citizens, a poor debt rating, homelessness, aging infrastructure and high taxes, to name just a few.

So why am I optimistic?

Because Tolbert works. Hard. She puts in long hours. She actually comes into the office — something her predecessor T.C. Broadnax didn’t do.

In many ways, she reminds me of Mary Suhm, who started her career as a librarian. Suhm learned from the ground floor up and worked hard as the city leader. She earned her spurs, gaining wide levels of expertise across many city departments. Most important, she had institutional knowledge. She combined this with an admirable work ethic.

Effort counts, and ability begins with availability. So far, so good with Tolbert.

My optimism has increased after seeing that rank-and-file city employees began filling the council chamber as the agenda item to name her came closer. They filled the place. They were excited that someone from the ranks would lead them. I also believe they know that she works, not just presides.

I believe these people will work for her and be willing to make the changes she promotes.

I am hopeful she will not allow employees to hide, coast or provide poor customer service. It’s become a norm in the building. Calls and emails go unanswered. Plans go unreviewed. Most galling, employees boast about their side hustles, a dynamic facilitated by work-from-home policies.

The Broadnax years featured managers that wanted to make employees happy. I hope Tolbert empowers directors and their assistants to hold employees accountable and help them improve.

Other cities treat people like customers and know they are competing. I’ve been concerned that Tolbert uses platitudes — that Dallas is winning, and keeping the city at the top. I’m hoping that is just excited rhetoric, because it’s not true.

In my experience, the city of Dallas is the most dysfunctional, siloed, political, expensive and rude place to do business in the region — by a wide margin. This must change quickly for Dallas to even begin to be competitive.

Tolbert is going to lead from out front. I worried it might be more from the Broadnax playbook. So far, I was wrong — and I’m happy to admit it. She crawled out of the wreck of the good ship Broadnax and got to work repairing the damage, while many others scurried to his new ship in Austin.

I believe Tolbert is going to make different choices and run a different and more accountable government. She is willing to be graded. Only someone confident they will do the job behaves that way.

She’s not waiting for leadership from the council; she’s leading. She’s asking for input, not instructions.

She’s certainly not waiting on the mayor to provide inspiration or insight. The next expected sighting of the mayor, predictable like a comet, is in 2026, when he will take full credit for the World Cup games and be out and about in a new cowboy hat.

Tolbert has worked outside City Hall enough to know what the real world is like. More important, she started at the lowest level inside City Hall and made it to the top. Tolbert has had a variety of mentors during her career.

There’s no honeymoon for Tolbert. There’s no time for it, and too much to do. I’m optimistic, but I’m watching for backsliding. She’s got two and a half years to get things headed in the right direction, so when the city has a mayor willing to lead, the pace can quicken. The City Council must make explicit that she must blaze this path swiftly.

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com