Leaders in the Public Sector

Do you think that Leaders in the Public Sector could "hang" with the big boys in private industry?

I often ask myself that as I sit, evaluate, and analyze those around me. Sometimes, I think that it takes great patience and trust, political savvy and cunning skills to lead in the public sector. Other times, I feel that it is all gut instinct. You need gut instinct when you deal with "chaos management" in the public sector and react according to sporadic and complicated problems that arise.

But is all this good? Does it work?

I think that a good leader should have credibility and establish trust with those being led. How can you be a good leader if you don't have any followers, right? Makes sense to me. Trust is universal in both public and private sectors of management. If you establish trust, then your staff doesn't have to like you. They CAN trust that you know what what to do and can do a good job. But, they certainly don't have to like you. Which leads me to another point: cunning skills.

Let's say that you have great talent for the art of bullsh*t, is that considered a skill? I think it is. If you can convince the masses that you know what you are doing, you will establish trust and credibility therefore gain followers. With followers you can lead. A good leader can utilize what he has and make everything work. That is a scary thought but I believe it to be true.

A leader in the public sector has to be cunning and have great political skills. He needs to know who the players are and what their potential or capacities are. Because he is not measured by how much money he makes for the company, the leader in the public sector has to be able to lead. He should know what's what and who's who. He should, however, be measured on performance statistics. If the private sector leader measures his success by profit, then shouldn't we measure our success by output that is documented. Wouldn't it be considered successful if the DMV was able to service the public quickly and expeditiously? How grand would that be---being able to come into the DMV and not wait in line? Or, what about going to the courthouse, or any government/city agency for that matter, and request a file? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to get the service right there and then (again in a timely manner)? Who keeps these statistics? Who does the quality control for the public sector?

See my point?....

With all said and done, I think the leaders in the public sector would have to have "step up" before "hanging" in the private industry. Its one thing to be leading a team that does not have any accountabilty (and has a reputation of being hard to fire) and then theres another that generates money and keeps the company going.

If the public agencies are to succeed, they are going to have to adhere to the needs of the new sophisticated public and community.

Simple and most basic solution: Ask. If you want to know what is not working or how to make things better, just ask the public and community.

It may be time to start changing the embedded cultures of the public sector.

You know my motto....time for a change...even if just in itty bitty steps.