Most people are familiar with the term “red tape.” This term is often associated with bureaucracy and carries negative connotations, referring to burdensome rules that make processes more complicated. Leisha DeHart-Davis, a professor of public administration and...
Why Most Economic Development Efforts Fail
This is the third article of a four-part series entitled Why Local Governments Fail at Economic Development. The first article addressed how local government officials “fail to define and sell their unique sizzle” - the things that make their community great and the...
Why Follow Up After Submitting an Application Is Essential
Some government job candidates miss a critical part of the hiring process. The step most often skipped is post-application follow-up. There are three reasons to follow-up after you submit your application. The first reason is to ensure the application was received...
Public-Private Partnerships – Essential in Building Community
Public-Private Partnerships is a phrase that is often overused and under supplied. In today’s economic environment, I have found that genuine partnerships are needed to achieve the return of investment, time, and energy for both the private and public...
Public Service – A Rewarding Experience
I have served local governments for over 27 years and I can truly say the experience and opportunity to make a difference in the lives of so many is a rewarding experience and one I would not trade. My passion, which I began to realize many years ago, was in creating...
Managing Through Outsourcing
In times such as these, many people still have a feeling that public sector employees are overpaid, underworked, and (frankly) untouchable. The reality of public service is they are not. Coming from the private sector 12 years ago to the public arena, I vowed never...
How to Make Up Lost Sequester Hours
By now, we’re all aware of the dreaded sequester -- or group cuts to federal spending -- that recently went into effect. According to The Washington Post, although the sequester was originally meant to serve as an incentive for the Joint Select Committee on Deficit...
Government Employment and Staffing
For as long as most of us can remember the words “government employee” have been synonymous with steady, reliable employment where terms like “downsizing” and” rightsizing” seldom applied and the threat of being laid off was as remote as snowfall in Miami Beach. ...
Why Most Economic Development Efforts Fail
This is the second article in a four-part series on Why Local Governments Fail at Economic Development. The first article addressed how local government officials “fail to define and sell the sizzle” that makes their community attractive for a new businesses...