The Trusted Leader: Building the Relationships that Make Government Work
by By Newell, Terry (EDT), Reeher, Grant (EDT), and Ronayne, Peter (EDT)
Category: Political Science , American Government , General

Government reform efforts usually focus on macro-level change heralded by new policies, programs, structures, and systems. Yet they tend to ignore that these reforms do not succeed without people. Public managers who form healthy working relationships built on trust are the micro-level change levers—the necessary pre-condition to improving government.Buttressed by their real-world experience on the frontlines of a range of cases, the authors demonstrate the importance of values-based leadership. Chapters then focus on tools; the concrete ways in which leaders can improve themselves, their organizations, those they coach; and the teams they establish to build effective relationships and the trust essential to success. Surveying agencies both horizontally and vertically, The Trusted Leader also addresses how public managers can collaborate with political appointees and the legislative branch, all the while engaging with citizens through modern technologies to build exceptional customer experiences.