PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

I have this given this idea – the one summarized in the headline — some thought lately as I have watched a number of state agencies implode, creating a potential issue for the next gubernatorial election campaign.

I never wanted to head an agency when I worked for state government in Oregon, preferring to take several deputy director jobs. But, in those positions, I did develop a list of the management precepts I would espouse if I ever was a director.

Of course, these are not magic answers to the task of managing often huge enterprises. Plus, it is not enough to accept the old saw that agencies “should become like businesses.” That wouldn’t work when they are part of government; a bit of business acumen might be helpful, but agencies are very different than businesses.

Further, I don’t mean to suggest that these precepts would avoid state agency problems. But, in the face of problems, these ideas would give me solace as a director under fire.

So, perhaps a bit presumptuously, I list my management precepts here.

• Always take the initiative to handle issues so someone else’s initiative doesn’t put you on the defensive

If you aren’t taking the initiative, you’ll lose it. In a politically tinged state like Oregon – with Democrats in charge of the House, the Senate and the Governor’s Office and Republicans playing the role of the minority – every decision you make, or those you avoid making, will be subject to review in public. So, take the initiative to get ahead of the public policy curve.

• Before making decisions, always rely on advice and counsel from key managers who report to you

I had the privilege of serving on the Executive Management teams at the Department of Human Resources, the Department of Economic Development and the Executive Department and I served as a governor’s press secretary so I had a lot of experience with the value of seeking and taking good advice.

The Executive Management team at any agency I ran would include these positions.

+ Director of budget, fiscal policy and management

+ Director of personnel management

+ Director information and data processing

+ Director of the major program(s) in the agency

+ Director of public relations

• Always do what you think is the “right thing,” not the expedient or political thing

This sounds easy, but it is not. And notice that I said do what you think is right because there will be others who will contend you have not made the right decision, no matter what you think.

If you are comfortable with the right decision, let the chips fall where they may.

• Always keep your boss – either the governor or your commission – in the loop on decisions so they hear from you first, not from someone who may misinterpret your decisions and describe them in less than flattering terms

This is critical. Recognize that you work for someone, usually a governor or perhaps a commission, so don’t let either be surprised by your actions. Apprise them in advance. On occasion, give your superiors a chance to give you their advice before you act.

• Always manage “by panorama,” by which I mean to make sure you have the full scope of an issue, not just one snapshot

For me, this key precept exists because of the tendency of many to see something – call it a snapshot – and to believe that the snapshot actually reflects the whole.

Don’t fall victim to that tendency. Require a sequence of snapshots to make sure you have a full panorama before acting.

• Always avoid responding to every criticism or slight

Not every criticism deserves a response. Plus, some criticisms may actually point to an area where you and your agency need to improve. Recognize that, often, to use an old saying, “what you see depends on where you sit.”  Be open to constructive criticism from others who don’t sit where you sit.

• Always keep track of your agency’s results and be ready to publicize them, especially in the legislature or to the media

Call this keeping track of “return on investment.” Often, this is assumed to be a business term, one that will appeal only to Republicans. But, in my experience, the results/return on investment point works for all kinds of audiences, including Democrats and the media.

This initiative makes sense if you feel that your agency’s programs are worth preserving. But, the best rationale for preservation should not just rest on perceptions; it ought to be decided on the basis of results your agency’s achieves for Oregonians.

Too often, results are not tabulated. The temptation in government is to assume that, because an agency and its programs exist, then they should be allowed to continue to exist.

As I wrote earlier, these are not magic answers to the tough job of managing a state agency. There are no such answers. I won’t have a chance to test these precepts, so I will be content with a notion that they would work to make managing a state agency successful.