Dear Gov.-Elect Sherrill:
Congratulations! You are now in the public management business. Having spent many years working in New Jersey’s public management arena, I would like to share some key concepts for you, incoming chief of operations Kelly Doucette, and the rest of your team to consider.
These are five of my personal favorite principles of public management. Please take a few moments to reflect on their meaning.
- You don’t know what you don’t know.
- Things change, and stuff happens.
- We can spin anything in any direction. And do.
- Things are the way they are because they got that way. Find out why before you change.
- Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Keep those in mind as you review the transition and implementation challenges that every new gubernatorial administration faces. Frequent use of the “why” question is a great tool to understand agency issues. The challenge is determining what to do once you get the answers.
Consider the following:
The issues facing the administration: budget, budget, and budget, all driven by uncertainty. The state’s decisions made over the last eight years, combined with the current (and unexpectedly) positive trends in the national economy, are leaving the budget in reasonable shape. However, uncertainty risks vary across short-, medium-, and long-term revenues, with short-term revenues being particularly volatile.
The uncertainty of state revenues is driven mainly by national economic conditions and the lack of predictability regarding federal programs, energy supply and costs, legislative reactions to your initiatives (e.g., tax relief programs).
Also, see, as noted above, you don’t know what you don’t know, and things change and stuff happens, making flexibility a critical element.
The budget will likely compromise some of your campaign’s commitments. Address them with a balanced and flexible mindset, and be willing to compromise. Moving incrementally over four years gives you time to institutionalize incremental changes that will endure.
Working with the bureaucracy: The state government bureaucracy is not your enemy. While often publicly derided, it is a fount of subject-matter experts on agency activities. They possess deep institutional knowledge and will provide reliable information. Have your action/transition teams ask the “why” question: why something exists, why we do what we do, and why other solutions could or couldn’t work.
When making changes, keep in mind that the agency must continue to operate during the transition. Those affected by changes — employees or agency clients — will need lead time and guidance.
You and your commissioner-designees can have confidence in agency administrative staff. These include fiscal, human resources, regulatory, communications, facilities, audit/compliance, and other subject matter experts who run the agency’s day-to-day support operations. These are the individuals who understand the agency’s inner workings and can assist you in implementing your programs. Yes, there will be partisans who defend programs you want to change. Use the “why” question to ensure you understand the implications of changes.
Keep options open: Don’t commit to firm, big-picture decisions right away. Remember, things are the way they are because they got that way. Was the policy a response to a specific moment? Did it solve the problem? Is it necessary to keep the problem solved? Does one policy connect to another? Ask those questions and get answers before making decisions. Not all policy issues get “solved” right away. Some will always be a work in progress.
Technology is an essential tool, but not a stand-alone solution. You can’t simply throw artificial intelligence or any technology at a problem and expect it to fix long-festering challenges. Implementing technology, especially AI, requires resources—time, attention, and money. You will not have all the resources to accomplish everything at once. Setting priorities is critical.
The Office of Information Technology and the Office of Innovation have smart and dedicated experts who can support your efforts. They understand what technology can and cannot do, as well as how to implement sound solutions. That said, managing technology is challenging. It is a worthwhile endeavor to examine those offices and their relationships with agency technology teams to identify areas where technology can bring improvements.
On creating change: There are many ways to effect change. From the federal “DOGE” approach of “move fast and break things” (chainsaws optional), to slow, steady, incremental change that endures. The former disrupts; the latter has a better chance of succeeding long term. There are places for each and approaches between the extremes. Pick your spots carefully. Implement quick changes for obvious needs or campaign commitments while taking smaller, consistent steps toward goals where big leaps and immediate fixes aren’t warranted.
We’ve done this before: Government institutions can develop rigid structures that fail to adapt to societal changes over time. Exploring the big picture builds support for long-term solutions. Once settled, consider implementing an administrative initiative or collaborating with the legislature to examine the broader picture of how state government operates — and focus on overarching policies. You will find value in examining how previous administrations have handled this to inform your own approach.
Examples include the Christie Bi-partisan Red Tape Commission, the Florio Governor’s Management Review Commission, and Kean’s Government Management Improvement Program. The legislature drove others: the 2018 Path to Progress, the 2006 Special Session on Property Tax Reform, and the comprehensive 1984-1988 State and Local Expenditure and Review Program Commission (SLERP). All were appropriate for their times and had both short and long-term positive impacts.
For example, there is a strong argument to be made for a clear-eyed, comprehensive (and ongoing) examination of the policy and efficiency challenges inherent in our current tax structure. While spending is always examined during the budget process, taxes are only looked at incrementally. A big picture review could be useful.
Finally, it is likely that mistakes will be made by overly enthusiastic people or by those who lose focus. When something flares up, address the issue quickly, resolve it, and move on. In six months, it will be forgotten.
There’s a lot to do. Taking time to consider approaches is well worth the effort. Good luck. We are all counting on you!