Human nature always compels us to find closure in the things we do. Whether it's ending a relationship, making a sandwich, or writing a final blog post, there's an innate tendency to find some way of connecting the beginning of an experience to the end and try and make sense of the stuff in between. I won't attempt to do that now, simply because this doesn't feel like the end, even though this is the final assignment I have to complete before I can consider myself among the "graduated". I don't expect reality to hit me until Fall semester starts for everyone else and I find myself sitting in my living room with nothing to do. And it will be awesome!!
I'm fortunate to have been able to spend a semester at ADEQ. Not only did I get state-level exposure but I got to experience a day in the life of a public administrator. It made me realize how vast the public sector really is and what important roles public employees play. It was fascinating to watch how these men and women traverse the complex world of politics while still providing a high level of public service that tries to uphold the department's mission. Seeing the day to day redefined my definition of government and made it something tangible. I don't think people realize how accessible local government can be (the federal government is a different story entirely ;)) From this experience I have been able to gain a better sense of how I want to serve in the public sector and what opportunities are out there for someone like me.
Best of luck to everyone!
-L
Monday, May 9, 2011
Post 14.
About three-quarters of the way through the semester my supervisor was assigned to a different unit and so the Community Outreach division was reduced to two: me and the newly assigned supervisor, Felicia. Considering that I was going to be leaving in 2 months I began to wonder how she would be able to handle all of the community involvement responsibilities on her own. This is a reality that many consolidated units are now facing and will have to find a way to "do more with less". As much as I hate that saying, it has become the new motto for the public sector.
It is difficult to say whether we will be able to uphold our duties as public servants without the necessary resources and manpower. Although individuals are capable of doing great things with very little it is hard to instigate real change without the support behind those actions.
I know Felicia will try her hardest to fulfill the Community Involvement responsibilities mandated by law but it will be hard for her to find the time to go that extra mile that is sometimes necessary for building sustainable relationships within those neighborhoods.
It is difficult to say whether we will be able to uphold our duties as public servants without the necessary resources and manpower. Although individuals are capable of doing great things with very little it is hard to instigate real change without the support behind those actions.
I know Felicia will try her hardest to fulfill the Community Involvement responsibilities mandated by law but it will be hard for her to find the time to go that extra mile that is sometimes necessary for building sustainable relationships within those neighborhoods.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Well now what are you going to do?
Since announcing my graduation I have heard this question at least a hundred times in the last two weeks. And I still don't have an answer for it. For those of you who moved to this great state for school and are now faced with the dilemma of whether to stay here or move back to your respective state, just know that I too am struggling. While these past 6 years have been amazing, I see more job opportunities in my home state of Washington. Yet, I think that AZ needs more people like us to get it through these hard times. However, I don't see many positions opening up in local or state governments here and I don't know if I want to hop around from job opening to job opening for the next 3-5 years. I'm aware that many unknown opportunities present themselves once you throw yourself into the job field but if I am going to commit myself to staying in AZ and working my ass off for an organization I would like to have a better sense of job security than what is currently being given. I've heard from too many people about the massive layoffs happening all around the state and although Washington is not immune to this recent phenomenon it is not any worse.
So many things to think about...
Costa Rica is looking better and better ;)
So many things to think about...
Costa Rica is looking better and better ;)
Post 13.
Collaboration is an amazing process when used to increase public value. I had the opportunity to help my supervisor and a few of our co-workers put together a video intended to help users navigate ADEQ's website. It outlined the basic features of the website and showed them how to use the various tools available to look up different information about neighborhoods and communities around the state.
The idea for this video did not come from upper management it was simply put forth by a few people in the office who felt it would be a helpful feature for citizens who visited the website. Since it didn't come from upper management it was an unfunded project and most of the man hours it took to complete the 10 minute video were off the clock. It was a great way to see the different sides of people around the office. The GIS engineer also happened to be a film enthusiast and used his professional video recording equipment to shoot all of the scenes. He was also tasked with editing the film, and for those of you who have ever edited film before you know what a time-consuming process it can be. I estimate that he spent close to 100+ hrs shooting, editing, re-shooting, and creating a musical score for this video. Given that it was going to be sent to the department heads to be authorized, this had to be a quality video that stayed within the boundaries of what the department was allowed to publish. This required a lot of pre-planning to ensure that all of the content would be suitable for upper management.
The video featured a few of my co-workers who were excited to get their 15 minutes of fame. I played a key behind the scenes role as the script holder! It was a really fun experience and was a chance for us to step away from the pressures of the office and do something different but still work related. It was great to see the many hidden talents my co-workers possessed and to have all of those talents come together to make something that we all felt would be a contribution to the department.
The final product turned out really well. I was very impressed by how professional yet entertaining it was. When I left ADEQ they were still awaiting approval from the director but I can't see a reason why he wouldn't give it the ok (unless it was for budgetary reasons).
The idea for this video did not come from upper management it was simply put forth by a few people in the office who felt it would be a helpful feature for citizens who visited the website. Since it didn't come from upper management it was an unfunded project and most of the man hours it took to complete the 10 minute video were off the clock. It was a great way to see the different sides of people around the office. The GIS engineer also happened to be a film enthusiast and used his professional video recording equipment to shoot all of the scenes. He was also tasked with editing the film, and for those of you who have ever edited film before you know what a time-consuming process it can be. I estimate that he spent close to 100+ hrs shooting, editing, re-shooting, and creating a musical score for this video. Given that it was going to be sent to the department heads to be authorized, this had to be a quality video that stayed within the boundaries of what the department was allowed to publish. This required a lot of pre-planning to ensure that all of the content would be suitable for upper management.
The video featured a few of my co-workers who were excited to get their 15 minutes of fame. I played a key behind the scenes role as the script holder! It was a really fun experience and was a chance for us to step away from the pressures of the office and do something different but still work related. It was great to see the many hidden talents my co-workers possessed and to have all of those talents come together to make something that we all felt would be a contribution to the department.
The final product turned out really well. I was very impressed by how professional yet entertaining it was. When I left ADEQ they were still awaiting approval from the director but I can't see a reason why he wouldn't give it the ok (unless it was for budgetary reasons).
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Post 12.
Another great practical learning experience I was able to take advantage of was sitting in on meetings. My supervisor always involved me in all the major happenings of the division. Whether it was a regional projects manager meeting or a simple unit meeting where the four of us planned out the next week's tasks, I got a glimpse of what daily life would be for someone in that position. I think a big challenge for someone coming into the public sector for the first time is just getting used to all the formalities of mandates and how that dictates many of your job responsibilities. Being able to traverse the mandate world seems like half of what it takes to be a successful manager. As an outside observer, I felt it was a constant struggle for those in the office who were familiar with the technical side of the job to effectively handle the administrative side. Many of the project managers had special skill sets that served them well while they were on site or developing plans but when confronted with the task of updating public files or other measures pertaining to public information it was a game of catch-up. I definitely think this will be an important issue to address as more departments are downsized and units merge with each other, the need for skilled professionals in all areas, technical and administrative, will greatly affect the level of services being provided. Some agencies have been able to achieve this balance while others still remained divided.
As my last days as a "student" near, I think about what I would have done differently knowing what I know now. One thing I wish I had pursued was a science degree. I always had an interest in geology after I took a general studies course in it but never thought I would be able to use it in my career field. I do think there is more of a need for young people to pursue degrees in more technical fields as it will always benefit you in some way regardless of what your job turns out to be.
As my last days as a "student" near, I think about what I would have done differently knowing what I know now. One thing I wish I had pursued was a science degree. I always had an interest in geology after I took a general studies course in it but never thought I would be able to use it in my career field. I do think there is more of a need for young people to pursue degrees in more technical fields as it will always benefit you in some way regardless of what your job turns out to be.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Post 11.
While I was at ADEQ, the department was experiencing waves of layoffs and voluntary retirements much like the public sector is experiencing now. I recall one week that was particularly bad where many of my co-workers appeared paralyzed by the threat of being let go. Many of them stayed in their cubicles all day or just seemed really detached from everything going on in the office. Although there was still work to be done, many of them felt they didn't have to uphold the "business as usual" perception if they were just going to be fired the next day. It was a noticeably different atmosphere that week and I found it hard to console some of the people I had been working with on a daily basis-some of them had been at the department for most of their career and the thought of being laid off was too much to bear.
It was amazing how quickly attitudes changed. This particular division was very close-knit and there was a camaraderie that I sensed from the very beginning. Every day there was something new that brought everyone on the floor together-whether it was just some tasty treats someone baked at home or a lottery pool. Other times someone would bring in a box of vegetables they grew in their garden or someone wanted to share a photo album they had been working on in their free time. All of the personal tensions you often hear about in office cultures seemed to be ameliorated by a general feeling of respect for one another. I was amazed from the first day I arrived at how well everyone got along with each other which is why the layoffs hit us pretty hard. In one day four people were gone from just one side of the room-that was a very sobering moment. As a manager I couldn't imagine how to approach such a sensitive subject and expect my subordinates to continue on "business as usual". Unfortunately, as budgets continue to shrink, this will become the new reality for many public organizations.
It was amazing how quickly attitudes changed. This particular division was very close-knit and there was a camaraderie that I sensed from the very beginning. Every day there was something new that brought everyone on the floor together-whether it was just some tasty treats someone baked at home or a lottery pool. Other times someone would bring in a box of vegetables they grew in their garden or someone wanted to share a photo album they had been working on in their free time. All of the personal tensions you often hear about in office cultures seemed to be ameliorated by a general feeling of respect for one another. I was amazed from the first day I arrived at how well everyone got along with each other which is why the layoffs hit us pretty hard. In one day four people were gone from just one side of the room-that was a very sobering moment. As a manager I couldn't imagine how to approach such a sensitive subject and expect my subordinates to continue on "business as usual". Unfortunately, as budgets continue to shrink, this will become the new reality for many public organizations.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Is civic participation dead?
One issue that constantly comes up in public administration is how to get better civic participation. It's an issue that all levels of government face but not all of them make it a priority-not that it's an easy task by any means.
I'm in my final intensive course this weekend and we had the Deputy Director of Phoenix speak to our class and he confessed that he makes it part of his routine to engage in community involvement every chance he gets. Although he has a lot on his plate he still finds time to talk to residents. If someone as busy as the Deputy Director of Phoenix finds the time to engage citizens why can't someone in a local department or agency? Sure there is public participation when things are at there worst or there is an important decision that needs to be made but why does it end there? One of my classmates asked "why doesn't civic engagement happen all the time; in good times and bad?" I think he brings up a good point. One complaint by public entities is that residents aren't informed on the issues and don't take interest in what's going on in their communities. Could it be because we expect residents to come to government and not the other way around? Given the pervasiveness of advertisements and marketing schemes, why do we not inform people of issues that really matter to the same extent? There seems to be a need for a complete re-ordering of cultural values in this country. I hope that it happens before it's too late.
I'm in my final intensive course this weekend and we had the Deputy Director of Phoenix speak to our class and he confessed that he makes it part of his routine to engage in community involvement every chance he gets. Although he has a lot on his plate he still finds time to talk to residents. If someone as busy as the Deputy Director of Phoenix finds the time to engage citizens why can't someone in a local department or agency? Sure there is public participation when things are at there worst or there is an important decision that needs to be made but why does it end there? One of my classmates asked "why doesn't civic engagement happen all the time; in good times and bad?" I think he brings up a good point. One complaint by public entities is that residents aren't informed on the issues and don't take interest in what's going on in their communities. Could it be because we expect residents to come to government and not the other way around? Given the pervasiveness of advertisements and marketing schemes, why do we not inform people of issues that really matter to the same extent? There seems to be a need for a complete re-ordering of cultural values in this country. I hope that it happens before it's too late.
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