|
I agree that Government mismanagement is not a problem that can be solved by contractors unless the contractor is fully supported in solving the problems. As a contractor, I have resolved to never accept another one of my companies problem assignments at an agency that is known to have bad management. As long as I am without the power to make changes, I am not going to ride in on my white horse and get my head handed to me.
Posted by rocketman on December 28, 2007 - 07:04 AM
USG managers are frequently untrained in the specifics of what they are supposed to manage. They are smart, but operated far outside of their MBA or legal experience set. They diligently apply themselves without operating knowledge of how to accomplish the details of the job and without knowledgable staff with accountability and a track record of success on similar jobs. They manage like the MBA students in the Dec 24 2007 Financial Times story by Neil Courtis, "Confessions of an MBA graduate" who role play a "[manager] who runs into trouble when hired to establish a local mobile phone franchise. [The USG managers are] full of advice for bosses, including the inevitable demand for more training and mentoring, but strangely short on tips for dealing with the nitty gritty of rolling out a phone mast network or placating local politicians.
[Those USG managers] work hard but make bad decisions, miss deadlines and [different than private industry, get yet another project]."
Posted by wledoejoed on December 28, 2007 - 08:11 AM
I don't think specialists generally make good managers. One of the biggest problems I have seen in government management is that the line level functional operatives keep getting promoted into the management ranks. This might make the mediocre in the rank and file feel good, but Contract Officers and FBI Special Agents (random examples) are not necessarily qualified to manage just because they have been around ten years and they dress nicer than the others. Lawyers are even worse. I never met a lawyer who made a good manager - at any level. While I agree that contractors can never trump poor agency management, there is an even whackier concept on the march: The Chief Management Officer! What's next: Chief Responsibility Holder and Chief Get-the-Job- Done Officer? When it comes to mission accomplishment, there is no substitute for understanding the mission and staying committed to it at all levels of management.
Posted by Federal Enterprise Architect on January 3, 2008 - 12:58 PM
I don’t disagree that technical specialists generally don’t make good managers, but feel it's naive to think that real knowledge and experience of the mission is not imperative to understanding it and maintaining commitment to it. This is especially true in the increasingly complex technical environments, which exist in USG departments and agencies today. Promotion from within of individuals who demonstrate the total package of management and technical skill is the key, and sometimes goes a lot further towards mission focus and accomplishment by motivating the "mediocre" ranks than feel-good positive-thinking propagandas being pushed by non-technical management institute MBA types.
Posted by USGLEADCO on January 4, 2008 - 07:55 AM
I absolutely agree that (technical) specialists don't often make good managers. As a contracting officer I can count on one hand the competant managers I've have in almost 30 years of service. While knowledge of the specialty and the unit mission are necessary, the tools of the manager are offtimes different than those of the technician. People skills are necessary to manage people. What is management but the ability to motivate others? To accomplish the mission through the efforts of others? The Federal Government doesn't seem to understand the distinction between a good technican and a good manager.
Posted by mike mcmanus on January 4, 2008 - 08:24 AM
I also have to concur. I'm a technical expert in a highly specialized field (about 2000 worldwide, total). My supervisor is gradually rewriting my position to be less technical; more managerial and administrative. I know I'm a fairly awful manager; I've been there a couple of times. It may be frustrating to become a bad manager with the delusio that you're good; it's horrible to be forced into it knowing you suck at it.
Posted by oldcoastie on January 4, 2008 - 10:03 AM
|
