Skills or Theory: An Opinion and a Suggestion

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Dennis T. Martino
October 31, 2025

Preparing for a significant role in public administration begins with making some choices. Many PA jobs are held by people who were appointed by elected officials, assuming that is not simply a reward for campaign supporters, people appointed, or those who have worked their way up the ladder.

For successful hiring, the appointing authority must seek candidates whose experience perfectly matches the agency’s mission. It is vital for the appointing authority to distinguish whether the available candidates are qualified subject matter experts or individuals selected primarily due to political affiliation.

Our country, state and local governments depend on expertise. We gain this by hiring experts and investing in their training to ensure they have the skills needed for agency leadership.

ASPA membership consists of three main groups: faculty from MPA or MPP programs, field practitioners and a significant number of students. Of these, I propose that we, who have the authority to hire administrators and high-level managers, focus on their area of expertise rather than a general degree. We can train people to be administrators, but we should hire people with a background in the field.

An example might be, if I were the governor of a state and could appoint someone to be in charge of IT, I would not appoint an MPA, I would hire an IT expert. We can train people to be administrators. I would go as far as recommending the ASPA create a certificate program in public administration and offer it online through asynchronous classwork to accommodate people in all time zones.

Here are some suggestions (these suggestions were AI generated):

1. Public Sector Leadership and Ethical Decision-Making
   • This topic is foundational, focusing on the unique role of a leader in government and nonprofit settings. It should cover:
   • Ethical Frameworks and Accountability: Training on applying ethical principles to complex public service dilemmas, ensuring transparency and understanding the duty to the public good.
   • Leadership Styles: Exploring different styles (e.g., servant, transformational) and how to adapt them to motivate diverse teams, especially in resource-constrained or high-pressure public environments.
   • Building Trust: Strategies for establishing credibility with teams, stakeholders and the public.
2. Public Finance and Budgeting Fundamentals
   • New public managers must be financially literate to manage taxpayer resources responsibly. This module would provide the essential skills for fiscal oversight:
   • Budgeting Basics: Understanding the public budgeting cycle (preparation, adoption, execution, audit), including how to develop, present and monitor an organizational budget.
   • Financial Accountability: Learning about financial reporting, cost control and adhering to strict governmental regulations and compliance requirements.
   • Resource Allocation: Techniques for prioritizing limited resources to maximize public benefit and achieve strategic program goals.
3. Policy Analysis and Program Implementation
   • This topic teaches new managers how to effectively translate public policy into real-world action and assess its impact.
   • Policy Cycle Overview: Understanding how policies are formulated, adopted and evaluated within the political and administrative context.
   • Data-Informed Decision-Making: Using data, performance metrics and evaluation methods (like logic models or cost-benefit analysis) to design, manage and evaluate the effectiveness of public programs.
   • Strategic Planning: Aligning departmental initiatives with broader organizational goals and statutory mandates.
4. Communication and Stakeholder Engagement
   • Effective communication is critical for public managers who must interact with diverse groups including elected officials, community members and the media.
   • Strategic Communication: Crafting clear, persuasive messages for different audiences, including crisis communication planning.
   • Active Listening and Feedback: Developing skills for truly understanding team member and citizen concerns and providing constructive feedback for performance management.
   • Building Partnerships: Techniques for engaging, negotiating and collaborating with community stakeholders, other agencies and cross-sector partners to achieve public objectives.
5. Performance and Change Management
   • Public sector organizations often face pressure to modernize, increase efficiency and address evolving public needs.
   • Managing Employee Performance: Setting SMART goals, conducting meaningful performance reviews and providing coaching and development opportunities.
   • Organizational Change: Learning change management methodologies to guide teams through transitions (e.g., new technologies, budget cuts, policy shifts) while minimizing resistance and maintaining morale.
   • Conflict Resolution: Skills for mediating workplace conflicts and addressing difficult employee or public situations constructively.

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Author: Dennis Martino is the former Director of the NH Bureau of Education and Training. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of NH and the outgoing President of the New England Chapter of ASPA. Prior to his current academic work, he had twenty-one years of experience in labor relations as a union advocate and contract negotiator. Dennis has acted as a workplace mediator with both small and large agencies. He is a board member of both the National Certified Public Manager Consortium and the American Academy of Certified Public Managers. Education: BA Sociology, St. Anselm College, Manchester, NH; M.Ed., Rivier University; MS Psychology, California Southern University; PhD in Organizational Psychology from Concordia University.

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