Beware the “Best” Way

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

By Thomas E. Poulin
September 23, 2024

A common theme in the minds of many public administrators is a desire for self-improvement. Driven by personal or professional aspirations, there frequently exists an urge to grasp every challenge and opportunity, taking whatever steps might lead to success. This often involves reading the works of those who have succeeded or viewing their presentations. This can be of immense value, but they should always be wary of the “best” way.

There is a difference between scholarly research and experience. Scholarly research is carefully designed to capture and interpret information. More importantly, it is presented with caveats regarding the potential applications and limitations in varied settings. The experiences of successful leaders may be of interest, but they are anecdotal. They represent only one person’s experience in a specific set of circumstances. When reflecting upon these anecdotes, it is vital to consider them within this context. A belief the lessons or best practices from one setting can be applied to all might very well have the opposite outcome.

Historic Example

One of the most iconic examples of this in United States corporate history was the merger of RJR Tobacco and NABISCO, with the former being a large-scale, successful producer of tobacco products and the other one of the largest producers of cookies and snacks in the country. The challenges they faced during and after the merger which contributed to massive loss in profit margins and market share had nothing to do with public views of tobacco or sugary snack food; it was a different era. The challenges they faced were in presuming a successful leader in an organization would be successful in any setting. Granted, fundamental leadership and management principles might apply, but not assessing the context in which leadership and management are to be exercised suggests an incorrect approach might be used, contributing to failure.

Reflecting on Authenticity

To promote individual or organizational development based on the experience of others, it is vital to reflect on the authenticity of their model in another setting. In this instance, it is not whether the presentation or experiences of the successful model were accurate or complete; if they had been successful elsewhere, we can presume they were. In this instance, authenticity has to do with how their recommendations align themselves in another setting.

Benchmarking the behaviors, patterns and practices of others is a valuable means of learning from their experiences, capturing the value they created through their success while avoiding the pitfalls they experienced. In terms of public policy, institutionalism suggests the wisdom and probity of following successful models of others in the same field. However, each organization is different, and these differences can make or break the implementation of new practices and procedures on an individual or agency basis.

To promote the development of individuals or public agencies, it is important to explore new approaches continuously. To promote success in change, it is important to reflect upon how the experiences of others might be integrated into another agency. After considering the organizational mission, resources, community environment, discipline and culture, there are several options. First, determine if it is presently interesting but unworkable in another organization. Retain the information, reflecting on it later when the circumstances might change, and it becomes a viable path to improvement. Second, adopt it wholescale, integrating it into the organization with little or no modification, hoping to achieve the same results as those upon whom the new practices and procedures were modeled. Last, adapt it to the needs, expectations, resources and culture of the organization, finding a way to mold both the new practices and procedures and the organization itself into a coherent whole. Mechanics know that an engine part that is designed for one vehicle might not fit or work effectively in the vehicle of another manufacturer, at least not without some mechanical adapter. Public administrators might be prudent to consider this simple analogy when considering adopting an approach from another agency into their own without further consideration or modification to make it fit. It might sound like a good idea, but it might not work, stopping or damaging the engine.  

Red Flags

There are potential red flags in any presentation on the “best” way:

• Beware the source stating their professional methods and personal style are the only route to success.
• Beware the source stating their message will support success under any circumstances in any setting.
• Beware the source that dismisses any questions or concerns with varied internal and external factors that might affect the utility of the recommendations.
• Beware the source that refers any questions or concerns to their other publications and presentations, as if no other source had value.
• Beware the source stating their recommendation is so clear it is a “no brainer.” Technically, this means no one thought about it.
• Beware the source that presumes their organizational position equates to universal competency, relying on their current or former positions as their primary, if not only, claim to expertise in diverse settings.

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Author: Thomas E. Poulin, PhD, SHRM-CP, IPMA-CP, is a training and development consultant and part-time public administration faculty at Columbia Southern University. He served in local government and non-profits for more than 30 years, and has taught public administration and related topics for nearly 20. He may be reached at [email protected].

 

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