The First 90 Days in Government: Critical Success Strategies for New Public Managers at All Levels

5

Build the Team

JULIE DAVIS had risen rapidly through her agency’s ranks as a procurement specialist, earning a reputation for self-direction and reliable handling of complex assignments with minimum supervision along the way. Then she was promoted to lead a new procurement organization—one that had been formed from the consolidation of two former sections and was a result of budget reductions and a recent reorganization. The sections were staffed by a mixture of clerical and administrative employees, as well as contract-administration specialists who directly oversaw the performance of the agency’s various contractors and were empowered to authorize payment when work was completed. Julie’s responsibilities included complex IT and construction ...