Running for office and governing are to entirely different things. One thing every person elected to an executive position whether that is mayor, governor or president should understand is this: A person that helped get you elected may not be the best person to help you govern.
There are two groups that help the executive govern, the people you hire and the people you keep from the last administration. Among these people there will be one or more individuals that will screw up royally and makes themselves and you, the executive, look like an idiots. Remember you are all public servants, emphasis on the public.
How do you avoid this? Here are a few ideas.
Part of the process is in knowing the people you hire. In other words if they screwed up before there is a good chance they will do it again. So do good background checks. Make sure your people understand the little things, like when you send an email make sure you are willing to see the contents of the email on the front page of the newspaper with your name attached. If they can’t do the simple things like this don’t hire them.
Make sure your people know that appearance is reality in the public sector. If they go to a conference on the taxpayer’s dollar make sure they avoid the strip clubs, casinos and massage parlors. I really don’t care if they conference is in Las Vegas, don’t be getting half day spa visits paid for by a vendor you do business with.
The employees need to know you have their back, and there are a number of ways of doing this, like not letting some self-important politico screw with their retirement. But also know that if they step over the line the will find themselves on their own with you holding he axe above their head.
When they do screw up and they will screw up don’t hide it. The cover up will look worse than whatever is being covered up.
Don’t be afraid to use the axe you are only eliminating the stupid ones anyway.
Besides a few head placed on pikes in front of the castle will keep the rest of the servants in line.
