Do you think you are doing a good job? Do you believe that if you continue to perform to “acceptable government standards” that your job will be there tomorrow? These are hard times, and as every day passes the taxpayers of this country are becoming angrier at what they see as an increasingly incompetent and costly government. For the first time in history, public sector pay is out performing that of the private sector. As taxes rise (and they surly will) the frustration level will only continue to grow, along with the calls for a leaner and more efficient government.

The way I see it our biggest problem is that government, by design, is inherently incompetent. Unlike most professions in the private sector, there are no job qualifications for a politician; all they need is enough votes to win. The electorate does not always elect the best candidate, or best qualified. In many instances, the best qualified have no desire to run for political office. It may be because of the public scrutiny or being associated with an increasingly unpopular profession.  There used to be a time in America where public service was considered to be a nobel and honorable profession, but not anymore.  The constant barrage of scandals, monetary kickbacks, and political infighting has forever tarnished a once respectable career choice. There is a general mistrust of government that is so great you can almost taste it. Never has that been even more obvious than what is going on today in the Federal Government. If we were to frivolously spend our budget like the Federal Government does, we would be fired tomorrow.

In Fleet Management we do not always hire or promote the best qualified. In many instances fleet managers have ascended through the ranks with no formal education in business management. They were simply in the job long enough to allow the “good ole boy effect” to take place or energize the public sector unions to negotiate the promotion.   Unfortunately when this happens it is to the detriment to the rest of us. I have witnessed on several occasions where a fleet manager was fired due to corruption or mismanagement it usually had a domino effect throughout the local area, especially if it was covered by the local news. How many fleet managers do you know that don’t have a clue of what they are doing? Why do most municipalities have a separate purchasing department? Is it because they feel that the Department Directors or Fleet Managers aren’t capable, knowledgeable, or ethical enough to purchase their own equipment? I contend that if you do not have the necessary skills to perform such a task, then you are incompetent. Now don’t get upset, I am not advocating that all Fleet Managers employed by local governments with a dedicated purchasing department are incompetent. On the contrary, it is not because you incompetent or unethical, but because you are perceived to be by the general public.

So what do you do during these tough times? For starters, you can go to work every day with the attitude and desire to make a change for the better. Look at your processes and determine if they can be improved upon. If you don’t know how to improve, ask someone! There are many fleet managers who are willing to help. Don’t just accept the notion that “it’s always been done that way” and therefore it can’t or shouldn’t be changed. Evaluate all areas of your department and determined if they are competitive with the private sector. Do you have repair programs that are more costly to staff than to outsource?  Do you know how to assess the cost differentials accurately enough to justify keeping your staff? Do you know the difference between productivity vs. efficiency and how to measure them? If you can’t do it now, you are destined for failure! You can decide to wait-it-out in hopes for better times or you can act now. But keep one thing in mind, the private sector does not have the luxury of waiting and will go after your job at the first sign of weakness.