People Skills for Public Managers

"This unique little book provides the rich, textured discussion of pragmatic topics that our generalist public management texts often lack. It provides discussions into and exercises for topics such as conflict management, question-asking, emotional intelligence and labor, meeting management, parliamentary procedure, bullying, cultural knowledge and diversity, seeking public input, and a host of others that students will be highly interested in. If one wants to ensure that students have solid skills in management and leadership, this is a wonderful complement to any PA classroom or seminar." -- Montgomery Van Wart, California State University, San Bernardino

Suzanne McCorkle directs the Dispute Resolution academic programs and is a professor in the Public Policy and Administration department at Boise State University, USA. She formerly served as Associate Dean and Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs. Dr. McCorkle is the author of Mediation Theory and Practice and Personal Conflict Management. Her consulting and research interests involve workplace conflict and its remedies. Stephanie Witt is a Professor of Public Policy and Administration at Boise State University, USA. Her books include Cities, Sagebrush and Solitude (co-edited with Dennis Judd) and Urban West Revisited Governing Cities in Uncertain Times (with James B. Weatherby). She has previously held positions at Boise State as Associate Vice President, Associate Dean, Department Chair and Director of the Public Policy Center. She is a Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching "Idaho Professor of the Year" (1998).

Preface 1. Why Public Managers Need People Skills The Public Sector Is Unique Networking Across Agencies Change, Mistrust, and Financial Austerity Conflict Is Inevitable Miscommunication Is Costly Culture and Diversity Awareness Is Crucial NASPAA Standards The Federal Executive Service Standards 2. Every Effective Manager Is a Good Communicator Communication Skills for Public Managers The Fallibility of Message Transfer Leadership and Communication The Dark Side of Positional Authority Case: The New Boss 3. Resolving Disputes in the Workplace Methods for Resolving Disputes What Causes Workplace Conflict? Case: Flextime 4. Mega-Skills for Public Employees Listening Asking Questions Conflict Analysis Assessing Cost-Effectiveness of Dispute Resolution Interviews Case: The Redevelopment Project 5. Creating and Maintaining Effective Work Relationships Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Labor Motivation and the Public Sector Humane Performance Reviews Interpersonal Communication Competence Demotivators: The Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication Case: When Generations Collide 6. Working Together: Meetings, Teams, and Parliamentary Procedure Collaborating Across Agencies Types of Group Activities Meeting Management The Specialized Leadership Skill of Building Teams Parliamentary Procedure Case: The Interdepartment Team 7. Dealing with Incivility, Bullies, and Difficult People Verbal Aggression and Difficult People Skills to Respond to Workplace Misbehavior Bullying Case: Is the Behavior Problematic? Case: There's Something About Jeremy 8. Effective Communication in the Intercultural Workplace Cultural Knowledge and Public Administration The Imperative of Diversity Intercultural Communication Theory Cultural Views of Problem Solving Intercultural Conflict Styles Influences of Culture on Communication Influences of Culture on Management Style Case: Refugees and the Library 9. Dynamic Public Speaking Speaking in the Public Sector Matching the Purpose to the Audience Organizing the Message Adding Interest Final Check: Does the Content Meet the Audience's Needs? Speech Delivery Visual Aids and PowerPoint Presentations Introducing Another Speaker Case: Telling the Public to Prepare for Disaster 10. Designing Effective Public Input Processes Why Seek Input? Bad Behaviors in Public Places Limitations Case: Public Input to Locate the New Bypass 11. The Interconnected Web of People Skills Nexus 1. Public Managers with People Skills Demonstrate Resilience amid Change Nexus 2. Public Managers with People Skills Are Able to Separate Listening from Analyzing Nexus 3. Public Managers with People Skills Understand the Interests of Others Nexus 4. Public Managers with People Skills Prefer Collaboration But Are Able to Make Quick Decisions Nexus 5. Public Managers with People Skills Build Relationships Nexus 6. Public Managers with People Skills Are Accountable Nexus 7. Public Managers with People Skills Communicate Effectively Nexus 8. Public Managers with People Skills Share Power Nexus 9. Public Managers with People Skills Are Persistent Nexus 10. Public Managers with People Skills Embrace Continuous Improvement Bibliography Index About the Authors