Description

Replete with practical advice for somebody considering a career in federal, state, or local government, Caught between the Dog and the Fireplug, or How to Live to tell the tale Public Service conveys what life is actually like in a public service job. The book is written as a series of vigorous, entertaining letters of advice from a sympathetic uncle to a niece or nephew embarking on a central authority career.

Kenneth Ashworth draws on more than forty years of public sector experience to provide advice on the day-to-day challenges that future public servants can expect to face: working with politicians, bureaucracy, and the press; dealing with unpleasant and difficult people; leading supervisors in addition to subordinates; and maintaining high ethical standards. Ashworth relates anecdotes from his jobs in Texas, California, and Washington, D.C., that illustrate with humor and wit fundamental concepts of public administration.

Be prepared, says Ashworth, to encounter all sorts of unexpected situations, from the hostile to the extraordinary, from the intimidating to the outrageous. He shows that in the confrontational world of public policymaking and program implementation, a successful career demands disciplined, informed thought, intellectual and personal growth, and broad reading. He demonstrates how, in spite of the inevitable inefficiencies of a democratic society, those working to shape policy in large organizations can nonetheless effect significant change-and even have fun along the way.

The book will interest students and teachers of public administration, public affairs, policy development, leadership, or higher education administration. Ashworth’s advice will also appeal to somebody who has ever been caught in a tight spot at the same time as working in government service.
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