Guest Post: Unsought Advice to Gov. Patrick

by Hale Champion

Governor Patrick is an admirable and multi-talented leader.  We're lucky to have him.  He's not a very promising professor of journalism, however.  He should let somebody else try to educate the media, often a truly time-consuming task.

As a matter of fact, it looks from here as if the Governor ought to delegate quite a few other tasks as well.  If, as I am reliably informed, he's working past midnight most days, making far too many detailed decisions, large and small, it’s understandable that some of those decisions have been less than perfect.

He is just getting started, of course, and he is more than smart enough to figure this stuff out on his own – and, to be sure, he isn’t likely ever to read this – but I still can’t resist offering the following unsolicited advice:

• Governor, your overriding responsibility is to continue to do what you did in the campaign: stay in touch with your constituents, listen, respond, explain and inspire.
• Next comes informing your colleagues in government about what priorities to set and how to shape the policies and programs that will best fulfill the commitments you made to the voters.
• Let your senior managers and your staff be the wonks and analysts while you focus on the big-picture decisions, on the maintenance of your coalition, and on persuading legislators (not just their leaders) to pay more attention to the public interest than the lobbyists.  (And please note that they don’t respond to lectures any better than reporters and editors do.  Your persuasion will have to take other forms.)
• On drapes, cars and all the other small stuff that can so quickly consume your waking hours and the media's agenda, delegate all but the final choices (red or blue, Ford or Chrysler) to people you trust (and who have been through the political mill, which is like no other).  You can't watch your own back and, except in the crucial matter of your physical safety, you can't assume the State Police will do so either.  Look around you:  you’ve got very good, highly experienced people to do things for you (or, if you don’t, then you need to look to your recruitment and personnel practices).

And, oh yes, empower and encourage at least one of your trusted colleagues to tell you when you are wrong – and then take at least 24 hours before you go ahead anyway.