The Road to the California Dream Depends on Leadership
By David Beier and Maria Echaveste
California is a global innovation leader, home to the world’s most advanced technology companies across many industries. The state is also a social policy leader, investing tens of billions in once-in-a-generation projects to address climate change, housing shortages, homelessness, mental health services, massive education reform, and sustainable access to water.
While California stands out for its ambition, our biggest challenge today is our ability to get things done. Simply put, it’s about people and management. There are four major areas where California state leaders should focus their attention:
- Hire and promote workers whose skills and diversity match today’s needs.
- Change the process for managing, evaluating and course-correcting big programs.
- Reduce the state’s reliance on consulting firms by limiting to areas where there is an expertise gap, designing engagements to transition expertise to the state workforce.
- Focus on outcomes that are fair and transparent but reduce legal procedures and litigation delays that undermine trust in government.
21st century government needs greater diversity and new skills to execute its obligations. In the coming years, baby…
