When it comes to public service, here’s a great rule: Before you seek to inform, seek to BE informed

I consider myself a “pragmatic idealist” and progressive populist, but I don’t charge windmills. That means I believe in achieving what is possible at a time when it becomes possible. I try an incremental approach with step-by-step progress, knowing each step can bring others on board and help develop a coalition. And a coalition of informed voices can bring about substantive change.

Feeling that way has caused me to ask questions of smart people and seek more knowledge by taking courses in Total Quality Management and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which in turn taught me to seek to understand first, after which it becomes easy to say, “Let me see if I understand.”

Understanding my limitations while advancing a cause usually meant knowing I had to seek knowledge to be good at the job. I found that each of those steps along the way requires gaining knowledge, which in turn leads to reading and researching. Reading the written word, and in turn writing to understand.

Enhancing management and interpersonal skills in turn leads to feeling responsible and accountable. It caused me to finish college, seek a political science degree, and then a degree in public administration.

In or out of government, I have had nothing more fulfilling in my life than my time working for the “public interest.” Some will say, “Well, you were a public official, so that is self-serving,” and it well may be. But, I think having “Honorable” attached to your name is something of substance. Once achieved, you will always have it unless you throw it away, and that makes one pledge to never do anything to lose it.

Which in time led to another job, association development, as success and talents demanded such skills.