Normally, I'm skeptical of the argument that government should be run like a business. First and foremost, businesses are intended to make a profit, and anyone who's ever walked past the Chapters "History" section should know that has never been compatible with good government. (I mean, does anyone seriously want tax collectors working on commission like they did in the Bad Old Days?)
Nevertheless, management principles remain largely the same, regardless of whether the proverbial cats being herded are public- or private-sector.
But let's back up a bit for the benefit of some of my Gentle Readers who reside south of the U.S.-Canadian border. Because Canadian party politics tends to follow a more European model than an American one. In the U.S., of course, it's possible that the President or the Governor of a State may belong to the Coke party while both houses of the Legislative branch are predominantly Pepsi. In Ottawa and the Provincial seats, however, the Prime Minister and the Premiers are the heads of the winning parties in the national or provincial jurisdiction, respectively.
Certainly, the arrangement spares the Canadian electorate the unedifying Legislative vs. Executive spit-balling which the American public has come to expect from its "leaders." But it does have the unfortunate side effect that the party in power has a worse-than-usual tendency to act as if it "owns" the government. That extends to the executive ("deputy minister") jobs that are filled by appointment.
Sure, that sort of thing happens in the U.S. too. The difference is that the holder of such a job in the U.S. is expected to find her/his own golden parachute, often in the form of a cushy job on Wall Street, K-Street, with a (cough!) "think"-tank, or as a senior law partner. Not in these parts, where the payout is straight cash when another party
wins the latest election (and wants that earmarked paycheque to reward
one of own its supporters...who weren't themselves elected this time).
Naked cronyism certainly can't help morale in the trenches, even at the best of times. Certainly not at a time of downsizing (via attrition and layoffs) in the public service. But that's not the only, or even the worse, blight on the profession. A culture of sycophancy, not surprisingly, is another. (Canada's notoriously muzzled scientists are shining exceptions. Ditto the Parliamentary Budget Office.)
And that boils down to one of the Deadliest of Deadly Sins in Management--namely, the sin hiring those like yourself. (Or, far worse, people who could almost be you...if only they had your talent, charisma, work ethic, savvy, or whatever you think is your special sauce.)
Contrast that with Barbara Corcoran's delicious (if slightly NSFW) story of how she found her business partner. (Note: Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "PEOPLE: Expanders or Containers" one.) The salient point is that no one has the personality traits optimised for everything that needs to be done. (You know, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. That sort of thing.) And, too, the bigger the organisation, the bigger that "everything" becomes, amirite?
You hiring a lesser you (who in turn has the power to hire lesser thems) is no different, really, from holding a mirror to a mirror: Each reflection of you is smaller. And while it's a fun exercise...once...when you're six...it's no game for adults in the real world. Much less managers or leaders.
