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Editor’s Note: This column, “LBWA” (Leadership By Wandering Around), is based on the premise that, in order to find out what’s going on in the field, a parks and rec leader has to leave his or her desk and “wander around” the area of operations, talk to people, ask questions, and kick around ideas with the individuals in the thick of delivering services to the public. So the author will bring up issues and ask the leaders among the readership to share their knowledge and experiences.
I’ve come to discover that an occupation as a municipal public administrator is the consummate definition of “life in a fishbowl.”
This realization hit me full in the face recently while my wife and I were having a hurried meal at a local restaurant prior to attending a high-school band parents meeting. We were having a nice time, talking, eating, listening to a reasonably talented man play guitar and sing “Georgia On My Mind” and other great songs.
Going Marine
Then an acquaintance of ours saw us and--not satisfied or discreet enough to just wave and say “hi”--came to stand over us at our table as we ate. She began asking me pithy (and I’m being polite here) questions about the city’s decisions on budget issues and other recent politically charged items.