Building Trust in Local Government
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…” — US Declaration of Independence
Introduction
Trust in government action is an integral part of American government, particularly at the local level. Our country was founded on the idea that all governmental powers come from “the consent of the governed” and any amount of consent requires a level of trust. Trust is also vital to ensure success in government policies and programs that depend on cooperation and compliance of citizens or focus on modifying the behaviors of the general public. This is especially true in the context of local government, given that nearly every public policy initiative undertaken will require more than just tacit support from the citizens. Additionally, trust is a necessary part of key economic development activities. Trust increases the confidence of investors and helps to build public support for development projects. If the people do not trust their local government leaders, they will tend to be suspicious of any project that is supported by the government.
Government administration can be defined as “directing government affairs by working collaboratively with various individuals and organizations in a responsible manner that maximizes the public good.” Government leaders, both elected and appointed, must have the trust of the people they serve if they are to accomplish this work. Building trust, just like anything else, takes a focused effort on the part of the local government leaders. Below are three foundation ways that leaders can start building (or rebuilding) trust:
Honesty and Ethics
Honesty should no be taken for granted. Often times, honest and ethical behavior is only considered after a someone has violated the public trust and then the response usually takes the form a a reaction to the specific issue. Local government leaders can take a proactive approach to honesty and ethics by building an organizational culture that does not tolerate dishonest dealings or unethical behaviors, or even the appearance of impropriety. This will go a lone way in gaining the trust of the people.
Efficiency
Local government leaders must remember that they are stewards of the resources of the people whom they govern and make every effort to ensure that the people are getting the most “bang for their buck.” This includes the application of good management practices and techniques which are designed to maximize the return on investment made by the people. When the people can count on their leaders to strive to ensure that they get the most value out of their resources, trust will flourish.
Transparency
As the old adage goes, “sunlight is the best disinfectant.” Transparency not only helps people to trust that the government’s activities are in their best interest, it also helps promote a culture of ethical and honest behavior within the organization. Transparency is made easy through widely available and low cost technology like websites and social media platforms, which provide local government leaders the opportunity to showcase the hard work they are doing to promote the public good.
