¶ … public administrator is under constant scrutiny by many individuals, both above and beneath, and by the general public at large. By the very nature of the position, a public administrator is under pressure to meet performance objectives, efficiently produce visible results, and also maintain his or her integrity and values. The public administrator is in a position of public trust. This person is in charge of important financial decision making involving significant capital. As such, it is common for their to be an air of distrust towards such officials. While actual cases of corruption and misappropriation are rare, these cases are noteworthy and effect the attitude of the public at large towards their administrative officials.

In order to break the cycle of distrust that exists within the framework of government, it is essential that the public administrator, as a leader, keep the people informed about what is going on. By breaking down any walls of secrecy that may malinger in an organizations infrastructure, much of the initial, inherent distrust can be overcome.

It is an essential characteristic of any public official to exercise good judgement in an unselfish fashion. While the official may have his or her own agenda,...

Maintaining an open forum with those people that are served may help ease the worries of many constituents. In addition, a track record of integrity and dependability will aide in fostering a positive atmosphere for growth and cooperation.
Breaking from the bonds of poor performance within an organization is not easy. Those in charge must act justly and decisively in executing plans, and they must do so tactfully and with courage. Not everybody is always going to make the right decisions, but wavering in their convictions can only be disruptive in the process of building trust. This does not mean that the public administrator must be a staunch individual unwilling to yield ground. But standing on one's laurels tends to lend much to their credibility and the willingness of others to follow.

A good knowledge of their job is obviously essential to the success of any public official, but ever more so in regards to the administration of public funds. People tend to get a bit more antsy about how their money is spent by the government when the issue of distrust exists, and having a known knowledgeable person in charge of those funds is an intelligent…