Welcome to Critical Take-Aways, a new ASPA series designed to help practitioners, scholars and students stay informed and engaged on the most important issues for our profession. Each edition offers insights into a recent ASPA e-learning program: what it covered, why it matters and how it relates to the public service community. Whether you're familiar with the topic or looking to learn more, Critical Take-Aways offers a quick starting point and a link to the full webinar on ASPA's Vimeo page.
Key Points
Recruitment alone won't solve the talent challenge.
Leadership development needs to be intentional.
Hiring barriers keep good people out.
Old workplace models need to change.
Human judgment and curiosity still matter.
This conversation is for us, but it’s not about us. We are simply custodians of the profession right now.
—Kate Driver
Key Points
Project 2025 puts professional public service itself at risk.
Public trust depends on competence, integrity and honest advice.
Public servants are increasingly being treated as targets, not assets.
A politicized, stable workplace drives talent away.
When expertise walks out government gets weaker fast.
It's about combining technical expertise with ethical behavior in a way that maintains trust in government.
—Ed DeSeve
Key Points
Shutdowns are increasingly used as leverage, not a last resort.
DOGE prioritizes speed and headcount over mission and capacity.
Oversight institutions are being weakened as risks increase.
Schedule G may quietly reshape federal hiring and expertise.
Rebuilding will require mission-focused, accountable reform.
"They don’t know what it is that they want the government to do. There’s no strategic vision. There’s just destroy, destroy, destroy."
—Don Kettl