Customer Reviews

Making It in Washington

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A great book. I was a career government employee rather than a political, but the advice is great for everyone who aspires to accomplish something in government. For that matter, most of the lessons transfer well to the private sector if you just use a little common sense.

Certainly anyone coming to Washington as a political appointee should read this book. I worked for too many who did not.

Full disclosure: I read this book because I met Dave Oliver and liked him. Now that I have read the book I like him even more.

Most management texts seem to be aimed at the private sector. Oliver makes a great contribution with a text focusing on the different management and leadership environment within the government, including relations with civil servants, Congress and personnel in other agencies/Departments. In addition to useful tips on organizing a personal staff and managing a schedule, he provides insight on loyalty -- an essential currency inside the beltway -- and information management. Case studies unsurprisingly draw on Oliver's experience at the Defense Department, and some parts of the book seem overwhelmingly focused on the military, but nearly all of the lessons Oliver offers appear applicable to any part of the federal government. The book, which is a quick read due to the clear writing and logical organization, should be required reading, not just for political appointees, but for civil servants who will be working for political appointees, as well as lobbyists, lawyers and industry representatives who need to understand political appointees in seeking to persuade them to adopt a particular viewpoint. One minor quibble: a good copy editor should have caught more of the typos scattered throughout the text. Hopefully, this will be corrected in future editions.

This is an excellent book no matter where you are trying to succeed. The leadership skills apply to any profession. It's also a good education about the way our country is run. The author is entertaining as well as informative. If this book had been required reading in any of my high school or college classes I would have actually read and retained the information beyond the test. Dave Oliver manages to capture the attention of a broad audience with his entertaining and intelligent writing.
Where is this man and how do I get a chance to work for him?

This book helps you with the ins and outs of serving at the pleasure of elected officials in Washington. I hope some of my friends will need it in January.