R. Demetrius Taylor, budget director for the Georgia Department of Human Services, was recently awarded CSLF’s Certificate in Public Financial Management. Over the past year, he completed the center’s executive education program, which included six core classes in public finance.
Taylor was recognized last week during CSLF’s debt management training for his completion of the program and commitment to public finance excellence.
Before finishing the program, CSLF asked him: What does leadership in public finance mean to you? Read below to see what the 15-year public finance veteran believes makes a true leader in his profession.
First, let’s begin by defining these terms.
In my opinion, leadership is the ability to successfully influence others to achieve an organizational objective. As a leader, you are required to provide others with direction, which takes place through communication. A leader deals directly with people and their behavior and is challenged with inspiring staff to focus on the common goal while motivating them towards the vision. As a leader, we may show leadership through three different types: authority, accountability and/or responsibility.
As for as leadership in public finance, it incorporates both the expenditure by government and the techniques utilized to pay for that expenditure. There are several areas such as public libraries, roadways, health care, and schools that are funded either partially or completely by public funds. I believe it is vital for local, county, state and national governments to provide the public with preferred services and for us, in leadership roles, to adequately secure the capital required to pay for these services.
Public finance also affords government programs, such as social security and welfare, to help leverage the income of the rich and moderate the income of the poor. Being a leader in public finance gives me the opportunity to develop and monitor a budget that will positively affect the lives of disadvantaged individuals/families.