Forgiveness vs Permission

There’s an old saying: “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” I had a colleague in economic development who would regularly exemplify this adage to try and get projects done. But in local government, where public trust, transparency, ethics-above-all-else and accountability are non-negotiables, that type of mindset can be risky. Yes, innovation (especially in competitive settings with multi-million dollar projects on the line) often requires boldness. But true leadership in public service balances courage with collaboration. Life is nuanced. When I think of the seeking of operational efficiencies, sometimes a proactive step makes sense. For policy, budget, or community impact, you better bring others along - maybe not seek their permission, but most certainly gain their inputs and involvement. As someone who’s been in the CAO seat, I’ve seen the cost of skipping that conversation upfront—and the power, and positive spillover effects, of building strong coalitions early. The next-gen local government leader doesn’t just act fast, they act wisely and prudently.