Bridgebuilders: How Government Can Transcend Boundaries to Solve Big Problems

William D. Eggers · Donald F. Kettl

May 2023 · Highbridge Audio · Narrated by Paul Heitsch

About this audiobook

Our government is in crisis, mired in bureaucracy and often unable to fix tough problems. This book provides an essential new model for transforming the system and getting things done. COVID. Climate change. Refugee resettlement. Global supply chains. We're facing a new generation of complex problems, stretching across the public and private sectors. Historically we've looked to government for big solutions, but the reality is, the government we have now is a poor match for the problems we face. We need a fresh, new approach. As William D. Eggers and Donald F. Kettl show in this indispensable book, we need a government of bridgebuilders-public managers and leaders who collaborate with partners, both inside and outside government, to get the job done. They manage horizontally instead of vertically, they see their role as connectors, and they identify which players have the assets needed to solve the problems at hand. Each chapter examines one of the ten core principles of bridgebuilding and features practical tips and dynamic cases of how effective leaders have put each principle to work. Also included is a special section on creating a hundred-day bridgebuilding plan.

About the author

William D. Eggers is executive director of the Deloitte Center for Government Insights and a fellow at the National Academy of Public Administration. He is the author or coauthor of numerous books, including The Solution Revolution and If We Can Put a Man on the Moon.

Donald F. Kettl is a professor emeritus, former dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, and a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. He was previously the Sid Richardson Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.

Paul Heitsch has been narrating audiobooks since 2011, after having worked as a pianist, composer, recording engineer, producer, and sound designer for many years. His work is often cited for the authenticity he brings to the narrative and characters he portrays, as well as his versatility, and clear, smooth delivery.