The Leadership Lens: March 2026
Welcome to the first of what will be a regular quarterly column for NACA’s newsletter and the Journal of County Administration, The Leadership Lens. By way of quick background, I served as a County Administrator for seventeen years and was also a long-time member of the NACA Board. Today, through my firm, Pracademic Partners, we are proud to be a Friend of NACA.
This first column focuses on initial vantage points and observations, specifically, what shifts when you move from the public-sector practitioner role into the private-sector advisory space serving county governments.
Stepping from the role of County Administrator into the role of president of a consulting firm has given me a different lens on county operations, practices, and tendencies. Many things look familiar; others look quite different when viewed from “the other side,” as a firm seeking to partner with counties to deliver results.
Here are a few early observations from that vantage point.
❍ On the Competitive Solicitation Process:
Many counties continue to run thoughtful and fair procurement processes. The aim is rightly to get the lowest responsible bidder or proposer and safeguard taxpayer dollars. At the same time, there are opportunities to modernize and simplify how firms engage with those processes.
Some solicitations still require elements that feel out of step with current practice—multiple paper copies, physical media submissions, or limited electronic options—which only serve to perpetuate the tropes of government bureaucracy and red tape. In other cases, prospective vendors must navigate multiple portals or logins simply to access bid materials.
Small adjustments in these areas can make participation easier and broaden the pool of high-quality respondents. Likewise, communicating final decisions to all respondents, even if briefly, reinforce professionalism and keeps firms engaged for future opportunities.
❍ On Responsiveness and Communication
Across both recruitment and contracting processes, communication remains an area where small improvements can have an outsized impact. (see the last sentence in the previous section).
Applicants for positions and respondents to RFPs alike often invest significant time and effort. Even brief status updates or acknowledgments can reinforce respect for that investment and strengthen relationships with potential partners and future employees.
Counties that communicate consistently (whether the answer is yes, no, or “not yet”) tend to build stronger reputations in an increasingly competitive talent and vendor landscape. This small customer service tweak can provide lasting, positive results in the long run.
❍ On Opportunities and Public–Private Collaboration
Encouragingly, I see more counties leveraging private-sector expertise in targeted and strategic ways. From grants and energy strategy to talent acquisition, training, legal, engineering, and environmental services, these partnerships can deliver measurable and timely results. The Friends of NACA program is a representative example of the organizations that work alongside counties to help deliver these benefits.
When used thoughtfully, public–private collaboration can complement, but not replace, core governmental functions and help counties accelerate progress on priority initiatives.
❍ On Contracted and Fractional Assistance
Another growing opportunity is the use of fractional, advisory, or project-based assistance. In a time of staffing constraints, fiscal pressures, and expanding service complexities and expectations, these models can provide direct access to specialized, seasoned, and professional expertise without long-term contracts and without permanent structural cost. When I served as a County Administrator, arrangements like this were largely seen as private-sector models, with relatively few public-sector examples. That has since changed.
In many cases, these approaches help counties move forward on initiatives that might otherwise be delayed while supporting internal teams rather than adding to their workload.
❍ On Mutual Respect and Clear Lanes
Successful partnerships—whether between counties and consultants or among intergovernmental partners—benefit from clarity of roles and mutual respect.
Counties bring deep institutional knowledge, public accountability, and community connection. External partners bring specialized expertise, additional capacity, and outside perspectives. When each understands their lane and values the other’s role, outcomes improve.
❍ On Working Together for Public Impact
At the end of the day, both public-sector leaders and private-sector partners share a common goal: delivering results that matter for residents and communities.
Strong partnerships are built on transparency, responsiveness, and shared purpose. When those elements are present, the line between “inside” and “outside” support becomes less important than the impact achieved together. We are all in this together.
A Few Takeaways
Modernization does not have to be complex; small process improvements can make a big difference in engagement and outcomes. I call this the “snowball” effect and it’s that incremental progress that counts.
Communication is a competitive advantage for talent recruitment, vendor engagement, and public trust. It’s honestly easy; you just need to make it routine, customary and part of county’s relationship management systems and processes.
Flexibility in staffing models is here to stay; fractional and project-based work can complement traditional structures. The private and nonprofit sectors are, in fact, ahead of us on this matter, and we are merely catching up.
Strong partnerships require clarity; define roles, expectations, and success measures early.
Results matter most; the focus should remain on delivering measurable value for residents.
Reputation travels; counties known for professionalism, tact, relationship management, and responsiveness attract stronger partners and better job applicants. Likewise, contractors and vendors who work efficiently, stay within budget, add value, and go above and beyond, gain more traction and secure and sustain more business.
Shared purpose bridges sectors; public, private, and nonprofit leaders can work together effectively when aligned around community outcomes.
Dr. Ian Coyle, ICMA-CM is the President and CEO of Pracademic Partners. He is the former County Administrator for Livingston County, New York and has been a lecturer and instructor at the Keller Graduate School, Stevenson University, Northeastern University, North Carolina Central University, Northern Illinois University, California State University, the University of Virginia and several other universities throughout the U.S.
Thank you to Ian and Pracademic Partners for being a 2026 Friend of NACA!