During the past year, I’ve had the privilege to attend the IPS Leadership Academy where our cohort visited all UT campuses from Memphis to Knoxville and places in between. We were fortunate to interact with other agencies and hear from speakers and sessions in ways we normally may not have the chance to experience.
Jutta Bangs, a counselor with the Tennessee APEX Accelerator, has been elected
President-Elect of the National APEX Accelerator Alliance (NAPEX).
The UT Institute for Public Service has named Angie Carrier is the new executive director of the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS).
Carrier has served as interim executive director of MTAS since October 2025. She will start in the permanent role Sept. 1.
On this journey through the IPS Leadership Academy, one thing that has stood out to me is how important it is that we as public servants, but especially as leaders in service, consider that we are not only responsible for property, resources and finances, but also in helping to develop those who follow in our footsteps.
Stewardship, especially in the workplace, is defined as taking careful, responsible care of an organization’s resources, people and long-term future instead of just focusing on short-term gain.
Setting a goal is easy. For me, it’s the most enjoyable part of any strategic planning process, whether it’s planning a special vacation or critical projects at work. Anticipation is high, and the vision of achieving something great is vivid in your mind.
Reality often sets in after the goal has been spoken into existence and the dust has settled. You’ve let the world know your wishes and intentions. Now your actions have to back up your words. This is the uphill slog.
One of my favorite authors who talks about leadership is Jocko Willink. I have read and listened to several of his thoughts on leadership, but one message that has always stood out to me is his speech called “GOOD.” It is a very simple message, but I believe it says a lot about leadership and how we respond when things do not go according to plan.
Legacy is a word we frequently hear in leadership — but too often, we define it the wrong way. We attach legacy to buildings constructed, programs launched or metrics achieved. We celebrate milestones and outcomes as if they are permanent markers of significance. But the truth is, over time, most of those things fade. New leaders step in. Priorities shift. Numbers are surpassed. And eventually, the details of what was accomplished under our watch become less clear. What doesn’t fade is how we made people feel.
Melvin is downsized in the 1999 Twentieth Century Fox dark comedy movie “Office Space.”
He does not adapt well to this change. Melvin continues to come to work every day as before – even without pay.
Management, at the advice of two efficiency consultants (the Bobs), takes an indirect approach to getting Melvin to leave. They make him move his desk. They move his office. The last straw was when the manager took Melvin’s shiny red stapler. As he walked away with it, Melvin muttered, “Ok, but I could set the building on fire.” And, spoiler alert, later in the movie he does!
In leadership, there’s a quiet pressure to have all the answers. People look to you for direction, clarity and confidence—so it can feel uncomfortable, even risky, to admit when you don’t know something. But the truth is, saying “I don’t know” isn’t a weakness; it’s a strength. It creates space for honesty, curiosity and better decision-making. When leaders release the need to appear all-knowing, they also release the burden of carrying every solution alone.
Our work at IPS is more than just an operation—it is the mechanism through which communities and citizens experience fairness, safety and trust. One of the most powerful drivers in operational excellence is understanding why our actions matter. As trusted consultants, administrators and instructors it is our responsibility to foster an understanding of why our work matters at the most basic level.