In the 1970s, when Denise Ovrom was a 21-year-old senior at USC’s policy school, she started her government career as an intern in Simi Valley, California, a newly-incorporated city. It was there that she met her future husband, Bud Ovrom, then an assistant to the city manager.
The two would go on to achieve a rarity in the realm of local government. When Denise was city manager of Temple City, California and Bud was city manager of Burbank, they were the only husband and wife city managers in the nation.
The duo have learned a lot over the course of their careers. Now retired, they’re sharing lessons with the next generation of public servants.
The Ovroms were this year’s City Managers in Residence, hosted by the USC City/County Management Fellowship and sponsored by HdL Companies. The program gives students of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy an opportunity to learn about the work of city managers. Ahead of the event, Denise and Bud offered some tips for aspiring city managers, along with others pursuing careers in local government:
- Be introspective: “Understand and acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses,” said Denise Ovrom. “Surround yourself with colleagues who possess the skills and attributes which complement yours and will be forthright in their input.”
- Hire good characters: “Whenever I am hiring someone, I always start by looking at character,” Bud Ovrom said. “What kind of person is he or she? I can always teach someone the necessary job skills, but if a person is a jerk, they will always revert back to being a jerk and I don’t have time to put up with that.”
- Follow your beliefs: “An effective leader internalizes values, beliefs, and behaviors,” Denise Ovrom said. “They follow him or her throughout their career within different agencies. [Leaders] provide clarity in direction and exhibit flexibility on how to get there.”
- Get collaborative: “I have made a whole career out of stealing other people’s good ideas,” Bud Ovrom said. “Said a better way, I have always surrounded myself with people who are smarter and harder working than me. Working together, you can accomplish great things. No matter how good you think you are individually, you will likely never succeed as a manager until you work with and through others.”
- Know the basics: “Mastering and learning the basics such as writing, finance and communications are essential to be the most effective,” said Denise Ovrom. “These skills enhance the ability to relate to others and to have the insight to ask the right questions.”
- Do the work: “If you want to sit in a big chair in a big office, then you will probably end up as a big bureaucrat,” said Bud Ovrom. Instead, he advises to do MBWA: Management By Walking Around. “Get out of the office and go do and see what is going on. Learn the jobs’ skills – understand the fundamentals of finance, human resources, law of local government, etc. Don’t bluff your way through.”