"What we do matters. What we do is hard work."—Admiral Vern Clark As the new editor of The Public Manager, I am excited about the opportunity to further the mission of this quarterly journal by giving you practical and timely articles that communicate best practices and innovations, and showcase new processes and tools for effectively learning and managing at all levels of government. This month's issue examines myriad topics to help senior government executives and middle managers increase performance, and support employee learning and development. Along with the articles about reducing the cost of government and implementing a strategic plan, this issue examines how great leaders connect with the people they lead, how to build a relevant leadership development program at all levels of government, and the role that executives and managers play in growing the next generation of leaders.