Essential Sharing Services for the Federal Government: Strategies for Successful Implementation

In a remarkable display of collaboration and unity, federal, state, and local governments joined forces to conduct a large-scale search and rescue operation following a devastating river tsunami at Camp Mystic on Aug. 3, 2025.

The mission, led by Scott Ruskan and a Coast Guard helicopter crew based in Corpus Christi, was no easy feat. Ruskan stated that the flying conditions during the mission were among the worst they had encountered. Despite the challenging circumstances, the team's determination and the collective efforts of all involved ensured the successful rescue of campers.

Initially, the Coast Guard crew rescued five campers, and Ruskan was put on the ground to coordinate the rescue of 200 more. The operation involved contributions from various entities, including the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, FEMA, state emergency rescue teams, and local first responders. Sharing services is a common practice in government, as demonstrated by the joint efforts during this operation.

However, as many DOGE-based reforms are hierarchical in nature, a vertical approach to problem-solving is not always effective in an increasingly horizontal world. This is where the need for collaboration and the right workers in the right places at the right times comes into play. The new face of strategic planning is about achieving the right muscle behind public ambitions.

Despite the apparent benefits of collaboration, it is often challenging to implement effectively. A senior official at the Office of Management and Budget once humorously expressed that the solution to problems is collaboration. Yet, the challenges faced in implementing collaboration effectively are likened to the story of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

A University of Maryland study, in collaboration with the Shared Services Leadership Coalition, has identified a key issue with shared services: developing performance metrics that demonstrate how they contribute to agencies' goals beyond efficiency. Collaboration often fails due to a lack of alignment between a program's performance standards and the incentives for individual performance.

Dr. Lisa Cook, a researcher at the University of Maryland, conducted a study on the problems of implementing shared services in government. Her findings highlight the need for a clear question to which collaboration is the solution and the need to align the government's capacity with the problems that need to be solved.

AI can provide the language for improving the central nervous system of the increasingly horizontal world. While it may not hold the answers to every problem, it can certainly help streamline processes and facilitate collaboration, making it easier for the right workers to be in the right places at the right times.

In the end, people should come first in the quest for results. In the midst of hierarchical structures and performance metrics, it's easy for people to get lost. It is crucial to remember that people are the heart of every operation, every mission, and every collaboration. After all, the success of these collaborative efforts depends on the dedication, determination, and teamwork of individuals like Scott Ruskan and his Coast Guard crew.