Ferris City Manager publishes first book

FERRIS – He is a man of many hats.

In Ferris, he is responsible for helming the city’s tremendous growth and success, and in his free time, which is rarely free, Brooks Williams recently wrote and had published his first book, “Rising to Serve: Reimagining Public Administration for a New Era.”

Williams said the writing process spanned about two years.

“Balancing the demands of obtaining a doctorate, managing city affairs, and family responsibilities meant my days often stretched to 18 and 19 hours,” Williams explained.

“Despite the packed schedule, writing the book was therapeutic and provided a vital outlet. I found time in the early mornings or late evenings, carving out moments to write that also served as a respite from the day-to-day demands of public administration.”

He was inspired to write “Rising to Serve: Reimagining Public Administration for a New Era” after he said he had been observing a significant disconnect between the expectations placed on public service and the realities of bureaucratic inefficiencies and public complacency.

“Frustration with the system, where citizens demand perfection but often resist adequately funding it, and where public servants fluctuate between dedication and mere job preservation, drove me to write,” Williams explained.

“This book aims to challenge and redefine the narrative around public service, advocating for actionable changes that could lead to systemic improvements.”

While he is not currently working on a second book, he said this is due to keeping his focus on applying the principles in “Rising to Serve” within his existing roles, while also continuing his academic and professional development, and working to move Ferris forward.

“Rising to Serve” delivers a clarion call to revitalize public service through a culture of continuous improvement and strategic foresight,” Williams said. “The main message is a dual challenge: for public servants to rise above the routine of clock-punching, and for citizens to engage more deeply than merely lodging cursory complaints. The book advocates for a shift towards a framework of excellence that fosters significant cultural changes, urging stakeholders at all levels to embrace proactive roles in governance and to see public service not as a career but as a calling to effectuate genuine improvements.”

Can it be done?

Well, Williams is certainly the leader to do it as “Rising to Serve” argues for breaking away from a culture of mediocrity and highlighting the dangers of stagnation if current practices persist. The most critical point of the book being the urgent need for a fundamental shift in both the public perception and operational ethos of public services.

“By advocating for a revolution in public administration that emphasizes visionary leadership, strategic planning, and an empowered workforce, the book insists on a relentless pursuit of excellence,” Williams concluded. “This transformative shift challenges both public servants and citizens to become active changemakers, committed to a collective pursuit of a higher standard of public service.”
You can purchase “Rising to Serve: Reimagining Public Administration for a New Era” at https://a.co/d/dIJ3oRI.