Should Government Operate Like a Business? A Practitioner’s Perspective

Open to Harvard ID holders only.

“Government should operate more like a business” is a familiar refrain among politicians, citizens, and advocates of government reform. Calls for greater efficiency and the adoption of business‑like government have shaped major reform efforts for more than 75 years. It is tempting to seek a definitive answer to this question, yet the realities of governing in a democratic society are far more nuanced.

Dave Lebryk, CPL Hauser Leader and 2025 Samuel H. Heyman Federal Employee of the Year, brings a rare vantage point to this question. Over a 35‑year career at the U.S. Treasury, he led some of the federal government’s most mission‑critical operations and worked closely with senior political appointees across six administrations—many of whom entered public service after successful careers in the private sector.

In this one‑hour interactive roundtable, we will examine how effective leadership in the public sector differs in fundamental ways from leadership in business. The discussion will explore core differences in mission, incentives, and accountability; identify areas where public and private sector practices genuinely overlap; and consider where business‑inspired approaches can—and cannot—be productively applied in government. We will conclude by looking ahead, and how this issue will continue to shape the debate about government reform.

Hauser Leader Dave Lebryk is a graduate of Harvard College and the Kennedy School of Government. He joined the Federal government as a Presidential Management Intern and served in a number of senior level position throughout his 35 year career at Treasury, including Acting Secretary of the U.S. Treasury in 2025.