Book excerpt: The new context and character of public service - shifting values, entrepreneurship, information technology, and multi-sector careers - require a 'skills triangle' of technical, ethical, and leadership abilities. This concise and readable work focuses on these three essential skills, and describes what it means to be a consummate professional public servant. Essential reading for both professionals and students, "Achieving Competencies in Public Service: The Professional Edge" sets standards for anyone who conducts the public's business, and links them with performance management, human resource administration, and information technology skills. Filled with original illustrative examples, case studies, and exemplar profiles, the book is an ideal supplement for any introductory course in Public Administration.