E-government promises some striking opportunities to improve the business of government, but this vision is not without a series of real obstacles. Hurdles such as citizen awareness of electronic services and information, the "digital divide," and an exodus of skilled workers must be overcome to get from where we are today to the vision of e-government. According to a study conducted by Brown University, "Government Web sites are not making full use of available technology, and there are problems in terms of access and democratic outreach."¹⁵ Overcoming these obstacles will take a special kind of leadership that is eager to get involved and initiate change.

People can't participate in electronic government if they don't know it's there. While 84 percent of government officials said the Internet has improved their outreach to citizens, only 34 percent of citizens are somewhat familiar with e-government, according to a Hart-Teeter poll conducted for the Council for Excellence in Government last November. That number is only a slight increase from the 29 percent who were familiar with e-government the year before. This lack of awareness must be addressed for the benefits of e-government to be realized.

The citizens who need government services most are also those without ready access to the Internet. A gap, commonly known as the "digital divide," exists between those households that have access to the Internet and online services and those that do not. E-government services are ineffective when citizens don't have the necessary computers and Internet connections to use online information and services.

Skilled workers are either aging out or opting out of government. The brain drain of highly skilled government IT workers is a concern on many levels. According to civic.com, a Council of State Government poll said that 47 of 50 states reported a shortage of IT workers. Experienced people who have worked with an agency's technology systems for the past decade or two are retiring or leaving for better pay in the private sector. Competition between government and private companies for new graduates with new skills and for seasoned professionals with deep experience continues to be a challenge.

Overcoming these obstacles requires committed leadership to provide the direction and political will necessary to promote change. "To be an effective leader in our networked world, you need to engage IT issues. You need to play a key role in establishing strategic direction, implementing specific projects, and formulating new public policies," according to a report from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.¹⁶

An example of this leadership is Tom Ridge's recent call for an increased focus on integrating information across all levels of law enforcement. As the Director of Homeland Security, Ridge says he wants to do away with the turf battles that have historically pitted policing agencies against one another.¹⁷ Sustaining this effort, or sustaining any other e-government initiative, will take ongoing and committed leadership.

Whether we like it or not, information technology and electronic government initiatives are transforming the public sector. Change is in the air. The government that serves our children and grandchildren will be much different than the one that served our parents. Just how different is impossible to predict, but the countless e-government projects underway today provide many clues.