Federally Employed Women

Unlike the private sector, where the focus is on generating profits and maximizing shareholder value, public-sector organizations maximize the value of taxpayer dollars by providing outstanding service to the American people. For this reason, government employees need a more externally focused mentality when approaching their careers. This commitment to the greater good is at the heart of the public service mindset. This frame of mind allows employees to better execute essential programs and provide necessary assistance to their communities. This mindset also has personal benefits, as public servants feel increased job satisfaction and engagement.

Spend any length of time at an organization and you will undoubtedly hear someone express the need to take a more strategic approach. Broadening our perspective in this way may seem antithetical to the ordinary tasks we need to accomplish. In fast-paced work environments, the daily pressures of our roles often force us to focus narrowly on assignments that require our immediate attention. However, this limited perspective can obscure our ability to see the bigger picture and recognize our influence over those around us. When we are able to expand our thinking to a more strategic level, we are better able to achieve long-term goals and appreciate the impact of our behaviors.

What causes employees to underperform? This can be one of the most difficult questions for a supervisor to answer. Performance issues often have complex causes and cannot be resolved by disciplinary action alone. As a supervisor, it is your responsibility to uncover the underlying performance issues of your employees. This requires an ability to suspend immediate judgment, check your assumptions, and identify how you can collaboratively forge a new path forward.

We make countless decisions each day in our personal and professional lives. Many are subconscious decisions as we react to stimuli in our environment. Other decisions require higher-order thinking and the ability to weigh conflicting priorities. Asking "How can I get the most out of my career?" or "How can I keep my teammates engaged?" require careful reflection about how we want the future to look and what concrete steps we need to follow to achieve it. Organizational success is predicated on leaders making informed, rational decisions. By understanding how decisions are made and taking an intentional approach, leaders can maximize the positive impact they have on their teams while supporting the overall mission and vision of the organization.