Transition to Governing, 12 (FINAL!)
Ending with 20 pieces of unsolicited advice for those entering public service
We’re less than a week away from the second Trump presidency, so my series “Transition to Governing” is coming to an end. If you want to read the previous installments see here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
From January 20 on, I’ll cover Trump-administration events as warranted and in the normal course of “Governing Right” columns.
I wanted to end this series by providing some unsolicited advice (the superpower of middle-aged dads). I’ve had lots of government roles, seen lots of good and bad, made lots of mistakes, and learned lots of lessons. I hope this list of 20 thoughts helps.
Although these suggestions are primarily aimed at those going into public service for the first time, many will also be applicable to more senior officials whose decisions will be consequential. Best of luck. Do good and be good.
You only get one reputation. Guard it. It’s your identity, your permanent record. It’ll follow you. It will be attached to your family name.
Governing is not campaigning. Nor is it trolling. You have public authority now. You don’t represent a party or candidate. You are working on behalf of the nation and all of its citizens. Even those with whom you disagree. Act accordingly.
They like your seat, not you. You have a great job. You suddenly find yourself with new friends and admirers. You feel important. You feel special. Don’t. Their attachment is to whomever sits in the chair you currently occupy. Don’t let the attention change what you believe or what you do. Their attention and praise will quickly transfer to the next occupant.
Civic duty means doing right by the chair. In a democratic republic like ours, governing authority is temporary. Every official is just the latest in a long line of individuals that have held or will hold that post. This should humble you. You have a responsibility to the nation and to that post. Take care of both.
Popularity is fleeting. That applies to you and those you work for and with. Be careful about banking on current approval ratings. Slow and steady accomplishment and respect matter more than the moment.
Others’ bad behavior doesn’t justify yours. Often, you will feel under assault. Your opponents may treat you and your colleagues badly. But you don’t get to act immorally because someone else has. Your rectitude should be static. It should not vary based on others’ actions.
Know how you want to be known. You will develop a profile; decide what you want it to be. Aspire to honorable adjectives: Honest, hardworking, reliable, prepared, direct, prudent, steady, principled.
Avoid seeing like a state. Those in central positions of power tend to see events through the lens of the far-removed central authority. They lose sight of the complexity of conditions and the diversity situations. Meaning they lose sight of individual lives. Recognize how distant you are from events and how little you know about them. Be modest about what you can understand.
Resist the temptation to act like a state. Central authority can be intoxicating. But it is slow, indiscriminate, and clumsy. It also steals the power of individuals, families, and communities. It is generally wise to allow those on the ground to solve things for themselves. Even if they’d make decisions you wouldn’t. Remember, sometimes the best use of power is to not use it.
No one can care for you like you. Your bosses and colleagues might have their own goals, beliefs, and personal ambitions. If those things conflict with your interests, your interests might lose. Your confidence and moral compass will help protect you. Be firm. Never allow someone to demand loyalty from you if that person is not committed to your well-being.
Learn as much as you can. You will have tasks to do, but also use this opportunity to learn. About budgeting, about relationships with other agencies, about the general counsel’s office. Don’t scroll through social media in your free time. Stay focused on the work and learn how to do it better.
Learn from as many people as you can. Seek out the program examiner from OMB. Talk to the director leading that effective office. Have lunch with that attorney filing the brief. Meet with the team running that reg process. All of them have something to teach you.
The most knowledgeable, influential people are seldom the most visible people. There are show horses and there are work horses. There are people who love to have their names appear in the Washington Post, and then there are the people who quietly lead the work those people are talking about. There are people who have loud opinions, and then there are people invited into the room when big decisions are being made. Work to be the person in the room not the person blabbing about the room.
Pick a model and follow it. Decide whom you want to emulate. Choose someone who acted with integrity and accomplished important things. Then regularly ask yourself what that person would’ve done.
Monitor your own behavior. If you find yourself using private, encrypted, disappearing messaging apps to hide your official work, that’s a problem. If you are using government power to go after someone, that’s problem. If your job is changing you for the worse, that’s a problem.
Understand career staff. If you’re among the early political appointees, you are probably known for your politics, ideology, and loyalty to the administration. You might be tempted to take an oppositional stance toward civil servants who are not hired for their politics, ideology, and loyalty to the administration. But don’t assume they are hostile to you. It’s very likely that, instead, they just don’t think in terms of politics, ideology, or loyalty like you do.
Appreciate career staff. They almost certainly know a lot more than you. You will be more effective if you use their content and process knowledge.
Moral compromises accumulate. Once someone makes a small immoral choice, it becomes easier to make a slightly larger immoral choice. And then a larger one. Before long, the person is making big immoral decisions without thinking twice. Check yourself. Invite others to check you.
Don’t let the work become your identity. You are a reasoning individual that’s part of a family and community. This job is one small part of who you are. If the job takes over your identity, you’ll become more tribal and bellicose. You’ll make decisions based on perceptions of loyalty and career advancement. Avoid that.
Be grateful. You have the chance to work on behalf of your fellow citizens of the greatest nation on earth. Most people in most places will never have a similar opportunity. Never forget how fortunate you are. Appreciative people are happier, more content, and more grounded. They behave in admirable ways. Be grateful and be admirable.