THIS time next week, there will be a whole set of new faces in the government and a new set of names we will have to get to used to.
I won’t tackle some of the criticisms leveled against a few of these newly appointed Cabinet officials, undersecretaries or commissioners. Suffice to say, these new officials will be entering totally new territory. There are new staff and fellow civil servants to get along with, thousands of documents to study, while juggling meetings with interagency officials, counterparts in other offices, or with even the President himself.
If you are one of these newbies to public service, you will soon realize that working in the government is not a walk in the park. Sure there may be the extra thrill of being called “Mr. Secretary” or “Commissioner” this and that, but working for the government means working for the people, the taxpayers. It’s not a glamorous job of going down to events with a phalanx of security aides in tow, attending parties with foreign dignitaries, or traveling abroad to rub elbows with other heads of state. Government work is serious business. And the sooner the new appointees realize it, the better for the nation.
Government service is quite challenging. Not only to the government official himself, but to his family, as well. Financially, it will be a hardship detail, which, as we all know, sometimes forces some officials to enter into corrupt transactions with the private sector, or adopt illicit procurement systems to make money. Or how the whistleblower Jun Lozada aptly called it “tongpats.” We hope this doesn’t happen to our new set of officials. Serving the state and the taxpayers at large can also be overwhelming, especially when much is expected in terms of projects meant to alleviate poverty, reduce criminality and minimize the traffic, just to name a few. When under close media scrutiny for projects that some sectors are impatient for, or when the government official is on the receiving of so much criticism for, say, a project that has gone awry, one can become physically, emotionally, or psychologically ill. In some cases, the criticism can be so severe, even their own children become affected by the bad publicity. Needless to say, as a parent, the situation can be heart-wrenching.
After having worked in the government myself, I offer a few suggestions how the incoming Cabinet secretaries and other newbies in the government can ease their transition into their new posts, and perform their jobs efficiently and with utmost competence:
Be humble. Though you may be close to the powers-that-be, it’s essential to be more circumspect about your behavior. Minimize the swagger. After all, you are considered the alter ego of the incoming President and whatever you say or do will reflect on him. Say hello and good morning to everyone, eat in the cafeteria with the staff, and show the employees you now have responsibility over, that you can be one of them and are approachable.
Rely on officers already in place. For sure, a Cabinet secretary or a head of any government agency will want to surround himself with people he can trust. But in many agencies, there are longtime officers and veteran employees, who know more about the ins and outs of the agency. Tap those people and try to earn their trust and respect.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Corollary to the suggestion above, the new head of the agency should learn to defer to the knowledge and skills of the employees who have been there the longest. Everyone hates a know-it-all, so if there are operations and projects you’d like to learn more about, then ask these old hands to explain them.
Learn to delegate. Many Cabinet secretaries I’ve come to know in my long years in journalism have one thing in common—most of them work too hard. For the most part, these good people were just too passionate about their jobs and wanted to do their best for us taxpayers. But a government agency usually has a number of undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and directors who can carry out the tasks their bosses can obsess over. For OC managers and those who are transitioning from the private sector, they must learn to let go and allow their staff to take over certain responsibilities. This way, the official can also assess the strengths and weaknesses of their staff, and he will be able to use their specific strengths for specific purposes in future projects.
Create boundaries. Set aside time for family and friends. Even if you are serving the public, you are allowed some leisure time. Designate a “no-disturb” day; it could be a Sunday, when staff should not ever be able to bother you. (This will teach them to solve problems on their own.) Of course, if it’s the President who calls, how can you not respond? If you’re secure enough in your standing with him, you can tell him nicely not to get used to disturbing you during family day. From what I’ve seen so far, I think this new President respects those who thinks are his equals.
Create measurable targets. It can be a financial target in terms of spending the agency’s budget, or, say, a collection goal for taxes, or perhaps, trying to attain an employment mark for your designated sector…everyone needs targets, especially government agencies. Sit down with your officials and discuss the vision for the agency, and map out the strategy to reach the goals you all have set out for your department. The agency may already have an existing road map in place, so review it. Make sure to consult not only with fellow officials but also the stakeholders in the industry your agency oversees. This way, you will know whether your agency’s strategy is implementable.
Be honest. Corruption has long been a way of life in the Philippines, and it’s been said that no government project moves unless there is a payoff or bribe made somewhere. Be transparent in all your decisions. Bid out each project according to guidelines. Use your agency web site and social-media accounts to announce what your agency is doing or what projects have been awarded, how much for and which companies won the contracts. Part of being honest and transparent is being accessible to media to answer their queries on the agency’s operations. As a journalist, I’m extremely suspicious of government officials who are not accessible to the media. It’s like they have something to hide.
Working for the government will certainly not be financially rewarding (unless you are corrupt), but it will make you richer in terms of the experiences from dealing with the public you serve, and accomplishing the goals you have set out for yourself and your agency in trying to make their lives better.