Using evidence to drive decisions and achieve results as a public service leader

Achieving results is a crucial competency in public service leadership. Federal leaders who possess this skill “think strategically and make good decisions that deliver measurable outcomes,” all with the goal of improving people’s quality of life in the U.S. and abroad.  

One of the sub competencies of the “achieving results” skill is evidence-based decision-making, which means grounding choices in the best available information and data. By anchoring decisions in evidence, leaders can minimize uncertainty and employ solid reasoning as they work toward their goals.  

But what does this look like in practice? How can federal leaders use evidence on the job to best serve the American public?  

Three actions are critical.  

Understand your customer to solve the right problem 

The work you do is all in the name of helping a customer. The more you know about your customer’s needs, wants and experiences, the more you will be able to understand the root causes of their challenges and how to address them.  

Spend more time understanding the full breadth of a customer’s experience. Gather intel through polls, surveys, interviews and journey maps to fuel the “why” behind your programs, services and strategies. Employed consistently and as a core strategic priority, these interventions could raise your customers’ trust in your agency. 

Rely on others 

To develop evidence-based solutions, identify people in your network—and within the structure of your organization—who can help. Knowing how and where you can access data in your agency is invaluable. Sourcing information from people with diverse perspectives will provide a fuller picture of customer challenges.  

Which offices receive and share data? Have you built relationships with them? What information is already being shared that can help answer your question? Branch out and talk to people you might not normally interact with! By working with others, you will be able to come up with a plan that people connect with and is successful. 

Root decisions in data  

As noted in our reform agenda, top-performing organizations use data to improve results and gain the trust of their customers. 

When developing a program or initiative, identify what you want to achieve and what information you need to build a plan. Then, source the data you need to take action. Qualitative and quantitative data is one piece of the evidence puzzle. If data makes you nervous, consider bolstering your data literacy through a course or tapping into your network for help. 

Public Service Leadership Model helps federal leaders use evidence to move missions forward 

Showing others that you value making sound decisions based on evidence will encourage others to identify the roots of a problem when designing services and programs.  

So, when you make decisions, ask yourself whether they are based on data, who can help you get the information you need, and what your customer needs and wants. Doing so will help you become a steward of public trust. 

Nicole Kolt serves as a facilitator and trainer for both custom and open enrollment programs. She designs and delivers sessions for government agencies around various leadership topics such as values-based leadership, active listening and building trust.