Achieving Results
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Achieving Results

Public Service Leadership Model

Achieving Results

Achieving results means managing skillfully, thinking strategically and making good decisions that deliver measurable outcomes and improve the quality of life for the nation and the world.  The five subcompetencies to achieving results include:

Accountability Evidence-based decision-making Systems thinking Tech savviness Customer experience

Accountability

Hold others accountable and accept responsibility for the consequences of your decisions.

“Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result.”

– Bob Proctor, international best-selling author, coach, and speaker

PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
  • Why is accountability important in my work environment? What are the benefits?
  • When something goes wrong in my purview of work, how likely am I to take responsibility? What gets in the way of taking ownership over my work?
  • What do people fear about accountability? How could these fears be mitigated?
Additional resources

READ: 5 Ways to Promote Accountability – Andrew Robertson and Nate Dvorak, Consultants and researchers at Gallup

READ: 4 Ways to Improve Accountability in your Office – Jackson Nickerson, Associate Dean at Brookings Executive Education and GovExec contributer

READ: The Best Teams Hold Themselves Accountable – Joseph Grenny, Harvard Business Review


Evidence-based Decision-making

Make choices grounded in the best available information and data.

“Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion”

– W. Edwards Deming, renowned data scientist

PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
  • What are my trusted sources for facts, and how do I use these sources in my work?
  • How do I know when I have “enough” information to make a decision?
  • How can I best weigh facts and data with emotions and other considerations?
Additional resources

READ: A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making – David J. Snowden and Mary E. Boone, Harvard Business Review contributors   

READ: Evidence, Facts and Intuition in Decision Making –  IdeasforLeaders.com

READ: The Need for Analytics in Government Decision-making – Steve Bennett, SAS Global Government Practice and Federal Times contributor


Systems Thinking

Learn how to navigate the unique government system. 

“Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It’s a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing ‘patterns for change’ rather than static ‘snapshots’.”

– Peter Senge, systems scientists and lecturer at MIT

PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
  • If explaining my work environment to others, how would I describe it? What factors make it unique?
  • Who are the key decision-makers, stakeholders and influencers within my organization?
  • What are some ways that my colleagues and I can first learn, and then better navigate our work environment?
Additional resources

READ: Tackling Management Challenges at the Department of Homeland Security – Tom Fox, Former VP, Leadership Development at the Partnership for Public Service and contributor to Washington Post

READ: Implementing Cross-Agency Collaboration: A Guide for Federal Managers – Jane Fountain, Professor at University of Massachusetts and BusinessofGovernment.org contributor

READ: A User’s Guide to Getting Things Done in Government – Alexis Wichowski, Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and GovExec.com contributor


Tech Savviness

Understand the importance of technology and how it can improve organizational outcomes.

“Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don’t think anyone can talk meaningfully about one without talking about the other.”

– Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and renowned philanthropist

PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
  • In what areas of technology am I strong? How might I offer assistance to others?
  • In what areas of technology am I weak? How might I bridge that gap or learn what I need to know?
  • How might I stay up-to-date on the latest trends and tools?
Additional resources

READ: A Tech-Savvy Government – Roxy Torrer, Former ATD Staff and author

READ: Government Needs Tech-Savvy Leaders to Succeed, Says Outgoing OMB Chief – Kellie Lunney, Senior Correspondent at GovExec.com

READ: 5 Ways You Can Instantly Become More Tech Savvy – Drew Hendricks, Marketing Manager at Nextiva and BusinessCollective.com contributor


Customer Experience

Act with internal and external customers in mind.  

“How you think about your customer influences how you respond to them.”

– Marilyn Suttle, Customer Service author and speaker

PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
  • What do my customers care most about?
  • How well is my organization currently meeting customer needs and wants? What else might we be doing?
  • How will excellent customer service lead to greater ability to meet our mission?
Additional resources

READ: Improving the Customer Experience to Achieve Government-Agency Goals – Tony D’Emidio, David Malfara, and Kevin Neher, McKinsey & Company

READ: Defining Your Role in Government Customer ServiceGovLoop

WATCH: How Airbnb Designs for Trust – Joe Gebbia, Co-founder of Airbnb and Ted Talk Speaker


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