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    Supervising in the Public Service, 2nd Edition
    Supervising in the Public Service, 2nd Edition
    Supervising in the Public Service, 2nd Edition
    Ebook145 pages1 hour

    Supervising in the Public Service, 2nd Edition

    By Brett Johnson

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    About this ebook

    Supervising in the Public Service is a short and practical handbook for new, seasoned, and aspiring supervisors within the public service. Use this handbook to improve your ability to manage teams and lead people.

    Twenty five key elements of modern day public service supervision are examined. Key principles are presented for each, along with engaging anecdotes based on real life public service experience. A range of tested tools are provided for you to use in your everyday work within the public service.

    A core theme of this handbook is that supervising is not about using positional authority to control people. It is about connecting with people, understanding them as individuals, and then creating a space for them to be successful.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrett Johnson
    Release dateJun 8, 2013
    ISBN9780988002753
    Supervising in the Public Service, 2nd Edition
    Author

    Brett Johnson

    Brett Johnson is the founder of The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact, Inc, which is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. Passionate about the abolition of dichotomy­—eradicating the false barriers between facets of life, Brett is particularly interested in removing the barrier between the so-called secular and sacred. A chartered accountant, writer, father and social entrepreneur, Brett is dedicated to societal transformation through business, capital and leadership transformation. Brett has over thirty years of experience with leading public accounting and management consulting firms. He and the team at The Institute have repurposed over 365 corporations. He works extensively with executive groups within businesses, NGOs and international charities, helping them dream new futures, and align around a common purpose. A South African native, Brett has lived in Silicon Valley with his family for 30 years.Brett has authored ten books, and has some more in the works:• Convergence—Integrating your Career, Community, Creativity & Calling• I-Operations—How the Internet can transform your Operating Model with Gary Daichendt, former EVP of Worldwide Operations at Cisco• LEMON Leadership—Radically fresh leadership• Repurposing Capital—Rediscovering Faith-based Financing• Transforming Society—A framework for fixing a broken world• CYCLES—A journey to Purpose• 50 Principles of faith-based financing• The Initiative Index• The Availability Index• 10 Steps to RestorationBrett and his wife Lyn are frequently asked to speak and conduct consultations around the world.#businessonpurpose#convergence#integration#lemonleadership#lifepurpose

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      Book preview

      Supervising in the Public Service, 2nd Edition - Brett Johnson

      Table of Contents

      Dedication

      Acknowledgements

      Preface

      Introduction

      Chapter 1: Be mindful

      Chapter 2: Know my role

      Chapter 3: Have clear expectations

      Chapter 4: Speak with authority

      Chapter 5: Manage my boss

      Chapter 6: Appreciate people

      Chapter 7: Learn the business

      Chapter 8: Understand my bounds

      Chapter 9: Value administrative professionals

      Chapter 10: Maintain clear direction

      Chapter 11: Deliver results

      Chapter 12: Build my network

      Chapter 13: Sustain my relationships

      Chapter 14: Keep records

      Chapter 15: Make decisions

      Chapter 16: Continuously improve

      Chapter 17: Accept change

      Chapter 18: Model life balance

      Chapter 19: Speak my truth

      Chapter 20: Have uncomfortable conversations

      Chapter 21: Operate in uncertainty

      Chapter 22: Use a workload management system

      Chapter 23: Take a coach approach

      Chapter 24: Think and act strategically

      Chapter 25: Be a public servant

      Afterword

      References

      Tools

      About the author

      Dedication

      To my gorgeous wife Joanna and my beautiful boys Xavier and Hartley—you are my inspiration. I love you all very much.

      Start Reading

      Table of Contents

      Acknowledgements

      This handbook is based on my cumulative work experience in the Queensland Public Service (Australia) and Alberta Public Service (Canada) between 2005 and 2011. Thank you to all the people I have interacted with during my career. I have learnt so much from you all.

      For the people that I still work with. Please forgive me if I do not always live up to the material in this handbook. My personal leadership journey is far from over and I continue to learn and grow. Thank you in advance for your patience and tolerance.

      All names in this book are fictional. In addition, although the examples are loosely based on my actual work experience, they have been aggregated and tweaked, and should be interpreted as fable.

      Start Reading

      Table of Contents

      Preface

      My conscious leadership journey started the summer after I graduated from university. At the time I was working in the hospitality industry as a bar keep. As is common in the industry, my colleagues and I used to partake in a few wind-down drinks at the end of a long night. Quite a few to be honest.

      After one such session, I remember getting home after the sun had come up. As I navigated my way down the driveway on foot, I came across my mother gardening; she was making the most of the fresh morning air. I stopped and we had a conversation. I do not remember the exact words, but I vividly remember where we were and how I felt after the conversation.

      My mother was wearing a pair of leather garden gloves that had a distinct red, white, and dusty gold stripe trim. The gloves were worn from years of work and stained a deep, vibrant red like the soil. My mother was hunched over removing weeds beneath the old jacaranda tree at the South-East corner of the newly constructed garage as we spoke. I remember how refreshing the early morning air felt as I stood in the shade.

      The conversation centered around the sustainability of my current occupation and the impact it was having on my health. My parents were worried. As the energy of the conversation waned, I continued down to the house in order to get ready for my next shift at work, scheduled to start in just three hours time. Following work that day, I decided to take some time to reflect on the conversation with my mother.

      I went to my favourite place, the local nature park, and spent a few hours just being still. I sat on the front of my car at one of the lookouts and enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the park. I decided to find a healthier job. As I drove home I felt a growing sense of wellness and was eager to tell my parents.

      My father, a long-serving public servant, when informed of my plans went to great lengths to help me find some suitable jobs to apply for. One stands out in my mind. It was an entry-level position focused on regulating the use of natural resources. He encouraged me to apply because they were hiring numerous people across the department and he reckoned I would have a good chance getting a position. This was during a time of economic prosperity and expansion.

      So full of trepidation and fuelled with a desire to set my own direction, I ignored his valuable advice. Rather I applied for and secured another bar keep job in an up-market forest retreat six hours away. It was one of the worst, and yet best decisions I have ever made.

      It was one of the worst decisions because I despised my new job. Pouring the same drinks day after day, cleaning out ash trays, and wiping down tables were not fulfilling to me. The only reprieve was that the bar was located on an upper floor and had a balcony with a magnificent view of the mountains upon which the retreat was perched. Gazing across the forested slopes as the evening fog rolled in was enjoyable, even if I was cleaning soiled ash trays at the same time.

      After just one week I decided to start applying for jobs in the public service. I decided that I wanted to make a difference. I spoke with my father and asked him again to keep an eye out for jobs for him. And as a loving parent he did. And as it happened, a second intake of those entry-level jobs was advertised. I applied and was successful.

      Before I get into the job I want to speak to why moving to the forest was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It was such a great decision because through the experience I realised what I did not want to do with my life. If I ever feel my motivation in my current job dropping, I just think back to cleaning those ash trays on that balcony and remind myself how lucky I now am to be working in the public service and making a small, positive difference to the world.

      I have spent much time reflecting on this period of my life. I am grateful for the experience because I learned and grew as a person. Specifically, I learnt that true and lasting learning comes from experiencing life and being uncomfortable. For me, the experience of being uncomfortable lowers my self confidence, but opens me up to learning and growth.

      After the conversation with my parents I chose to be less confident in myself. This is why I didn’t apply for the entry-level job and chose rather to stay in the industry familiar to me. In the forest I spent a lot of time walking the many trails during my down time and thinking about my life. Eventually, I made a choice to be confident in myself, to learn and grow, and to be in control of my life. I decided not to drift.

      So when I received notification that I would start work in the public service in the following winter I was full of gumption, enthusiasm, and confidence. The first two weeks of my new job were spent out of the office in a training course with all the other new recruits. I loved the content and eagerly absorbed and learnt it. When I returned to the office I was clear with my more experienced colleagues that I knew it all and could solve all of their work problems. Oh how young and naïve I was!

      Looking back, it is easy to see that I knew so little (and still do actually), but now I am comfortable with this. It is good to know little because it means there is always room for learning, and this is something I value in my life.

      But when it was pointed out to me at the time how little I knew, I again chose to be less confident in myself. After a bit of self pity, I did some more reflection. This time I sat on the parched and sun-burnt grass outside of the office, where my colleagues and I regularly had our morning tea. It was a bit hot for the others on this particular day. After some time I

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