Ahhh the new economy.
I’d like to know who calls corporate America - especially the public sector portion - new. Because that is quite simply, one of the biggest pieces of bullshit I’ve ever heard.
There is nothing new about the corporate structure of today’s public sector organization. No matter how much buzz text, seminar speak, leadership retreating, or focused team building jargon one goes through - this puppy remains one broken top down piece of hierarchy.
Even in the midst of what I consider a somewhat informed and proactive environment (the bureaucracy I currently call home), there remains this unwavering adherence to an old school understanding that time (not performance or value adding contribution) is the primary determinant for success and ultimate reward.
Ladies and gentlemen..this really perturbs me.
The public sector employee is not akin to a wine grape. You know, something that gets better with age. This perpetual fermentation mentality is the number one cause of brain drain (the loss of the brightest and most gifted members of pubic sector) everywhere. Teams are already in dire need of both gift and talent - not to mention, passion.
What to do?
I can hardly call this e-snivel correspondence a solution. Frankly, this is as covert (and cowardly) as it gets. Being a change agent means more than being aware of the need for change - but taking actions toward making those changes occur regardless of the consequence. How I look myself in the mirror every morning remains a mystery to me.
Sometimes I wish I could be more like my old man and his “yes sir” generation - loyal to the end, unquestioning, passed over, pissed on, and happy to get their cheap watch after 30 years. But this is not the way business, or life, or humanity ought to be and this leader is really tired of doing business in that old fashioned paradigm.
So, I lay in waiting for the day when I get my opportunities to lead. I tell myself that it will be different, that I will acknowledge the knowledge worker, challenge the underachiever, fix the broken, and make all things fair in the house of work. We work so hard to shape our communities, our organizations, and afterwards we have only these very same organizations and communities to define who we are.
Lofty nonsense?
Maybe, but then again, most visions worthy of striving for are.
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