Overview
Driving digital change in government is daunting. Yet, we push because we know our government needs fixing, now. This conviction carries us most days. But when it falters, we have to remember what drew us — and what’s at stake if we walk away.
Problem
Public service demands compassion. We see people’s struggles and we’re trusted to help ease them. Sometimes, dated, flawed systems stand in the way of citizens and the public servants trying to help them. Over time, our compassion can be tested and worn down.
When the people who keep our systems running — whether they’re government leaders, public servants, community volunteers, or vendors — become hardened or cynical, we all lose.
Solution
We all have a reason — or several — we wanted to tackle the herculean task of improving public service. Something fired us up to do this hard work. Reminding ourselves of the initial spark is a balm when motivation runs low.
We also have to grant ourselves grace. Real change takes time, and there will be bumps along the way. When setbacks happen, we can’t lose sight of the mission — or the people counting on us.
Context
Digital leaders evangelize change in a sector that defaults to the status quo. While technology is not a panacea, it can help us push the government to change the way it solves problems. We’re working to put people’s needs at the center of government services, which frankly, isn’t standard.
Our work isn’t always easy, and it isn’t always recognized. Watching systems fall short for the people who need them most can weigh on us. But still we show up, we dig in, and we keep going — because the challenges are real, and so is our belief that together we can build something better.
We can’t lose heart. Building something better takes all of us staying open, hopeful, and committed to serving with heart. Apathy robs us of compassion. We have to genuinely care about people’s needs if we’re going to build people-centered services.
Keep the faith
When the challenges pile up, we have to remember what attracted us to this work. We chose public service because we want to help people in tangible ways that scale. We have to remember that it’ll take time to see it through in earnest.
We also deserve to remember our wins — no matter their size. Transforming bureaucracies happens in countless strides, some of them baby steps, some of them major leaps.
Even if you didn’t reach your goal, ask yourself where you gained some bit of knowledge that’ll help later.
For example, Power to the Public authors Hana Schank and Tara Dawson McGuinness spotlight the State of Vermont’s effort to modernize how people apply for benefits. Through a small pilot program, the State transformed a paper-application process to a fully-automated version. It cut benefit delivery time in half.
Despite the success, the pilot project wasn’t adopted at scale (or at least that’s true at the time of this writing). This was due to a lack of internal support coupled with the pandemic.
Though it’s disappointing, there are plenty of wins. For starters, it’s a testament to what’s possible when change is piloted in small batches. It also taught staff the value of demoing prototypes to earn buy-in. These are lessons that’ll surely benefit future projects across government.
As author Mitchell Weiss so aptly put it in We the Possibility: “We get the government we invent.”
We need inventors who have the conviction, compassion, and courage to take on the fundamental problems in how we deliver public services.
We need leaders like you who, despite the hard work, will persist for the public good.
Mantras
- Persist for the public good
- Where’s the win?
Checklist
- Acknowledge the enormity of improving public service — and accept that change won’t happen swiftly.
- Look for the lesson learned or small win, even if a project fails.
- Remember why you were drawn to public service, and remind yourself often.
- Use “your why” to stay compassionate, curious, and committed as you serve the public.
Questions to ask
- What drew you to public service?
- What have been some of your wins, no matter how small?
- How are those wins informing your work now?
- What items are in your control, what items are you not? Evaluate this list regularly.
