This is a story about how:
"Power does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power."
George Bernard Shaw
The American Government is in shut down; what can we hope comes of it?
Everyday we work to constantly improve the customer's experience and our positions. For me, it's a challenge I take pleasure in achieving. If I am loyal and dedicated, the results show through my employees and volunteers because I care about what matters most to them and it creates a loyalty effect.
All to often, when I am working with any government department from a city worker, to a worker in the court system the constant problem - is they feel they have a power without responsibility, without authority and/or over sight. In my jobs, whether or not I have control over the levers to make the changes I know are necessary; I am the one in charge and blamed by the public for any poor performance despite the fact that I made the recommended changes and the Government employees failed to implement them. Hence always have a backup plan for their anticipate failings.
The problem between them (government workers) and most of us, is that there has been no point in complaining; because there is no reason for them to take pride in what they do. With Unions who simply transfer them around, to individuals who simply do not want to work; they feel they “deal” with the public and that in and of itself, means do as little as possible, because well we just might expect it all the time.
The Priority on exactly what government offices are closing is disturbing when there are so many other's that could be closed; like every single congressman's office in DC & their home states and small government there.
For instance recently, I paid a parking ticket in Nashua, NH and the guy at the desk could not even crack a smile and took an inordinate amount of time to simply accept cash for the $10.00 parking ticket and produce a receipt; when he finally did I said Thank you, without the courtesy of a reply. He could barely maintain eye contact and just went back to who knows what, there was a computer and nothing else on his desk. Yup, it’s like hey your welcome, I paid the ticket the same day I got it. Why do a lot of people avoid paying their tickets? They forget about them; because they do not want to deal with government employees. But we are their customers.
Customer retention is about motivating people, being efficient and actually being friendly. A great manager practices political principles and recognizing their people’s achievements in meaningful ways. So where are those principles with our government?
Whether it’s a single worker/volunteer and/or an organization volunteering or working on a project with me; I have found that when working with over 260 volunteers and/or even 1 or over 130 employees, that simple clear cut instructions and expectations with public recognition gets results. Then when someone fails you simply let them go; not shuffle them off to be someone else’s problem.
People want a great product or service and when you give it to them, with a showing of appreciation and getting feedback from your own staff of workers and/or volunteers and take feedback from the public - publicly recognize those contributions and make adjustments, everyone wins.
Hint, Republicans & Democrats alike can help Obama Care be better than it is, this hold is not helping anyone except if you want to look like an arse in front of the entire world.
By focusing on the people who want to work with you and give you "constructive feedback", follow the rules, stick with a plan - they are the hero’s and the reason for combined success. Persistence Consistency, resolve, determination applied with kindness and delivery of what was promised wins…customer satisfaction rises as does credibility and your bottom line.
If just a mom, can create a community event with a 27.27% increase following it, in 2 years double participation and almost triple the size maintained it for 4 years as a volunteer without pay; why can't the government who is actually getting paid - even when they are responsible for the shut downs?
Congress doesn't see it that way, as with Union employees they feel entitled and get paid when they are disrupting so many others lives.
Accountability would save us a lot of money and who is deciding that these government agency's lose first? The moral, maybe the government employees losing their pay will come back with a better purpose, be polite and maybe they will push those above them to be better... what we can count is ...
"Governments that block the aspirations of their people, that steal or are corrupt, that oppress and torture or that deny freedom of expression and human rights should bear in mind that they will find it increasingly hard to escape the judgement of their own people, or where warranted, the reach of international law."
William Hague
