Figure It Out

July 17, 2023?

Dear Leaders,?

Everyone works for someone.?You might be self-employed, but you have customers to call you into account.?Even the President of the United States works for the people, although it might not seem so, but just ask one who failed to get re-elected.?But what do you do when those above you are silent in the face of questions??

In government service, it’s quite common for higher headquarters to have expectations but provide little to no instruction or guidance.?For leaders on the front line, it seems like a recipe for potential failure, for you might feel like you’ve been set adrift in a sinking boat.?In fact, it is a chance to excel and shine, for when you take charge and produce results, you gain the respect of your people, and those in your organization who respect and appreciate talent and initiative.?It is also a time for you to grow as a leader in changing your leadership and management styles throughout the process.?

Entering my office one Monday, I was ready to tackle a project that had been on the back burner for a while, when in walked two headquarters people, unannounced and with a new initiative that was going to completely redirect a significant portion of our time and resources.?I knew both well, and while I was more than slightly perturbed at being left out of the planning, I nonetheless signed on.?The program was to be based in our office, a logical move given we were the sole receiving point, but given the nationwide impact, I asked who at headquarters was in charge and received no answer.?After they left, I made two more inquiries on the same subject, only to receive the same answer.??

Being experienced enough to discern what was happening, I made the decision that I was in charge, and immediately set about setting up process flow, logistics, and procedures.?The most important thing I instituted was a communications plan with weekly meetings for the first six months to ensure everyone understood roles, requirements, and responsibilities, provide and receive updates, and provide for them an avenue to answer questions.?Given that this was a new program, and field personnel were less experienced with various nuances and aspects, I made sure they knew they could come to us with questions on individual issues and address collective situations that required our action.?

By now I knew that I had to resolve common issues unilaterally, for I had long ceased asking headquarters for any assistance.?Taking field input, and working with my support staff, we did what we could.?Having spent many years developing a network of connections within our larger processing center, and across the wider spectrum of our agency and department, I enlisted the support of an ad hoc group of advisers, relying on them when needed, and even inviting them to select meetings to provide expertise.?I ensured that their bosses were aware of our working together and gave them due credit for the invaluable assistance we received.??

As the project progressed, we worked the bugs out of the system and established a smooth process flow that ultimately reduced the fraud within this particular subset to near zero, as we were able to open new investigations and our efforts scared away many of those who were perpetrating the fraud.?Our unit received an award from the agency director for their accomplishments.?

Along the way, I found that I had to adjust leadership and management styles to adapt to the situation at hand.?As the program required direct action from the outset, I used a more autocratic approach of the simple I say, you do.?To the field leaders and cadre that would do their part, I let them know that it was a two-way street for communication, and that we were there to aid them in their part, but I had requirements that weren’t open to debate and discussion, so once I made a decision, I expected it to happen forthwith.?To enjoin the support network we needed, I shifted to a collaborative approach, showing them how their participation was to their benefit and our mutual benefit.?Finally, it required delegation, for the project took a significant amount of my time, and so again without inquiry or permission, I appointed a project manager from my own staff to oversee much of the routine responsibility.????

All of this required credibility walking in the door.?As I mentioned earlier, I had developed a large network of connections that provided assistance.?This came from not only knowing who they were, but providing assistance to them whenever possible, hence the trust and desire to return the favors.?Beyond that, it required leadership credibility with my own people that had developed over the years to the point that when I gave them the vision and mission and then issued orders, they not only responded, they took pride in their work.??

A benchmark of leadership is making decisions.?Leaders know when to consult with their chain of command, but they must be prepared for situations when answers are not forthcoming.?Don’t hesitate to take charge, and just be prepared if called into account, for when you show success, no one will question your credibility, and they will seek you out for solutions.?Years later, one of the same colleagues who brought me that program, told me that he knew that I could get the job done, and that the less I was encumbered by headquarters, the better it would go, and the more I would find it palatable.?

He was right.??????????

Sincerely,

Tim