I’m sick of your work going unnoticed and unappreciated, so I did something about it

A Departmental Secretary recently said something to me that made me twitch. Let's discuss.

His agency had just launched an industry-transforming program, and it was going gangbusters! I gleefully clicked on a news story about it, but was shocked to see that the article read like the program was the brainchild of the private sector. Excuse me, what?!

When I brought this up with Mr Secretary, with gentle public sector humility he said, “the people who need to know our worth, do”.

With respect – no, they don’t. And therein lies the problem.

You know only too well that as a public servant, you aren’t allowed to bang on about how great your work is.

So when I saw the theme for TEDx Cecil St 2024 – Rebels and Renegades – I knew I had a rebellious idea worth spreading... and I was the only one who could.

The message in my TEDx Talk is simple – when it comes to solving the problems we face as a species, there’s a hidden army of helpers ready to get to work. But they need citizens to back them.

You’re in that army. You, and 2 million other Aussies who go to work each day in the public sector. You beautiful legends :D

My TEDx Talk lays out to citizens the simple but very easily missed truth that the public sector delivers what society needs in order to thrive. Not what individuals want – that’s what the private sector is for. No, you deliver what we need.

Stable voltage and stable currency. Traffic management and sewage management. At local, state and federal level; in the field, in meeting rooms and striding the halls of Parliament. Millions of helpers touching the lives of every Aussie every day.

Imperfectly, sure – nothing’s perfect. But delivering a whole lot more than your social status reflects! I ask them to imagine what you could do if every citizen insisted that you and the rest of our army of helpers be properly funded, trained and supported. Forget doing more with less – what about getting out what you put in?

Do you reckon this is an idea worth spreading? I do.

If you agree, help me spread it. Send this newsletter to every public servant you know and suggest they sign up so they can get all the support tools my team and I are building as we speak (next one due out in 2 weeks).

And then send my TEDx Talk to that person in your life who slags off the public sector every chance they get. Is it your grumpy uncle? Your footy coach? Your neighbour? We’ve all got one… Send them my way, and I’ll make sure that the people who need to know your worth, do.

All strength to your arm,

Georgie