We want to be Public Administrators; Why?

So we want to be Public Administrators!  Why?  Can we answer that question?  We need to know why we do what we want to do!  And if the answer is Public Administration, then the reason can't be the money, it needs to be a reason that will sustain you through the thankless tough times.

As an immigrant and son of political refugees, I serve because I feel tremendous gratitude for the opportunities offered to my family and myself by this great nation, the United States of America.  I joined the US ARMY in 1986, just days after high school graduation in order to add my grain of sand to the effort of building and defending the Country.  In the ARMY, I learned a lot about service and giving, and the notion that began to grow as gratitude years earlier became a central part of my life.  Today, I serve because I find that my calling is improving the life of others, even if they don't know it!

Being a Public Administrator is somewhat thankless.  Most of the people we serve don't realize it.  Even my retired mother often complaints about government administrators (excluding her son of course) and when I engage her in discussion she realizes that she uses many government provided services that she takes for granted.  This is a perception that we have to combat and deal with on a regular basis, because the Media does not usually note what a great job we do most of the time.

Public administrators manage water and sewer plants, build and fix roadways, operate parks, provide public safety and medical services, maintain traffic signals, feed the hungry and care for the homeless, develop cities, pick up trash, etc., etc., etc.  The point is we impact the life of millions of people and even though many times we will not be thanked, it is quite rewarding.

Our JOB is to serve the community and so we should do it with passion and fervor.  Since it is unlikely that we'll be thanked, knowing why we do it is important?  There will be days when our integrity will be challenged, and days when things wont go well, or when our recommendations will fall on deaf ears; t is in those days that we have to sit back and remember why we serve.

I love what I do!  Every day I get up and I know that I will help someone!  They may not know it, and they will likely never say thank you, but I will know.  And that is good enough for me.  If you want to be a Public Administrator, you need to know why.  You need to know what is your passion and it needs to be good enough for you.  If not, find another worthwhile profession!