By Mike Vajda, Alicia Rule, Michael Rogers, PhD., and Sharon Ginley
Federal leaders are navigating a period of extraordinary transformation. Recent policy shifts and organizational changes have brought about significant reductions in staffing and institutional knowledge, while also altering long-standing civil service frameworks. These developments, combined with evolving expectations and heightened scrutiny, have created an environment where workforce morale and engagement are under sustained pressure. Yet, the urgency and complexity of federal missions remain undiminished.
In this climate, leaders are called to respond with purpose, empathy, and innovation. Success is dependent on leadership’s ability to set the direction, create alignment, and gain commitment of the organization and team members. The following strategies, grounded in evidence-based management and forward-thinking approaches, can help federal leaders meet the moment:
1. Prioritize Ruthlessly
- Focus resources on core, mission-critical functions.
- Use workforce data to align talent with high-impact work.
- Scale back or suspend non-essential activities to ensure focus and resilience.
2. Communicate with Clarity and Conviction
- Establish a vision for the future and identify the sense of urgency to adapt to meet this need.
- Maintain transparency and consistency in communications, reinforcing mission and shared values.
- Foster unity and trust through visible, steady leadership and management.
3. Empower and Support Your People
- Grant staff autonomy and flexibility to adapt to new realities.
- Recognize contributions to sustain morale, including reminding teams and individuals of successes in the past and the value of learning experiences.
- Demonstrate a culture of learning and adapting through mentoring and professional development to help employees grow their impact.
- Within reason, reframe employee behaviors of withdrawal, passive-aggressiveness, hostility, or bravado as regular reactions to adapting to a new normal.
4. Leverage Partnerships and Prepare for Shared Services
- Encourage the expansion or redevelopment of professional networks.
- Build bridges with other agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofits.
- Use rotations, details, contractors, and shared services to fill critical gaps and increase agility.
- Begin exploring shared services models, which can consolidate administrative functions (such as HR, finance, IT, and procurement) for greater efficiency and effectiveness.
5. Streamline and Innovate
- Treat disruption as a catalyst to modernize operations and adopt digital tools.
- Identify and eliminate redundant processes, leveraging technology to deliver results with fewer resources.
6. Advocate with Data and Purpose
- Collect evidence on impact and risks to inform decision-making.
- Collaborate with HR and legal teams to pursue flexibilities, secure exemptions, and restore critical capacity.
In times of adversity, leadership is more important than ever. By focusing on what matters most and preparing for the next evolution in government operations, federal leaders can protect the mission and the people who carry it forward.
