On Serving Without Sacrificing Too Much Self
These last weeks I have been fortunate enough to interview some incredible PMF alumni and it got me thinking about why we heed the call to public service. It also got me thinking about what we learn from outstanding public servants that might go unsaid.
We often view public service as a type of sacrifice, where we give up something of ourselves, or a benefit or privilege to work toward a noble calling. But when that’s the only view, we lose sight of the fact that public service is also a profession. Long, successful careers in a profession require balance alongside sacrifice. And that’s not something that gets spoken about nearly as often.
Serve the Public, Enjoy the Mission
My interview with the PMF Alum of the Year, Michael Mencarini of the National Parks Service, really shed a light on finding the kind of service work that speaks to you AND is useful and necessary for the overall good of the country. He started his public sector career as a PMF with the Department of Health and Human Services, as it aligned with this call to serve, and he thought it was where he could do the most good. But Mike missed the lifestyle that came with doing field work, having his boots on the ground – something he’d grown accustomed to while serving in the US Army. This led him to look for different opportunities to serve, rather than become frustrated with the conflict he found himself feeling. By going to the National Parks Service, Mike moved to an organization that allowed him to continue to do good work and offered the added benefit of less time tethered to a desk. The change of scenery from park to park isn’t bad either.
Build What You Need
As public servants, we get used to doing the best we can with limited resources. But we can’t settle for thinking that just because we don’t have something, doesn’t mean we can’t build it. More recently, Mike has focused on providing outreach and offering community to new Presidential Management Fellow and Finalists in the Chicago area by helping host small group get-togethers (now virtual due to COVID) where finalists, fellows, and alumni can come together and discuss their experiences with and following the program. This work has changed some key metrics for those finalists with nearly 50% of attendees finding placement. But more importantly, his efforts helped build a strong, collaborative community of PMFs across the region. One of his biggest takeaways from his time as a PMF out in the field was that he wished he had engaged more with the PMF community from the outset—that being the sole PMF in his office left him feeling slightly singled out and with less support. For Mike, enjoying the mission means building community, not just getting the work done.
Best Experience, Not Perfect Job
As PMIs and PMFs we’ve been selected because of our drive to achieve, to succeed, and to serve. But it’s easy to be distracted by the importance of the work and the seniority of a position and forget to build the best experience possible for ourselves. Another alum I interviewed, Kim Church at the Department of Veterans Affairs, started her PMF journey in 2018. She was most recently an honorable mention in the PMF Program Office’s PMF Alumni of the Year, and was drawn to the public sector due to its mission. But she quickly found that “…what I do matters less than who I work with and the mission of the organization.” Kim hit on the fact that one key to career success is having the best experience – one that energizes you, inspires you, and keeps you serving. Not one that burns you out, exhausts you, or forces you to work with people you are incompatible with. Taking a long-term view helps us remember that there are always going to be new opportunities to try for, achievements to reach, and ways to distinguish ourselves while serving others. There’s no one perfect job to do.
Learn and Grow
And while I’m not currently in the running for “alumnus of the year,” I have spent time on both the military and civil side of public service. What I took away from my conversations with Mike and Kim was something I’d observed in my own service – how important it is to keep learning and growing. Yes, public service involves sacrifice, but any good career does. We can’t lose sight of what we get out of that service in return – the opportunity to learn, grown, evolve, play and try new things – something not always afforded to those working in other professions.
So tell me why you serve, and what your service gives you in return. What have you seen as vital to making a career out of service? Drop thoughts in the comments below – we might retweet them or ask you to do a longer post about it!
Adam Rumrill is Assistant to the Executive Director here at PMAA. After serving 4 years as Military Police in the US Marine Corps, Adam joined HUD as a PMF in 2018. He spends much of his time developing data collection and visualization tools to assist leadership in their strategic planning and performance measurement processes.