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Values of Effective Public Servants

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Public servants know how to deliver services with responsiveness, equity, humanness, and integrity to become more effective and improve their productivity. Humanness is one of the values that should be adapted to every action in public service. This means if you rudely provide services and you aren’t friendly, people would not like it, and they might think that your service is not equitably fair if some are treated better than others just because they know who you are or maybe someone helped you in your past life. Also, delivering services without integrity will cause mistrust between Public servants and citizens. So if a Public servant wants to build credibility, he must practice these essential values such as responsiveness, equity, humanness, and integrity.
If you do so, people will trust you, and they will feel safe when dealing with government agencies. To be an effective public servant, you need more than just talent and experience; you also need to embody certain values. These values are essential, but they will also help you achieve results in the long run while gaining respect from your peers. This article lists 10 values for being an effective public servant.

1. Honesty

It may seem obvious, but honesty is essential for any person to become an effective public servant. Being honest with yourself and others can help you reach mutually beneficial solutions for everyone involved. Honesty helps build trust, which allows you to work effectively with other people. Without trust, it isn’t easy to accomplish anything of value. Honesty also helps protect your integrity and shows that you have respect for yourself and others.

2. Compassion

The second value a public servant need is compassion. Without empathy, there’s no way that someone can care for others who may need extra help and support. Compassion isn’t just about feeling pity, though. It’s also an understanding of what people are going through, even if you haven’t been in their shoes. And it’s about being able to put yourself in other people’s shoes. When we see things from another person’s perspective, we tend to make better decisions. So before making any decision as a public servant, ask yourself how you would feel if you were on the receiving end of your action or inaction.

3. Leadership

Leadership is one of these values. Even if you have years of experience in a given field, you’re not going to get far without the ability to motivate and direct others. If you can’t lead people, your impact will be limited no matter how talented or knowledgeable you are. This value doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but it can be learned with practice. One great way to start developing leadership skills is by joining the student government at your school.

4. Knowledge

You don’t have to become an expert in every field, but you should know as much as possible about your area of expertise. You will need at least a basic understanding of every aspect of your work. For example, if you are working on legislation related to transportation infrastructure, you must understand how transportation infrastructure works and how it affects different people and businesses. Without knowledge, you cannot effectively communicate with others or make informed decisions.

5. Patience

When it comes to solving complex problems, patience is a virtue. The ability to wait for just the right moment can make all the difference in how successful you are at solving a problem and getting your point across. And although patience might not be something that we often think about when it comes to being an effective public servant, there’s no doubt that patience is one of those values that makes all of the difference. If you want to be a truly effective public servant, patience should be on your list of essential values.

6. Integrity

A public servant’s word is their bond. If a public servant doesn’t have integrity, they can’t expect citizens of a community to trust them and not become frustrated with their leadership. When public servant has integrity, it’s easier for them to gain respect from other leaders in an organization and members of that organization. Without integrity, it’s difficult for any leader to be effective.

7. Professionalism

One of the ten essential values needed to be an effective public servant is professionalism. This means showing respect for your superiors, doing what’s best for your constituents, and maintaining a high character level while on duty. If you don’t have these values instilled in you from day one, you won’t be able to function as a member of any government body. Your reputation will precede you, and it will be hard to gain back trust once it has been lost.

8. Respect

The ability to respect others and understand that each person has a right to their own opinion. Without respect, it is impossible to work together effectively. It’s also important for public servants to have integrity, best defined as doing what you say you will do. Nothing else matters because people can’t trust anything you say or do without integrity.

9. Determination

Determination is one of those values that can determine your success as a public servant. Without determination, you will not follow through with decisions or even changes you’ve made to achieve a goal. To become effective, you need determination. Without it, there will always be another better idea or more important issue that comes along and distracts you from what needs to get done. With determination, you stay focused on your goals.

10. Courage

Courage is a trait that’s essential for all public servants. Having courage means being willing to stand up for what you believe in, even when it’s unpopular or may result in punishment. It also means having confidence in your ability to do your job effectively and not letting fear of failure stop you from trying new things. In short, if you want to be an effective public servant, you need courage. Although people often don’t realize it, one of our most important responsibilities as public servants is standing up for what we believe in.


Last Updated : 18 Nov, 2022
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