How to Be an Effective Public Servant

By Nabil Hourani

How to feel good about your work? How to enjoy your Job?  How to grow and adapt? The answers are in the following short chapters in this book with seven effective practices. My aim is that these proven deeds will help you gain knowledge and confidence, recognition among piers and the public, motivate yourself and your peers, and achieve a successful career.

This book is a personal development document to help you succeed as a professional. The advices are based on my experience working and climbing the ladder.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nabil Hourani
• Release date: Aug 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393901969

Book preview

Introduction

There is a human capital crisis in the Government. Not only are we losing decades of talent as Civil Servants retire, we are not doing enough to develop and nurture the next generation of Public Servants.

Daniel Akaka

Former US Educator and Senator of Hawaii, 1990–2013

My father was a government employee in the country of Lebanon. He worked as a Financial Inspector in the Ministry of Finances, checking the books of towns across that small but financially successful country. He was a dedicated public servant, honest, and conscientious. Most of the towns’ employees feared his arrival when he was expected to investigate a complaint against them and examine their financial records. Others welcomed him because of his uprightness to clear their names from false accusations. 

In retrospect, I was most likely influenced by my father’s reputation in government and his committed career. When I emigrated to the United States, I was happy to work as an engineer in the then-called Massachusetts Department of Public Works (DPW). As a newly arrived immigrant, I started my career there at a junior position but, due to my eagerness and commitment to my work, I advanced to the position of Head of the Geotechnical Engineering Section.

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My experiences have led me to write this book to help others become effective public employees: those who achieve measurable results, but also those who get satisfaction from their work and receive personal gratification and professional recognition. The benefits you will receive from this book are both intellectual and professional: examples and guidance to become an authority in your field, to enjoy your public service, to contribute to the progress and work of your department, to lead and inspire your co-workers and students, and to collaborate with other institutions and agencies.

I will begin with my background: I came from a French-speaking Mediterranean country, Lebanon, which I left for Europe, Belgium, to study and receive an engineering degree with specialization in Geotechnology. So, I am a Geotechnical Engineer, a Geo-engineer for short. In simplistic terms, I am a professional who design any structure that is on, adjacent to, or below ground. Geotechnical Engineering is the discipline of Civil Engineering which explores and analyses Geomaterials (natural elements such as soils and rocks, and man-made elements such as fills and waste materials) and designs and builds Geoprojects.

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The U.S. National Research Council, which promotes science and math education, defines the fields of Geotechnology thus: foundations (for buildings, highways, and bridges), mining, tunneling, slope stability and landslides, earth-retaining structures (walls), dams, control and disposal of wastes, subgrade materials, and ground improvement. Such projects play a vital role in our everyday life: infrastructure development and rehabilitation, waste management, resources recovery, mitigation