This article is written by Marrianne McMullen, Director of Communication and Dissemination for Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago and former deputy assistant secretary for external affairs at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) during the Obama Administration

The US federal government is an institution like no other.

Its reach is colossal, its structure complex, its workforce enormous. And each administration is led by a cadre of political appointees — a unique management team that changes with each new administration.

We see this in every democracy: new leaders bring in their own people. As a manager, however, it’s a unique situation. You weren’t promoted from within and you may not be someone your employees recognise as a leader. You arrive on the coattails of the president, and you are expected to lead where you have no followers.

Difficult? Understatement. But few jobs are more important. So, bone up, future political appointees, and you will achieve more at your posts.

Here are 10 important lessons to start with, drawn from my nearly six years in the Obama Administration.

1. Understand where your power is

Your effectiveness is in your staff and in your influence across the country as a federal leader.

Mobilise your staff in the service of the mission. Apply yourself to areas where there are few roadblocks, from improving management operations in your office, to implementing unique approaches to the administration’s highest priorities. Look down, look out and use the power you have in those directions. Resist the temptation to always manage up.

2. Get trained up

There is so much you need to know that is different from every other place you have worked.

Take federal supervisors’ training within your first 90 days, and sign up for a coach or mentor who has expertise in federal management. Read these books: Uncivil Servant: Holding government employees accountable for performance and conduct, by William B. Wiley, and Improving the Performance of Government Employees, a managers’ guide, by Stuart Liff.

3. Position Descriptions and performance plans drive change

You can take all of the management steps that made you successful elsewhere — and then nothing happens.

You will be respected, yes, but you will take fire

It might take some time for an employee to say “Well, it’s not in my PMAP” (PMAP stands for Performance Management Appraisal Program). PMAPs provide playbooks for employees and they influence their raises and future promotions. Review all position descriptions and PMAPS when you arrive. It will take a minimum of a year to get them aligned and focused on new goals, so start working on them right away.

4. Cascading communication doesn’t work

Do not depend on your direct reports to communicate your message down. Develop regular channels to communicate directly to all of your staff.

These can be all-hands meetings or conference calls, weekly emails, internal newsletters. Develop your own distribution lists to key groups of staff so that you can regularly connect their day-to-day work with the mission of the administration.

5. Focus on your high performers

Your high performers will drive the work forward. Focus on what they need to succeed.

Understand what drives and motivates them, and manage them accordingly. Find professional development opportunities that are high quality and appropriate to their positions, and give them the time to make the most of those opportunities.

6. Build teams

In a workplace where missions and bosses fluctuate, some employees will hunker down, limit contacts to a few people they trust, and accept their isolation.

With all of its challenges, always remember this about federal service: There is no job in which you will make a greater impact

Find out what staff themselves want to change or fix, or what they are interested in that coincides with an administration priority. Develop clear, measurable goals and pull people together in a team to collectively accomplish them. You will accomplish your objectives, and help your employees build productive work relationships.

7. Focus on your low performers

You’ll identify these quickly. Once you do, update their position descriptions and revise their performance plans to be precise as possible.

Make clear demands, in writing, hold them accountable to meeting them, and document when they do not. Provide training and the opportunity for them to develop the skills they need. If they don’t improve, move through the steps that you learned in supervisors training until you get to either dramatic performance change or termination. Taking action on your lowest performers will make it clear that high performance is expected.

8. Beware of flamboyant compliance and managers with no problems

Some career managers can evade accountability by appearing relentlessly loyal and committed to the chain of command. Be wary of the crisp salutes, the “yes mams” and “yes sirs.” Do not let managers use bluster to keep their teams off your radar. Make sure they are delivering clear, documentable work.

9. Federal managers can win loyalty from employees by protecting them from work

While not common, managers can win loyalty from groups of employees by letting them get away with not working.

They in turn receive mutual cover from their staff when they don’t perform. Over years, this develops into its own negative culture with an elaborate security system. This is where courageous leadership is most required and it is where you can make the biggest difference. Do not go it alone: partner with human resources, general counsel and workforce development offices and make sure upper-level management has your back. Make a plan, and follow it until you take back that office.

10. The award culture

You will receive endless calls for nominations for awards for staff for exceptional service. Find out what awards really matter, which of your people are motivated by awards, and then delegate the nomination process to a trusted deputy. Only submit nominations for what you believe is truly exceptional work. Your staff will notice what you call attention to.

With all of its challenges, always remember this about federal service: There is no job in which you will make a greater impact.

Even when you get something small done, its impacts will be broad and deep. And never forget that this is service. You will be respected, yes, but you will take fire. Those who will last and succeed in these appointments are the ones who can take that fire and keep charging forward. **—**Marrianne McMullen

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