Nothing drives me up the wall more than hearing this: "Give it to me in writing". Especially since it comes with that ever-so-stereotypical governmental attitude.
Most of us spend all our professional lives doing something or getting something done. To us, that one sentence is the epitome of the opposite. It is the starting point of "how I don't care whether anything is done or not".
I am sure you all have your own hilarious anecdotes of this nature. My point today is neither satire nor humor; rather, something more fundamental and of enormous consequence. Of how huge chunks public (our) money is being squandered - not under those ubiquitous account-heads such as corruption, misappropriation or fraud. Under something far more innocuous: Work culture osmosis.
By this, I mean how the private sector is rapidly absorbing this work culture of the governments; how this transformation is powered by the strength of the government employees' convictions and the lure of the government business.
If you are unsure of why or how this is happening, let us begin with this easy question: Why do governments outsource work to the private sector?
All your answers could simply be summed up under: "to leverage private sector competencies", a.k.a., to get things done quickly, efficiently, with higher-quality, by more competent people, etc.. Right?
It beats me then, how governments first hire private sector companies mainly due to these differences; and then proceed to iron out those very differences by subjecting them to various forms of "this is how it is done in government; please learn these things when you work with us!"? With each such interaction the private sector employees are inexorably brainwashed, tutored, re-tuned and transformed into something else. So thoroughly, that soon it will be impossible to tell them apart from government employees, were it not for those telltale laptop bags and ties.
Here are two recent examples - deliberately taken from low-impact situations.
1. Here is an email from a govt. employee to an SI:
"Further, I of the view that MOM should be prepared in the pattern of Govt. style and not being send. ... Please make the MOM as per Govt. pattern".
True. The MOM (minutes of the meeting) and their style are of supreme importance. Far more so, than the issues discussed and solutions being sought. As it happens, after two weeks of "giving and taking it in writing", the MOM is not yet finalized.
This, is how the wondrous transformation begins.
Now let us go see the results.
2. Here is a phone call from a private sector employee:
"Sir, your team member wants a soft copy of our draft approach document."
"The one you showed us today?"
"Yes sir."
"I don't recall seeing anything confidential in that. You did intend to share it with us, didn't you?"
"Yes sir."
"So where is the problem?"
"I just wanted to take your approval sir!"
These are but a small sample of what I've been seeing everyday during the last 11 odd years. The virus has spread so deep, that I won't be surprised if some of you find these examples quite normal.
It is indeed a pity that Scott Adams (of the Dilbert fame) has never been exposed to our government.
Most of us spend all our professional lives doing something or getting something done. To us, that one sentence is the epitome of the opposite. It is the starting point of "how I don't care whether anything is done or not".
I am sure you all have your own hilarious anecdotes of this nature. My point today is neither satire nor humor; rather, something more fundamental and of enormous consequence. Of how huge chunks public (our) money is being squandered - not under those ubiquitous account-heads such as corruption, misappropriation or fraud. Under something far more innocuous: Work culture osmosis.
By this, I mean how the private sector is rapidly absorbing this work culture of the governments; how this transformation is powered by the strength of the government employees' convictions and the lure of the government business.
If you are unsure of why or how this is happening, let us begin with this easy question: Why do governments outsource work to the private sector?
All your answers could simply be summed up under: "to leverage private sector competencies", a.k.a., to get things done quickly, efficiently, with higher-quality, by more competent people, etc.. Right?
It beats me then, how governments first hire private sector companies mainly due to these differences; and then proceed to iron out those very differences by subjecting them to various forms of "this is how it is done in government; please learn these things when you work with us!"? With each such interaction the private sector employees are inexorably brainwashed, tutored, re-tuned and transformed into something else. So thoroughly, that soon it will be impossible to tell them apart from government employees, were it not for those telltale laptop bags and ties.
Here are two recent examples - deliberately taken from low-impact situations.
1. Here is an email from a govt. employee to an SI:
"Further, I of the view that MOM should be prepared in the pattern of Govt. style and not being send. ... Please make the MOM as per Govt. pattern".
True. The MOM (minutes of the meeting) and their style are of supreme importance. Far more so, than the issues discussed and solutions being sought. As it happens, after two weeks of "giving and taking it in writing", the MOM is not yet finalized.
This, is how the wondrous transformation begins.
Now let us go see the results.
2. Here is a phone call from a private sector employee:
"Sir, your team member wants a soft copy of our draft approach document."
"The one you showed us today?"
"Yes sir."
"I don't recall seeing anything confidential in that. You did intend to share it with us, didn't you?"
"Yes sir."
"So where is the problem?"
"I just wanted to take your approval sir!"
These are but a small sample of what I've been seeing everyday during the last 11 odd years. The virus has spread so deep, that I won't be surprised if some of you find these examples quite normal.
It is indeed a pity that Scott Adams (of the Dilbert fame) has never been exposed to our government.
This is exact reflection of my current status. Working for a private firm for Government Project. It sucks. I literally lost my capabilities. My Boss, never use to mails. He wants me to call him and during the D-day, he cooly says, where is the mail? Where is the document? I think, it is more to do with self defense rather than working towards the destination / Goal of the project.
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