political appointee with my portfolio - how to handle?

[Anonymous]

I work in a federal agency, and a political was just brought in above me. Their job description overlaps with what I do. I just introduced myself, and was asked for all of my high-level interagency contacts.

My initial reaction is that I don’t want to give them my high level contacts so that I get shunted to the side.

So how can I handle this? I’ve worked hard to get to the position where I am and get the contacts. I think I do a good job, and feedback from all around is that I do a good job. I don’t need yet another layer of supervision. All I can think of is that they will receive communication on my issues and not share them with me.

Help!

[Anonymous]

Sorry, but the political outranks you. The best career people develop a good rapport with their politicals so that the office can do a good job. Your job is to be their expert and try to bring them up to speed. You should set up meetings or at least send email introductions with the political and your contacts.

[Anonymous]

16:16 - how will your advice help me in my career? At this point I'm tired of other people getting credit for my work.

[Anonymous]

You work for the federal government. This is the deal. Your job is to help your office as a whole and the government generally operate as smoothly as possible.

If the political appointee senses you are trying to obstruct him and be unhelpful because you are being turfy, that will not help your career. You are a bureaucrat. Helping the political leadership do their jobs IS your job.

[Anonymous]

To clarify - this is not a high-level political (one that requires senate confirmation or who is a leader, etc.) This is a mid-level political - one who needed a job, and they found a job for them. They are at the same GS level as I am. They do not have a background in what I do. They do not know what I do. I would have to teach them what to do, and do all the crap work while they do the glory work (there is some of that too). I don't want to obstruct them, I want them to work on something else - not take away the fun parts of my job.

[Anonymous]

Tell them that you'll be happy to work with them and that they should come to you with specific issues so that you can discuss it and understand the context, and give them the right contacts.

It avoids a wholesale contact list dump and lets you figure out how to manage the situation but you're not going to be able to easily stonewall.

If your contacts are career employees and you have a good enough relationship you can call them ahead of newbie's call to them to clue them in (discreetly, of course, don't get caught bad mouthing Newbie) and offer to continue to be available.

You have to play this by ear and with delicacy and at some point may have to involve your supervisor if Newbie is cutting you out and it has substantive ramifications on getting the mission done. Then you'll find out if your boss has backbone.

[Anonymous]

p.s. I have never had a political pull a stunt like that on me and would delicately and politely avoid just handing over my contact list ... but you can't embargo that information wholly.

[Anonymous]

p.p.s. -- I just finished up 26 yrs. as a senior staffer (3 yrs.) and mid-level manager (23) and regrettably there were times when for good reasons or bad, some of what I did was passed over to someone else who was clueless, or just not as good as I was.

My only consolation then was hearing about how much better it all went when I was responsible for this or that... that's the way it goes, to some extent.

Developing and keeping a portfolio is an art & a skill and sometimes it's out of your control to a lesser or greater degree.

[Anonymous]

Thank you - thinking it over. And tomorrow is always another day.

[Anonymous]

I'd be careful about just ignoring his/her request. I have seen excellent, highly competent folks have their careers ruined by ignoring the political's request and getting moved to the career equivalent of siberia.

[Anonymous]

I think it is best to try to have a good relationship with the politicals. Do you have a good career supervisor with whom you could discuss this?

[Anonymous]

This seems like an easy call to me. Your job, and your success in your job, is measured by how well you work with others and how well you help advance the mission of the agency. You achieve both goals by cooperating with this political and sharing the information you have. In any event, it isn't a state secret. Plus, one day you may want this political on your precious list of interagency contacts.

If you look at it solely from what is best for your career- you freely share the information. If you look at it solely from what is best for the agency- you freely share the information. It isn't the list of contacts that is important, it is the relationship you have developed with them. You won't lose that just by sharing names.

[Anonymous]

The political is probably secreting foundering and trying to figure out what his role is. You are best off trying to get along rather than having him decide that you are one of the careers who hates politicals.

[Anonymous]

I'd suggest recommending your political meet the folks superior to your contacts. S/he is your superior right? So shouldn't have time nor desire to work with your contacts. So tell him/her you'd be happy to set up meetings with the bosses of your contacts - who are his/her natural counterparts. The bosses will likely have their own set of issues to work on, which will prevent your boss from going to them with every little thing.

[Anonymous]

It's pretty typical for politicals to come into a position and have the career people introduce them and set up meetings for them so they get to know their counterparts