Reply to Feds vs private sector- federal management is the hardest

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Hear me out.

By and large, non-managerial federal employees have it way easier than their private counterparts. Less requirements, more protections. Private sector non-managers work much harder to earn their dues.

But federal managers have it way, way harder. All around I see federal managers working their tails off. They pick up work from people underneath them when it doesn't get done. They stay late because you can't make the people under you stay late to finish projects. They have busy work from above and grunt work from below. Have issues with your employees? Hopefully you have 10 hours a week (for months!) to deal with it, document it and get that person on a PIP because that process is like a 2nd job. Our SES managers routinely work 60+ hour weeks and still can't get all the work done. Whereas my private sector counterparts in management really have less responsibilities. They can easily delegate tasks, can easily fire people, can easily move people on projects to where they need to go, and they're supported by senior management. And if they are working 60 hour weeks, they're paid like they are.

Anyone else see this? I think this is why all feds dream of being non supervisory 15s.[/quote]

I've supervised in both fed and non-fed.  I totally agree.

As a fed, many of the traditional managerial tools are off the table.  You have no real leverage related to the continued employment of your subordinates.  You don't have any real incentives to offer.  Team building is far harder.  And you have very little flexibility when it comes to assigned job duties.  And if your overall mission evolves and requires a new team composition/skills?  Too bad - you're stuck with the same people.

To be a "successful" manager as a fed, you need to really know the system and how to use it - a skill set that has little relevance to mission leadership, change management, team building, and the various other traditional managerial skills.  Which is why you very rarely get a good, effective manager/leader in the fed environment.[/quote]

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