In my experience with federal agencies (and having worked for federal
agencies), the people who work there aren't nice because they don't have to
be nice. Being nice has no impact on their jobs. Unfortunately, many
federal employees are under the impression that citizens REQUIRE their
services, often leading to a small power trip for the federal worker
involved. From my own personal experiences, I can tell you that being nice
or pleasant in no way impacts a federal employees job performance appraisal.
Showing up to work is about the only requirement, and even that is kind of
fuzzy.
And another thing: People work for federal agencies because they are not
capable or competent enough to get a job in the private sector. The people
who work for the government are from the bottom of the barrel. Anyone who
is any good quits and works for the private sector. This is the reason I
don't work for DoD any more. What happens is you get a concentration of
people who would *never* cut it in the private sector. The federal
government is the employer of last resort.
And yet another reason: People are promoted based on seniority, not
qualification. The cream does not rise to the top in the federal government.
And people wonder why so many government agencies are mismanaged.
That said, there are a few agencies in the government who have their act
together, but they are far and few between. I think many government
employees need to be reminded that they work for *us*.
-James Rogers
jamesr@best.com