MINDSET FOR THE 21ST CENTURY IN PUBLIC SERVICE....ARE WE READY????

No meaningful results can be achieved if the implementers do not have the appropriate work values and ethics. While value espouses the beliefs of an individual or culture, work ethics on the other hand, reflect a set of values based on the virtues of hard work and diligence. Hence, the combination of these two elements should mould the mindset for the public service in the 21st century. While we acknowledged that this is not an easy task to achieve nevertheless, the public service leadership should set the right climate for its people to embrace positive values and work ethics and it should be an explicit not implicit component in public institutions. Public service officials must truly embrace the notion that they are bearers of the image of Malaysia globally. We have a duty of ensuring and more importantly recognising that consequences of your actions as public officials, no matter how trivial, have a compounded impact on our nation and future generations. This is a fundamental mindset and attitudinal change which public officials must endear.

Public officials too need to take pride in their duties as this is crucial to build a sense of performing one’s job to the highest standard. This certainly needs strong commitment and discipline. It is only when the gravitas of the role is tacitly recognised and understood, the willingness to listen and engage the customers, will drastically change. The attentiveness to details of perfection for service delivery will also command greater focus. The readiness to learn, and learn from mistakes will be more prevalent. Consequently, the discharge of the level of service will go beyond just doing a mundane 9-5 job regardless of where you are in the stack of ranks. However, the satisfaction from performing excellent job is immense and the greatest reward is through gaining public confidence in the public service. The culture of innovation, creativity and continuous improvements should be adopted as a work culture at all levels of the organisation. We cannot afford to sit and wait, and then react to the continuously changing environment. To instill this culture, leadership however must allow some calculated risk-taking, experimentations and encourage their officials to constantly think of new ways of doing things rather than stick to the same old ways.