As Democrats protest to save the “helpless bureaucrats,” those sure they are victims of Trump’s demand for accountability, a few stories shine light on how bureaucrats actually think – often defaulting to helplessness over can-do.
Years ago, in the military and government service, managing large operations, I found two types of people, those with high standards, capable, can-do, rising early and to high levels of responsibility, and those who duck, slough responsibility, make excuses, collect a check, and learn to be helpless.
Those who work hard, take responsibility, measure themselves by high standards, succeed, and “make things work” are leaders. The others – far more common – make excuses, become helpless.
You may ask, “What do I mean by helpless?” The idea that bureaucrats – those who work in a cubicle somewhere, underlings in government, or in their underwear at home – are “helpless” may be alien.
Let me explain. In any life situation, especially those which require being a performer, thinking, doing, acting, fighting, getting things done, being assessed, some people duck, do not perform.
While performing, thinking, doing, acting, fighting, and getting things done is common in the private sector, less so in government. In the private sector, if customers are unhappy, you get dumped, demoted, fired, no paycheck, left to consider what went wrong.
Government is not like that, except at the top, and sometimes not even for them, or irregularly. The least accountable place on earth is inside a big bureaucracy – federal or state.
Why? Bureaucrats often set their own timelines, have no regular need to perform to a set standard, be original, create something measurable, act in accordance with customer expectations, fight to an outcome, get something done on deadline, or produce something to be used – by anyone.
Accordingly, while some hold themselves to high standards, taught by parents, grandparents, teachers, clergy, or a prior employer – many claim helplessness. The only way to change that is a reacquaintance with reality.
Two stories make the point, drawn from when I was tasked with turning a giant barnacled, messy, federal bureaucracy into an accountable, functional, nimble operation, which we did.
Early on, pulled from the private sector back into government, I realized that many adults, like children, perform to the expectations set for them. The 250-plane air wing run by the State was one of my responsibilities. It was underperforming, had been for years, so I flew down and looked it over.
Up close, I realized we had systemic issues. Beyond contractors, we had internal issues. Air fleets are measured by “operational readiness,” how many planes and helos are down versus up, under repair versus flying. A good rate is 3 up, one down, 75 percent. We were 2 up, one down, no goals.
We set goals, made them requirements, put penalties and bonuses against them, and bingo, within months, we had the best operational readiness rate in civilian air, higher than 85 percent. Today, the US Air Force operational readiness rate is 69 percent. Learned helplessness, the “why bother” or “cannot be done” attitude vanished. In our fleet, readiness became a point of pride, proudly done.
Story two: A fairly senior State bureaucrat, who worked for a director who worked for me, was in a constant state of “cannot do it,” clinically unable to get things done on time, all excuses. So, with care, I set out to see what ailed her.
Typically understanding, I heard from her boss that the problem was not recent, but endemic. Excuses for not doing things had become habitual. One could fire her, with proper paperwork, or try to get at the issue. A conversation unearthed issues that were resolvable.
But the thing that, I believe, got her back into “can do” was simpler, a passing thing. She had an office deep in the building, a door that would not latch. It bothered her, as “engineering never comes.” As a Mainer, I carried a jackknife, took it out, unscrewed and reset the strike plate, screwed it back in, good to go. She was embarrassed, dug deeper, and worked never late again. We do what we think we can.
So, with a nod to life’s constant surprises, aware that some problems are harder to fix, the point is this: Bureaucracy teaches – and then indulges – learned helplessness. Leaders reverse that. In Maine and nationally, we are at an inflection point: Fix it or fall victim to it. We need to fix it.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC. Robert Charles has also just released an uplifting new book, “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024).
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