Funny how my mind always goes to song lyrics. For this topic the “I always feel like, somebody’s watching me..” comes to mind. We all like to talk about ethics in procurement and ensuring our solicitations and evaluations are performed in an ethical manner, but what about our actions. While no one is perfect and everyone slips up now and again, as a leader, public employee, parent or in general just a human being we should keep in mind that even when we don’t think it is happening, someone is watching us. They watch what we do, what we say, how we act around our peers and especially they watch how we act when we are not in the office.
So let’s talk about perception when attending events away from our normal workplace. Tax payer monies pay for us to attend professional development events with the expectation that we actually attend and participate in those events. Participating attendees go to gather knowledge to help them in their profession and progress their careers.
Now the story behind this post. At a recent conference it was observed that a couple of individuals from a well known jurisdiction checked in to the conference but did not attend a single professional development part of the conference. One of these individuals showed up for all the meals but not any breakout session or other session of the event. The second individual wasn’t even seen at the meals. My first thought was, “how dare they!” The rest of us are sitting here through these sometimes boring sessions to gain recertification contact hours and these guys will get the same and not attend!! The second thought was, “wow, all that money spent to send them down to this event and they will not be taking a single thing back to their job that would not only benefit them but their organization, glad I don’t pay taxes in that jurisdiction!” Then my third thought was, “I should contact their boss!” Rather than take action on my third thought I chose to put my thoughts out to you, after all this is about a day in the life is it not? Our responsibility to our organization and who they serve is the foundation of what makes our country so great.
As what I hope is a good leader, I sat through the boring and not so boring events. I encouraged participation and hope that I set the example of how the money spent for us to attend should be used. It is sad to see the lack of ethics and integrity of others. Yes we are all public employees but we are here to do what is best for the PUBLIC which sometimes means sacrifices of time to ensure we can give our public the best we have to offer.
I look forward to your thoughts on this…. till next time.
procurementrulz 