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Rob L'Heureux's avatar

My wife worked in DOE and grew frustrated with the same challenge of mediocrity in bureaucracy. There is no incentive to exceptionalism. It is also nearly impossible to get fired because they are so desperate for talent. As a result, the stakes of important decisions for the country are very low for individuals, where politics and personalities tend to dominate. I think of the problem as the decision makers being insulated from the consequences of their decisions except for how it plays politically. This insulation breaks any kind of feedback mechanism that would correct the organization or behavior. (There is an interesting parallel to how American voters treat foreign policy here too.) There are many civil servants that do a good job anyway because the mission is important to them, but it limits the organization's strategic impact.

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Zaki Khalid's avatar

A fascinating and insightful read. Thank you for sharing!

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