Any other social servants (government employees) bothered by their bosses (appointees of an elected official) who often know nothing about the business of the organization?

I know what you mean, and I actually wrote a paper about this. It strangles efficiency and creates nothing but low morale and apathy in the workers.

You sound like you have a job with the Department of Corrections. It is is exhausting to think about the sorts of people who get appointed into management there, let alone about the constant roll-over. I find lots of smiling and nodding works then still doing my thing while simply adopting their labels. I know, not very elegant.

I just don’t let it bother me. When a “new initiative” comes down from the top, I smile, nod, and figure that the chances of it actually happening are almost nil.

I really appreciate this question after working in city government for 30 years. Unfortunately we live in a very passive society this day and age. We don’t hold our elected officials accountable to the words and promises (lies and bull) they used to get us to vote for them. Its like they only run for office to give high paying jobs and way to much responsibility to friends and family. Not only do the employees suffer but so does society.

@Dr_Dredd I used to get so spun up about things that it was kind of an office joke. Then my girlfriend Rosie taught me something. She said “Anytime someone comes and wants me to do something that I think is stupid I give them a really big smile and say ‘Yeah, sure! OK’ and then I just don’t do it.” What a revelation that was! I don’t always remember to do that, and I still get spun up over stupidity, but it’s great when I am actually able to remember that little tid-bit. I miss that girl.

@Trillian I only wish . . . my role would not allow me to do that and get away with it . . . plus, I am a tax-payer too . . . .

Where I work, we’ve been told that there will be multiple changes happening in the way our VA medical practice is supposed to work. We’ve been told stuff like this before and it hasn’t happened, so I try not to get worked up until I actually see things happening.

This would be a perfect question to set up in an e-mail and send it to everyone asking them to do the same. We need to start letting people know just what goes on in our government, that is the only way it will change. Too many people think it is a small issue and do not realize it is going on every where. It’s time to let them know we are fed up, check out your representatives records and vote for someone new across the board republican, democrat, independent, this will tell government we are not listening to the lies anymore.