🇺🇸 YES, AMERICA… IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE “TOO QUALIFIED!” But maybe the better question is: Are our organizations prepared to fully USE the experience, education, certifications, courage & ethical integrity already sitting at the table?
Sometimes being “overqualified” is not about having too much knowledge! It may mean seeing risks others have learned to walk past… asking questions others stopped asking… or bringing a flashlight into corners where “this is how we have always done it” has become the unofficial policy!
Public service deserves more than comfortable agreement!
It deserves COURAGE, CURIOSITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE,& PUBLIC TRUST!
Strong leaders should not surround themselves only with people who agree with them! They build teams of professionals willing to respectfully challenge assumptions, identify risks, raise concerns & bring solutions!
Ethical leadership is not blind loyalty! Loyalty to an organization should include the courage to protect its mission, people, resources, reputation & the public it serves!
Compliance cannot simply be a binder collecting dust on a shelf! It must live in our decisions, procurements, contracts, documentation, internal controls, training & everyday behaviors!
Independent audits, meaningful oversight & strong internal controls should not be feared! They are organizational seatbelts! They help us discover weaknesses BEFORE those weaknesses become headlines, findings, protests, litigation, wasted resources or lost public confidence!
Professional certifications & continuing education matter because government is increasingly complex! Technology, AI, cybersecurity, supply chains, project management, contracting, ethics, risk & procurement are moving FAST! Government leadership must keep learning too!
Organizations should WANT professionals who can see around corners!
They should VALUE employees who respectfully say, “Have we considered the risk?” “What does the law require?” “Where is this documented?” “Is this fair?” “Is this transparent?” & perhaps the most important question:
Is this worthy of the PUBLIC TRUST?
That is where organizations such as NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement & our broader professional community can continue helping government elevate the floor while removing the ceiling on excellence!
I remain incredibly thankful for the mentors, procurement professionals, public servants, suppliers, educators & leaders who demonstrate every day that integrity & innovation can travel the SAME road!
Our profession does not move forward by hiding problems!
We move forward by finding them, learning from them, fixing them & building systems strong enough to prevent them from returning!
That is Procurement Excellence, Public Service Excellence, & LEADERSHIP!