What matters more in public service: technical expertise or personal integrity? According to Travis Bergin and Zachary Spicer, the answer is clear. During IPAC's Integrity in Action fireside mentorship session, participants explored how trust, accountability, and authenticity come together to shape successful public service careers.
Building Relationships and Trust
The discussion began by highlighting communication and relationship-building as foundational tools for a successful career in public service.
Early in his career, Spicer was tasked with gathering fundraising commitments from each member in his new workplace. Although the task felt unimportant relative to his core duties, it proved to be one of the most valuable experiences for a new team member; it forced him to meet and connect with everyone in the organization. Taking the initiative to introduce yourself to a colleague, regardless of whether you believe your roles will intersect, is vital to facilitate cross-communication. When employees are hesitant to seek out others' expertise or know the assets within their own organization, the speed and quality of public service delivery suffer.
Beyond open communication, trust serves as the cornerstone of any strong professional relationship. Without it, leadership will question your credibility, and peers will hesitate to collaborate with you. Building credibility can start with a simple, proactive sentence: “Let me take care of that for you.” By consistently stepping up and delivering on commitments, you establish yourself as a reliable asset.
Bergin recalled a similar experience in his early days as a policy analyst when he volunteered to organize his department’s annual curling tournament. While the task fell outside his official role, it allowed him to showcase his leadership skills and engage with his colleagues in a way his current position didn’t allow. Through these seemingly small actions, public servants can demonstrate a genuine willingness to support others, a gateway to building credibility, fostering high-level collaboration, and cultivating the professional networks needed to advance their careers.
The Power of Accountability
As new professionals crave higher-level projects and greater responsibility, the looming question arises: What does it take to be a truly dependable colleague?
Bergin and Spicer emphasize that dependability begins with a commitment to personal accountability. For many early-career professionals, making a mistake can feel catastrophic, but Bergin encouraged the audience to reframe these setbacks as opportunities to learn rather than personal failures.
Sharing a story from his own career when he fell short of expectations, Bergin recalled facing a defining choice: wallow in self-pity or grow. He chose growth. Through that experience, he learned that public servants who step up and own their missteps build far stronger reputations as dependable workers than those who try to avoid and conceal them.
While moments of accountability are crucial, true dependability is maintained through daily work habits. This means understanding and practicing clear communication, responding promptly to colleagues, and following through on commitments. By showing up for your teammates through small acts that respect their time and resources, you prove that you can handle more.
Ultimately, combining a high standard of personal accountability with these daily practices signals to leadership that you are ready to expand your scope of practice, accept greater responsibilities, and deepen your impact within the public service.
Developing Political Acuity
The conversation also explored the importance of political acuity in today's public service environment.
Political acuity is not something typically taught in a classroom, making it especially difficult for new professionals to grasp. At its core, it involves understanding the broader context in which decisions are made, recognizing diverse perspectives, and adapting approaches to align with changing organizational and governmental priorities. After all, an informed public servant is a good public servant.
The speakers broke down how this acuity manifests in daily practice in three key areas: informed policy creation, productive communication, and protecting non-partisanship. Firstly, understanding the political climate in terms of public priorities is what allows you to align your work with what decision-makers need to see. Additionally, by framing your ideas in a way that resonates with senior leaders, your ideas will travel further. Finally, as ironic as it is, understanding politics can help public servants avoid being political. By learning where the line is, you can remain neutral to serve the government in power effectively.
Both speakers emphasized that adaptability is one of the most valuable skills in developing this mindset. Rather than stressing about having all the answers, successful professionals remain open to new information and are always prepared to pivot within evolving political landscapes. While first-hand experience is the best teacher, early-career professionals can fast-track their development by “staying highly aware of changing government priorities while continuing to provide evidence-informed, objective advice”, says Bergin.
Balancing Personal Values and Public Responsibility
One of the heaviest burdens early-career public servants face is balancing personal values with professional responsibilities.
Bergin reflected on the importance of understanding your own leadership style and remaining authentic. While organizational cultures, leadership teams, and priorities will inevitably change, you can remain grounded in the core values that guide how you treat others.
After several years of working under highly aggressive leadership, Bergin was told that he did not meet their expectations of “confrontation” required for a position of power. Rather than compromising his integrity, he stuck to his human-centered, collaborative approach. Through hard work and good timing, he found other opportunities to grow that valued his authentic leadership style rather than forcing him into a mold.
Spicer expanded on this idea by reminding participants that public servants have agency in shaping their own careers. You can intentionally seek opportunities, organizations, and policy areas that align with the issues you care about most, all while continuing to uphold the principles of a professional and non-partisan approach in the public service.
Key Takeaways for New Professionals
Participants left the session with several practical lessons for navigating the early stages of a public service career:
• Build trust early: develop strong relationships and always follow through on commitments.
• Communicate with intention: stop dialing in on detail, look at the bigger picture, and adapt your message to your audience.
• Embrace mistakes: View mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth.
• Develop your political acuity: Remain adaptable and open to different perspectives.
• Guard your authenticity: Stay grounded in your values while fulfilling your responsibilities as a public servant.
Integrity in Action reinforced that integrity isn’t a wild, abstract principle but rather something that is built through small, everyday decisions, relationships, and actions that slowly build public trust.
IPAC thanks all participants who joined the discussion and contributed thoughtful questions and perspectives. We look forward to continuing these important conversations through future New Professionals events and initiatives.