Who’s the GOAT in your agency? The acronym for Greatest of All Time typically applies to athletes. The ones with the most wins, such as former NFL quarterback Tom Brady’s unsurpassed six Super Bowl titles, or gymnast Simone Biles, sporting 23 gold medals, are the GOATs in their sports.
The “greatest” is harder to pin down in fields that don’t measure success with a win/loss record, such as music, baking, education — or government service.
Bet your agency has at least one superstar, someone with unparalleled expertise or wisdom or capability. And you might not even have that person in the game.
Who’s your GOAT?
The greatest performer in your agency may be someone you don’t call on much anymore. Who is the employee who has been through the most restructures or reductions-in-force? Who was composing internal newsletters before software did the heavy lifting? Who recalls prior leaders, maybe even trained them?
Fully a quarter of your workforce might be in that category. Older workers, those over 55, comprise 25% of the nation’s workforce.
What are the challenges?
Older workers, those with decades on the job, might be seen as out-of-touch with current technology or so-called modern ways of doing things. You may hesitate to tap them for a new assignment because of anticipated pushback — questioning why it needs to be done or done the way you direct. If you have good reasons, good employees will listen and respond. Regardless of age.
In some cases, older employees experience challenges such as diminished hearing or vision. That’s not an excuse to sideline them. Across all ages, more than 15% of Americans are hearing impaired and a whopping 75% use glasses or contacts. We’re a more productive workforce if we ensure that everyone — regardless of physical limitation — has the accommodation they need, as required by law.
Get your GOAT off the bench
Tom Brady and Simone Biles didn’t earn their titles by being the youngest in the room or the one with the most certifications; their achievements came with time. Experience and success over many years. Your GOAT may have had to survive layoffs, leadership changes and lean budgets, all while learning whatever was the newest technology at the time — many times. Their survival is part of their success. Put that in play; you’ll both benefit.
Amy Cloud is a media relations and PR professional with 20 years’ experience in healthcare, higher education, municipal government and emergency management. She is a FEMA-trained crisis communicator and certified Advanced Public Information Officer (APIO). Over her career she has been a national award-winning magazine writer and editor, TV reporter, newsroom supervisor and EMMY-nominated producer. Using her master’s degree in Adult Education, Amy has prepared trainings ranging from engaging the media and effective interviews to creating public service ambassadors. She is an Emergency Management PIO and a member of the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment.
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