Nick Stark

While there are likely many adjectives to describe the last six or seven months as a federal government employee, few will disagree that this time has been marked by instability and disruption of the status quo. In fact, many have been personally affected through involuntary separations (“reductions-in-force” or colloquially referred to as “RIFS1”) or chosen voluntary actions to separate from the government earlier than planned (referred to as the Deferred Resignation Program or “DRP”). Even for most employees who remain carrying out their roles as dedicated public servants, this time has provoked a whole lot of emotion and soul-searching. Sounds like a good opportunity for coaching, doesn’t it?I have been a federal employee and certified coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) for 14 and six years, respectively. With the support of my organization, I became a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) through The Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) to provide in-house coaching for my workforce. I believe my dual roles provide me with valuable insights (and perhaps reminders of the human condition) to offer the broader community of ATD professionals, and specifically fellow coaches. Here are a few:Public servants are driven by mission. Not only is losing one’s job a financial calamity, it also affects one’s core identity (of course, not just in the public sector). The questions my clients (some of whom are officially separated) are wrestling with range from, “Who am I (without my career)?” and “Were my efforts in vain?” to “Are my values in conflict in the current environment, and if so, what should I do?” and “Where do I go from here?” When these questions are identified in coaching sessions, I apply a values framework to enable my clients to reaffirm their sense of self or discover potential changes in their values and how that might shape their next steps. Visioning out what the future may hold for them can be slow-going, given the impact they have been feeling.This leads to my second insight: People struggle with change and uncertainty. I have observed that the more intense, personal, and longer in duration the change and uncertainty are, the more challenging and complex the emotional impacts. Never before have I spent so much time holding the space for my clients to sit with their feelings. Many describe work environments as chaotic and zombie-like, where they appear to be themselves. One such client likened the experience to what may be felt by a victim of terrorism—the sense of cruel and indiscriminate pain inflicted on innocent folks. As a coach, I have focused more on creating a safe, non-judgmental space where clients can explore their feelings, often in conjunction with their values and identities. At the same time, I am even more sensitive to whether and how possible mental health lines are blurring in these conversations (which can be tricky to discern).Finally, how do I navigate being both a federal employee and a coach? This question became real for me as my specific, unnamed office was close to issuing RIFS to a large segment of the workforce, likely including me (and this remains a possibility). Self-management practices are more important than ever to ensure I am not “part of the story” (as journalists often say). Yet at the same time, I am perhaps unconsciously, until now, benefiting as if I were the client. The existential questions raised in these coaching conversations, previously noted, speak to me too. How the client makes sense of their new reality and plots out a way forward that is authentic for themselves can be meaningful to me (only after the session ends, when I have time to reflect). I recognize the criticality of active listening, focusing intently on what the client is saying, how they are saying it, and what they may not be saying, as well as being attentive to all of the non-verbal communications that may be present.There are no signs of change, and uncertainty will not diminish anytime soon. In fact, it may just be getting started. Regardless, many individuals continue to be affected. Fortunately, several resources have emerged to help these individuals. One such organization, Grounded Idealist, specifically its Coaching Collaborative, enables those affected to receive pro-bono coaching. I am a proud volunteer coach. For more information, please visit grounded idealist. 1 At the time of publication, courts continue to rule on specific cases pertaining to the legality of RIFs.

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Nick Stark

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