As discussed in Chapter 6 of Managing Human Behavior in Public and Nonprofit Organizations, public and nonprofit service values can be a powerful force in motivating public and nonprofit employees. When working in a stressful and high-pressure job with few resources and often ambiguous and even conflicting goals, it can be easy to lose sight of the importance of what public and nonprofit staff do. Ask yourself the following questions:

What is the public service mission of your agency or organization (or the organization that you hope to work for)? How does the organization benefit the people it serves? Think of specific examples. What is your role and contribution in this regard? How do you, or how could you, help your organization to better achieve its public service mission? Although it may be difficult to see and measure the results of the specific tasks you perform or responsibilities you have, make an effort to think through how you directly or indirectly contribute to making people's lives better. What specific steps can you take to highlight and reinforce the public service contributions of those around you, including your peers, your supervisor, and your employees?