Quiet Heroes: The Untold Stories of U.S. Public Servants at Work | Cameron Kober

Jan 28, 2025

Cameron Kober, a Senior Manager at the Partnership for Public Service and former middle school teacher, discusses the often-overlooked impact of federal employees. He highlights how mission-driven work enhances engagement, despite challenges like leadership turnover and political transitions. Kober underscores the significance of initiatives like the Best Places to Work rankings to foster better workplace cultures. He also shares insights on building trust, recognizing public service contributions, and the essential role of effective leadership in government.

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ANECDOTE

Child Labor Investigation

The Department of Labor investigators uncovered child labor violations in a meat processing factory, leading to significant fines and broader investigations.
This highlights the unexpected but impactful work of federal employees in protecting vulnerable populations.

INSIGHT

Motivations of Federal Employees

While pay is important, federal employees are primarily motivated by mission connection and supportive leadership.
These factors contribute significantly to employee engagement and retention within government agencies.

INSIGHT

NASA's Top Ranking

NASA consistently ranks as the top federal agency for employee engagement due to its compelling mission and focus on employee experience.
A strong mission and employee support contribute to high engagement levels.

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For many people, the mention of government work conjures images of endless red tape and bureaucracy. In reality, though, federal employees are doing life-changing work every day. They fight hurricanes, advance cutting-edge research, protect children, and manage millions of acres of public lands. But with leadership turnover, political transitions, and cultural challenges, the system often struggles to attract and retain the talent it needs. Cameron Kober is working to change that.

Cameron Kober is the Director of Employee Engagement and Performance at the Partnership for Public Service where he oversees the Partnership's employee engagement portfolio. This work includes holding leadership accountable to improve organizational culture through the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® rankings, the most comprehensive rating of employee engagement in the federal government. Additionally, his team provides direct services to federal agencies to identify and improve engagement through quantitative and qualitative data analysis, action planning and consulting support. Previously, Cameron developed a passion for public service as a middle school
teacher in Central Florida.

In this episode, Dart and Cameron discuss:
- What motivates federal employees to serve
- How mission-driven work boosts engagement
- The challenge of leadership turnover in government
- Adapting to rapid political transitions
- Improving workplaces through Best Places to Work rankings
- Building trust and transparency in government
- Leadership lessons from public service
- And other topics…

Resources mentioned:
The Partnership for Public Service: https://ourpublicservice.org/
Best Places to Work in the Federal Government Rankings: https://bestplacestowork.org/
The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis: https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Risk-Michael-Lewis/dp/1324002646

Connect with Cameron:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-kober-b6672a55/

Work with Dart:
Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what’s most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.