Jon Gatti and Katherine Darke Schmidt (LDS 436)

We find that one of the ongoing benefits from Leadership for a Democratic Society (LDS) is a motivation to find ways to extend our learning. We’ve read books and articles, participated in webinars, and taken and delivered training on leadership topics. A few months after leaving FEI, we discovered a book that has had powerful implications for us—The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath. It focuses on the importance of creating a “moment,” which the authors define as “a short experience that is both memorable and meaningful.” Although not necessarily leadership focused, many of the Heaths’ applications and examples are indeed relevant to the workplace. As leaders in Federal agencies, we have used the lessons in Moments to assist people in creating meaning in their work, keeping staff focused and motivated, and helping teams tap into their creativity. Because we appreciated the applications of Moments in building teams and sustaining productive office dynamics, it had an immediate and significant impact on how we lead.

Much of life is driven by unwritten scripts. You know them as the various routines you follow—the weekly staff meeting, the morning small talk you make with colleagues, the weekend errands. A specific aspect of Moments of special interest to us was the concept of “breaking the script.” The authors describe this as “strategic surprise,” something that “forces you to think about the script” and therefore challenge the norm. Breaking the script disrupts expectations and introduces randomness. It is a method to elevate everyday experiences into something memorable.

Why is this important in professional settings? The authors cite several studies showing that people are more likely to remember something if it is novel. Further, the element of surprise neurologically stretches our perception of time—if something unexpected is introduced, we perceive that it took longer, and therefore it heightens our memory of it. This framework provides the rationale for creating memorable and meaningful experiences for teams, customers, and clients at work. These memorable and meaningful experiences build camaraderie and connections, which in turn positively affect the level of commitment and energy for the mission.

What does “breaking the script” look like in practice? Shortly after returning from LDS, I (Jon) undertook an initiative to obtain employee feedback to identify and address key issues our office was facing. Instead of sending out a survey or conducting small-group meetings, as was done in the past, I had one-on-one meetings with all 40+ office employees. This broke the script by introducing something unexpected—an individual audience with a senior leader in the organization.

During each meeting, I explained that the results of these one-on-ones would be used to inform actions we would take as an office. The unexpected factor was that this change process would be employee led—I would provide staff members with a summary of what I heard in the meetings and facilitate further group discussions, but decisions about which priorities to pursue—and how—would be in the hands of the employees. This introduced surprise into the equation; typically, leadership drives process and employees follow. My process broke the script by reversing the established norm. As a result, there was much greater employee buy-in and ownership for thinking strategically about what issues the office should collectively take action on.

Finally, I introduced an element of randomness in the discussions—instead of providing employees beforehand with a list of questions to answer in the one-on-ones, I offered only general guidelines. The participants were free to use our time together to discuss whatever was important to them. This led to free-flowing conversations that occasionally went in unexpected directions, generating insights and new ideas. These one-on-one conversations were more robust than the routine, “by the script” sessions. Employees realized they had a voice in making officewide decisions, and we ended up with more meaningful action items.

Not only did this approach lead to more engaged and invested employees, it led to better outcomes for the whole office. As a result of breaking the script, the staff moved forward with two workgroups—one that evaluated and made recommendations on telework policies, and another that led to an overhaul of the officewide professional learning series. In both instances, we have implemented employee-led procedures and policies, improving the work environment and productivity of the whole office.

This is only one small window into the lessons The Power of Moments offers. There are many other ways we use the book to build intentionality and meaning into our personal and professional lives. We hope you’ll take a look and join a conversation with us about the book as it relates to exercising SES core competencies at an FEI Alumni Association webinar scheduled for April 25.

Things we wonder about:

1. What are the scripts in your professional life? How can you break them? 
2. How can you transform the mundane into the meaningful? 
3. Think about a time when one of your scripts was broken: What made that experience memorable and meaningful?

About the Authors
Katherine Darke Schmitt is deputy director in the Office for Victims of Crime at the U.S. Department of Justice. She was a member of LDS 436 in August 2017. She has more than 20 years of Federal service. Since FEI, she has been an avid reader of the literature on effective leadership, which she endeavors to practice in her “day job” and in the yoga and fitness studios where she teaches at night.

Jon Gatti joined the SES as the deputy chief financial officer of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) at the U.S. Department of Transportation in fall 2016. He served at FHWA in several roles prior to his SES appointment and has also worked in the private sector. He was a member of LDS 436 in August 2017. Gatti is pleased to find, through leadership studies, an outlet for his natural curiosity about what makes things and people work.