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Post by hamster on May 9, 2014 6:32:31 GMT -5
I tried to figure out how to start a new post, but I'm clueless.
Earlier, Funky wrote: "Just remember, you keep talking about leadership but no one is asking you to be a leader of anyone. You are being considered for a position as a gear in the machine, not the machine operator."
Funky is right that we're being hired to hear cases and make decisions. However, I suspect that the people who do the hiring don't just assess whether a candidate will be able to process cases. They want to hire people who can get along with others, who know how to bathe and put on enough deodorant in the mornings, and who seem to have judicial demeanor and commonsense.
Too, regardless of what is on an ALJ's Position Description, (1) the rest of the team (i.e., everybody else in the office) usually relates to us as if we are in their chain of command, and (2) we have daily opportunities to be part of the leadership in the office. You may not officially "supervise" anybody on paper, but as an ALJ you can be as much of a "leader" as you want to be.
The hearing reporters, the vocational experts, the other staff members--everybody calls you "Judge" whether you're wearing the robe right then or not. Everybody treats you courteously and, I would say, somewhat deferentially. Of course, professionalism has to be reciprocal and earned, but when you are a judge you are treated as a leader. That is not in the PD, but that's a fact of life. As a judge, every day, you give directions to the staff: I want to issue a subpoena for medical records, please call the counsel and tell her such and such, please make a copy of this exhibit, please get me a medical release form. You might not be a group supervisor or the hearing office director, but you control what many other people do in the office. So, be courteous, thoughtful, and professional when doing so. You ARE a leader in the office.
Yesterday, I spent 20 minutes mentoring a paralegal. I showed her excerpts from the Selected Characteristics of Occupations, and explained "noise intensity level" to her. I made some suggestions about her writing. I stood up when she came into my office. We took ample time to discuss what we needed to discuss. I answered all her questions, and gave her a lot of encouragement. That is how ALJs are supposed to behave. Regrettably, not all do. When you're hired, please be a leader, encourage your teammates, and help to develop their professional knowledge. Get to know them as a person. Participate in office functions. Be willing to shell out a few bucks when "management" buys pizza for the office. This week, we had a Cinco de Mayo "thank you" party for the office. You will likely have similar functions at your office. Be willing to step up, participate enthusiastically, and--yes--pay for it on occasion. You make more than everyone else in the office. You can afford it.
Yesterday, it was a paralegal I mentored. Over the past few years, I have had unlimited mentoring opportunities with group supervisors, attorney advisors, senior attorneys, paralegals, case pullers, the receptionist--with everybody in the office. You will too when you're hired as an ALJ. If you sit in your office and say, "It's not my job because it's not on my PD," you will be a lonely, dissatisfied person. But if you get out of your office, show leadership "by walking around" and being a team player, and mentoring your fellow employees, you will really, really enjoy being an ALJ.
Just remember: You will have an opportunity to be a leader every single day you're an ALJ. Be one!
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Post by mikeinthehills on May 9, 2014 6:46:24 GMT -5
I tried to figure out how to start a new post, but I'm clueless. Earlier, Funky wrote: "Just remember, you keep talking about leadership but no one is asking you to be a leader of anyone. You are being considered for a position as a gear in the machine, not the machine operator." Funky is right that we're being hired to hear cases and make decisions. However, I suspect that the people who do the hiring don't just assess whether a candidate will be able to process cases. They want to hire people who can get along with others, who know how to bathe and put on enough deodorant in the mornings, and who seem to have judicial demeanor and commonsense. Too, regardless of what is on an ALJ's Position Description, (1) the rest of the team (i.e., everybody else in the office) usually relates to us as if we are in their chain of command, and (2) we have daily opportunities to be part of the leadership in the office. You may not officially "supervise" anybody on paper, but as an ALJ you can be as much of a "leader" as you want to be. The hearing reporters, the vocational experts, the other staff members--everybody calls you "Judge" whether you're wearing the robe right then or not. Everybody treats you courteously and, I would say, somewhat deferentially. Of course, professionalism has to be reciprocal and earned, but when you are a judge you are treated as a leader. That is not in the PD, but that's a fact of life. As a judge, every day, you give directions to the staff: I want to issue a subpoena for medical records, please call the counsel and tell her such and such, please make a copy of this exhibit, please get me a medical release form. You might not be a group supervisor or the hearing office director, but you control what many other people do in the office. So, be courteous, thoughtful, and professional when doing so. You ARE a leader in the office. Yesterday, I spent 20 minutes mentoring a paralegal. I showed her excerpts from the Selected Characteristics of Occupations, and explained "noise intensity level" to her. I made some suggestions about her writing. I stood up when she came into my office. We took ample time to discuss what we needed to discuss. I answered all her questions, and gave her a lot of encouragement. That is how ALJs are supposed to behave. Regrettably, not all do. When you're hired, please be a leader, encourage your teammates, and help to develop their professional knowledge. Get to know them as a person. Participate in office functions. Be willing to shell out a few bucks when "management" buys pizza for the office. This week, we had a Cinco de Mayo "thank you" party for the office. You will likely have similar functions at your office. Be willing to step up, participate enthusiastically, and--yes--pay for it on occasion. You make more than everyone else in the office. You can afford it. Yesterday, it was a paralegal I mentored. Over the past few years, I have had unlimited mentoring opportunities with group supervisors, attorney advisors, senior attorneys, paralegals, case pullers, the receptionist--with everybody in the office. You will too when you're hired as an ALJ. If you sit in your office and say, "It's not my job because it's not on my PD," you will be a lonely, dissatisfied person. But if you get out of your office, show leadership "by walking around" and being a team player, and mentoring your fellow employees, you will really, really enjoy being an ALJ. Just remember: You will have an opportunity to be a leader every single day you're an ALJ. Be one! As an outsider not fully versed in the workings of an odar office, this is very good to hear. Thanks for your insight Hamster.
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Post by ok1956 on May 9, 2014 7:24:50 GMT -5
I tried to figure out how to start a new post, but I'm clueless. Earlier, Funky wrote: "Just remember, you keep talking about leadership but no one is asking you to be a leader of anyone. You are being considered for a position as a gear in the machine, not the machine operator." Funky is right that we're being hired to hear cases and make decisions. However, I suspect that the people who do the hiring don't just assess whether a candidate will be able to process cases. They want to hire people who can get along with others, who know how to bathe and put on enough deodorant in the mornings, and who seem to have judicial demeanor and commonsense. Too, regardless of what is on an ALJ's Position Description, (1) the rest of the team (i.e., everybody else in the office) usually relates to us as if we are in their chain of command, and (2) we have daily opportunities to be part of the leadership in the office. You may not officially "supervise" anybody on paper, but as an ALJ you can be as much of a "leader" as you want to be. The hearing reporters, the vocational experts, the other staff members--everybody calls you "Judge" whether you're wearing the robe right then or not. Everybody treats you courteously and, I would say, somewhat deferentially. Of course, professionalism has to be reciprocal and earned, but when you are a judge you are treated as a leader. That is not in the PD, but that's a fact of life. As a judge, every day, you give directions to the staff: I want to issue a subpoena for medical records, please call the counsel and tell her such and such, please make a copy of this exhibit, please get me a medical release form. You might not be a group supervisor or the hearing office director, but you control what many other people do in the office. So, be courteous, thoughtful, and professional when doing so. You ARE a leader in the office. Yesterday, I spent 20 minutes mentoring a paralegal. I showed her excerpts from the Selected Characteristics of Occupations, and explained "noise intensity level" to her. I made some suggestions about her writing. I stood up when she came into my office. We took ample time to discuss what we needed to discuss. I answered all her questions, and gave her a lot of encouragement. That is how ALJs are supposed to behave. Regrettably, not all do. When you're hired, please be a leader, encourage your teammates, and help to develop their professional knowledge. Get to know them as a person. Participate in office functions. Be willing to shell out a few bucks when "management" buys pizza for the office. This week, we had a Cinco de Mayo "thank you" party for the office. You will likely have similar functions at your office. Be willing to step up, participate enthusiastically, and--yes--pay for it on occasion. You make more than everyone else in the office. You can afford it. Yesterday, it was a paralegal I mentored. Over the past few years, I have had unlimited mentoring opportunities with group supervisors, attorney advisors, senior attorneys, paralegals, case pullers, the receptionist--with everybody in the office. You will too when you're hired as an ALJ. If you sit in your office and say, "It's not my job because it's not on my PD," you will be a lonely, dissatisfied person. But if you get out of your office, show leadership "by walking around" and being a team player, and mentoring your fellow employees, you will really, really enjoy being an ALJ. Just remember: You will have an opportunity to be a leader every single day you're an ALJ. Be one! Hamster - excellent post. There is a distinction, an important one, between leadership and "boss." Anyone, at any level in an organization, can show leadership through acting professionally and showing respect to others. While we have all encountered those who for whatever reason lack (or ignore) some of the basic rules of civility in a work setting, we should strive to do what we know is leading by example. Hard to do at times, but as you point out it can be done.
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Post by 71stretch on May 9, 2014 7:35:43 GMT -5
I tried to figure out how to start a new post, but I'm clueless. Earlier, Funky wrote: "Just remember, you keep talking about leadership but no one is asking you to be a leader of anyone. You are being considered for a position as a gear in the machine, not the machine operator." Funky is right that we're being hired to hear cases and make decisions. However, I suspect that the people who do the hiring don't just assess whether a candidate will be able to process cases. They want to hire people who can get along with others, who know how to bathe and put on enough deodorant in the mornings, and who seem to have judicial demeanor and commonsense. Too, regardless of what is on an ALJ's Position Description, (1) the rest of the team (i.e., everybody else in the office) usually relates to us as if we are in their chain of command, and (2) we have daily opportunities to be part of the leadership in the office. You may not officially "supervise" anybody on paper, but as an ALJ you can be as much of a "leader" as you want to be. The hearing reporters, the vocational experts, the other staff members--everybody calls you "Judge" whether you're wearing the robe right then or not. Everybody treats you courteously and, I would say, somewhat deferentially. Of course, professionalism has to be reciprocal and earned, but when you are a judge you are treated as a leader. That is not in the PD, but that's a fact of life. As a judge, every day, you give directions to the staff: I want to issue a subpoena for medical records, please call the counsel and tell her such and such, please make a copy of this exhibit, please get me a medical release form. You might not be a group supervisor or the hearing office director, but you control what many other people do in the office. So, be courteous, thoughtful, and professional when doing so. You ARE a leader in the office. Yesterday, I spent 20 minutes mentoring a paralegal. I showed her excerpts from the Selected Characteristics of Occupations, and explained "noise intensity level" to her. I made some suggestions about her writing. I stood up when she came into my office. We took ample time to discuss what we needed to discuss. I answered all her questions, and gave her a lot of encouragement. That is how ALJs are supposed to behave. Regrettably, not all do. When you're hired, please be a leader, encourage your teammates, and help to develop their professional knowledge. Get to know them as a person. Participate in office functions. Be willing to shell out a few bucks when "management" buys pizza for the office. This week, we had a Cinco de Mayo "thank you" party for the office. You will likely have similar functions at your office. Be willing to step up, participate enthusiastically, and--yes--pay for it on occasion. You make more than everyone else in the office. You can afford it. Yesterday, it was a paralegal I mentored. Over the past few years, I have had unlimited mentoring opportunities with group supervisors, attorney advisors, senior attorneys, paralegals, case pullers, the receptionist--with everybody in the office. You will too when you're hired as an ALJ. If you sit in your office and say, "It's not my job because it's not on my PD," you will be a lonely, dissatisfied person. But if you get out of your office, show leadership "by walking around" and being a team player, and mentoring your fellow employees, you will really, really enjoy being an ALJ. Just remember: You will have an opportunity to be a leader every single day you're an ALJ. Be one! Wise words as always, hamster. You are so right. It applies to ALJs at any level. A similar post could be written about my own state office. Just so you know, you start a new thread by going to the index page for the general forum where all the topics are listed. There's a blue bar at the top that says "General Board" at the far left, and there's a "Create Thread" button on the far right.
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Post by 71stretch on May 9, 2014 17:03:46 GMT -5
Thanks, ALJD, for moving this to its own thread as hamster intended!
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Post by redryder on May 10, 2014 10:45:30 GMT -5
Before I was an ALJ, I was a group supervisor with ODAR. I had no management experience but figured if 18-21 year olds can be taught this in college, I can learn it as well. In all of the management books I bought, two had philosophies that still apply even though I am now out of management. The Servant by James C. Hunter, and Discipline without Punishment by Dick Grote. The first set forth many of the same points made by Hamster. An ALJ may be at the pinnacle of the pyramid, pay-wise. But this is also an opportunity to same sure you serve those below you by doing everything you can to make it possible for them to do their jobs. Without them, you have no support on that pinnacle and will fail. The second taught me the very valuable lesson that no one in the workforce improves with punishment as a rule. They have to been engaged in the mission of the employer and want to contribute. So if there is problem with some conduct or work of an employee, it is much more fruitful to find some constructive way to help resolve the problem. Again kudos to Hamster for mentoring that writer. It is really easy to take a red pen and bleed all over a draft. It is a lot harder to work with that writer to explain what is the problem and work towards a solution.
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Post by philliesfan on May 10, 2014 15:58:53 GMT -5
As a long time ODAR employee, 39 years, in several positions both management and non-management and now as an ALJ, one of the ways that ALJs can lead is to not abuse time and leave. By that I mean, don't disappear in the middle of the day without taking leave. Years ago, many ALJs did not think that the time and leave rules that applied to the rest of the office applied to them. After all they were judge's. (I actually had an old time ALJ tell me that.) If you do abuse time and leave, the staff may call you judge, but they will not respect you. They are aware of your behavior even if you think they aren't.
I also find that saying please and thank you goes a long way, even if you are only asking the staff to do what they are supposed to do. They will appreciate it and will respect you for it. In addition, they will try to make you look good and will make your life easier. Also another simple thing you can do is to say good morning to each one as you see them.
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Post by jerseymom on May 10, 2014 16:31:49 GMT -5
This is a great thread! Time and Attendance issues are huge. Please follow the rules. Common courtesy goes along way. Treat everyone with respect because it's the right thing to do. Attend staff meetings, luncheons, and snack days! Don't forget to contribute! Good luck on your interviews.
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Post by JudgeRatty on May 10, 2014 16:43:03 GMT -5
This is a great thread! Time and Attendance issues are huge. Please follow the rules. Common courtesy goes along way. Treat everyone with respect because it's the right thing to do. Attend staff meetings, luncheons, and snack days! Don't forget to contribute! Good luck on your interviews. Attending the staff meetings and birthday celebrations is something that is noticed by most of the staff (and I am not talking just attorneys and judges, although they notice too) and much appreciated. It may not be a big thing to you, but there are many GS-5 level staff that are helping you move those cases along, and they particularly notice. Just sayin....something to think about. That little extra effort on your part as an ALJ may indeed make the difference in someone's day, and in turn make a difference in that something extra in the work product you receive. Golden rule and all that jazz. EDIT: And birthday celebrations are not long, usually involve an afternoon snack with cake or the like, held monthly for large offices. Didn't want to give the impression we party all the time. NOT! LOL!
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Post by ladywordsmith on May 11, 2014 18:20:36 GMT -5
To anyone taking this job, here's been my experience: just like any other job, it has it's pro's and con's. Depending on your expectations, where you are in your life, and many other variables, will determine for you whether YOU think it has more pro's than con's. For me, it has been many more pro's all things considered (and so, I've learned how to tolerate or deal with the con's). Of course, as I've said in other posts, I had worked for ALJs in another agency and knew about 80 to 90% of what to expect. I took an executive course once, and one of the other participants asked me what were the three most important things I wanted in my next job. I thought it was a great question. I said, (1) never to be supervised by a non-attorney again; (2) to be able to trust and respect MOST of my co-workers and have them respect me, and (3) to have the shortest commute possible. I have those things and more.
Also, as my ALJ mentor told me (and I have the best mentor God ever created), the worse thing we can do as a judge is let anyone know that they can rattle us. And, as my brother use to tell me when I first started my Federal career and would get so worked up, he would say, "Remain calm". They are both right because if someone upsets you to the point you can't think clearly, you have lost - no matter what the issue is.
Peace and blessings, LW
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Post by FlaTreeFarm on May 12, 2014 7:50:22 GMT -5
Also, as my ALJ mentor told me (and I have the best mentor God ever created), the worse thing we can do as a judge is let anyone know that they can rattle us. "They can't get your goat if you don't let them know where it's tied up!"
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Post by carsondaily on May 15, 2014 15:33:08 GMT -5
This message is the most encouraging thing I have read in a long time about obtaining a position as ALJ. This is how I want to treat others and be treated. We spend so much of our lives at work - we owe it to ourselves and others to foster this kind of atmosphere. This was so well said, thank you.
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Post by BagLady on May 15, 2014 17:45:58 GMT -5
Welcome to the board!
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Post by decadealj on May 15, 2014 19:41:16 GMT -5
devildog- sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but ODAR employees ain't Marines. Most have no idea that "asking" them to do something is a polite way of telling them what you would like them to do. And sometimes "asking" them to do something is an invitation to negotiate. They are often critters of their unions. What you can do is lead by example (see T&A comments above) and treat everyone with courtesy. Hopefully what will happen (as it did with me) is the best horses will gravitate to you and you do your job as a leader- let them run and reign-in only when absolutely necessary. The problem in today's environment of non-accountability and no team adhesion is to nurture the folks who care and you do that one-on-one when you get the chance. Going from FT ldr to Bn Cdr is a sign of incredible leadsership- my complements to you. But if and when you come aboard as an ALJ, and I hope you do, be prepared for some culture shock. Semper Fideles.
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Post by jibtrimmer on May 16, 2014 6:44:19 GMT -5
Of course I second what my good friend Hamster wrote, 100%. I would add this thought: Because ALJ's are effectively at the top of the office pecking order, I think human nature makes others very sensitive to what an ALJ says, or does. A small word of annoyance or testiness may be interpreted as major displeasure or criticism, even when that is not intended. So it is important to think about the potential effect of what we say and do. Fortunately, I think the converse is also true. Coming from you, a simple thank you or word of praise can be very meaningful to someone who is working every bit as hard to keep up with this tsunami of information and work. I recall the fable of a General riding in his staff car passing a company headquarters, who idly mutters that the rocks near the door would look good painted. The next day, the word went out all over the base that the General wants all rocks near doors painted immediately. Moral: What you say or do is magnified through the lens of your position in the eyes of those around you, so be sensitive to that. JMHO, as Bartleby might say. And Hamster- Cheerio! Gear up, flaps up.
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