Civil service forms the bridge between the government and the governed, i.e: the citizenry.
Civil servants have three majority stakeholders to deal with: Citizenry, government, and the civil servant himself/herself.
As they play a pivotal role in the overall administration, personnel of the civil service must possess several attributes.
A few of them are:
Emotional Intelligence – to empathize with the downtrodden, understand the arguments of both sides during a conflict, and to effectively resolve problems in a way that is acceptable to all sides.
Honesty – towards the position s/he serves in, and towards superiors as well as subordinates.
Integrity of character and conduct, both professional as well as personal.
Accountability and Responsibility
Leadership – to motivate and guide the subordinates to perform better, and the ability to make quick decisions in a rational and just manner.
Pragmatism – to ensure practical decision-making.
Impartiality and non-partisanship – being politically neutral as well as judging each issue on its merits, without any preconceived notions.
Fortitude – to withstand the various pressures that the civil servant is subjected to in the course of his/her career. Fortitude means courage in the face of adversity.
