How to Solve the Management Puzzle Confronted with the global changes that occurred during the past year, the federal workforce continues to be faced with uncertainty that requires flexibility and the ability to pick up the pieces of what remains and attempt to fit them back together. The question facing the public sector is if management is prepared to drive the outcomes of its mission while effectively overseeing their teams in today’s environment. We’ve seen a shift in management’s focus toward human capital and the recognition of their responsibility in driving strategic engagement. The importance of communicating with clarity and timeliness to set expectations, coach for performance, and ensure effective relationships is a core management component now more than ever. A keen observation American Management Association (AMA) made in 2020 is the need to be thoughtful, reflective, and intentional about how people manage and lead as agencies navigate the effects of the pandemic. “There are three key questions we ask our clients: What’s the thought that they’re putting into their leadership management style? What’s the impact that it’s having on them, their team, their colleagues? And how intentional are they in their communication to their team—what they say and do and what people see in them as a leader?” says Jeff Becker, director of AMA Government Solutions.