Anyone who is involved with government, politics and bureaucracy has no doubt had frustrating experiences when decisions were made at a high level that ignored the work of those on the front lines and seemed removed from good sense.
I was watching a show on Netflix the other day called Legends, about some low-ranking civil service members of Britain’s Customs office, who volunteered for dangerous undercover work. Their boss was being pressured by a high-ranking minister to either wrap up the operation quickly or be disbanded due to the political realities faced by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Both moves would be a threat to his men and women in the field.
I was stuck by the firmness of the person overseeing the undercover operation. Here is what he said when asked by the minister “Where do your loyalties lie?”
“I never wanted to enter this world, your world. It is a world without true danger, without true risk, weak people battle for power without accountability. My loyalty belongs to my team. My team is taking on a level of danger and risk, unimaginable in your world. And they do so with honesty and sacrifice and no greater ambition than stopping two tons of drugs landing on Britain’s shores. The end is coming for us all, Mr. Secretary, but some of us have work to do.”
Bravo.