The Essence of Public Service
By Bob Melton

I know there are self-serving politicians. I have met several. But I have also met many who genuinely want to do the best they can for those they represent. Holding politicians accountable is important, but so is recognizing that government is as complicated as its citizens.

With so much anger and criticism directed toward public officials today, I feel compelled, based on my own experience, to offer another view. I hope you will read this with an open mind.

Public service taught me the importance of listening. There is nothing quite like hearing citizens speak in a public hearing about how a law affects their lives, or why a law is needed. Experiences like that remind you how diverse and remarkable this nation truly is. Seeing an issue through someone else’s eyes forces you to search more deeply for the truth, even while recognizing that truth can sometimes appear from more than one perspective.

Having the title “Honorable” attached to your name is not simply ceremonial. It carries an obligation. It is a reminder that you must conduct yourself in a way that never diminishes that trust.

My time working in the public interest has been the most fulfilling chapter of my life. Some may say that sounds self-serving, since I was an elected official, and perhaps it does. But public service taught me lessons that shaped how I see the world.

As a trustee of the public interest, public service:

• Gave me dignity and a voice, and the responsibility to use that voice thoughtfully and with credibility.
• Required me to hold to principle and to speak for those who often have no voice of their own.
• Taught me empathy and the importance of understanding different perspectives.
• Forced me to listen carefully before responding.
• Made me think about outcomes and the unintended consequences of decisions.
• Pushed me to seek greater knowledge and hold myself to higher standards.
• Taught me not to take criticism personally.
• Required perseverance, because every decision brings challenge and disagreement.
• Showed me that while friends may come and go, critics and opponents tend to accumulate.

Public service provides perspective. It strengthens empathy and critical thinking. It reminds you that your own assumptions may look very different to someone else. Above all, it teaches that listening is essential. Listening allows us to better understand the human condition.

When I reflect on this, I often think of Stephen Covey’s principle: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” That simple idea captures much of what public service should be.

Giving yourself to something you believe is worthwhile for the benefit of many is, in my view, a noble calling. My years in public service required sacrifices, but the enrichment I received had nothing to do with money. The real reward was the satisfaction of contributing and growing as a human being.

I encourage anyone who has the desire to serve to find a way to do so. That may mean running for office, or it may simply mean volunteering at a local food bank. Service has a way of rewarding those who participate in it.

Motivation to Volunteer

I have always been something of a fixer. When I see something broken, I feel compelled to try to repair it. As a young man, I struggled and was often ignorant about many things. Along the way I experienced acts of kindness from people who were working not for themselves, but for others. Seeing that inspired me.

Volunteering led to learning. Learning revealed problems that needed attention. Over time, that path eventually led to politics. At each step I grew in knowledge, perspective, and willingness to act.

My first step into public life came when I discovered my children were in danger on a rural school bus route. That concern led me to run for the school board. Serving on a school board can be extremely demanding, but it also brings a deep sense of accomplishment each year at graduation.

Getting Elected Isn’t Easy

People often imagine that someone simply decides to run for office and gets elected. In reality, it usually takes years of community involvement before people trust you enough to consider you for public office.

Before seeking office I served as:

• Lions Club President
• Little League football and baseball coach
• Little League umpire and later league president
• Civic theater board member
• Voter registrar and precinct captain
• Member of the Jaycees and Chamber of Commerce

I helped lead fund-raising efforts to build a civic center and senior facility. I worked with university officials to secure land for a city park and baseball field, and later oversaw construction of the ballpark. I also found myself traveling to the state capitol to speak with groups about legislation and its effect on my city and state. To me, that is what active citizenship looks like.

When you finally do run for office, you quickly discover that you have critics you never had before. Some will say things about you that are unfair or untrue. Political consultants are sometimes paid to make sure those criticisms are widely seen. It can be a sobering experience.

Winning an election brings exhilaration. Losing brings reflection and sometimes frustration. Either way, it is never easy.

The Responsibility of Office

There is something deeply meaningful about standing before others, raising your hand, and swearing an oath to the Constitution. The realization that voters trusted you enough to place you in that position is both humbling and inspiring.

Soon after taking office, most people realize they are not nearly as smart as they once thought. Government is complex, and the learning curve is steep. Every step requires gaining knowledge and seeking guidance from those who understand the system better than you do.

My own service pushed me to continue my education, earning degrees in political science and public administration. I studied management principles, including Total Quality Management and Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Those experiences reinforced the idea that the first responsibility of leadership is understanding.

Often, in difficult public meetings, I would say:
“I may know a little about this issue, but you may know much more. Help me understand.”

Listening in that way changes how decisions are made.

Life After Office

Public service remained part of my life long after leaving elected office. Among the efforts I have been involved with are:

• Chairman, United States Olympic Committee regional efforts supporting athletes for the 1996 Games
• Executive Director, Dallas All Sports Association, raising scholarship funds for low-income students
• Rotary Club board member and speaker’s bureau participant

After retirement, I continued volunteering in other ways:

• Building homes for the homeless in Mexico
• Rescuing street animals in Mexico
• Wildlife rescue work in Florida

A Personal Reflection

I entered public office as an upper-income white male and left financially broke and looking for work. The only thing that kept me from bankruptcy was my modest state salary, which was roughly one-third of what I had earned before selling my business to enter public service full time.

Even so, I remain grateful. Public service gave me far more than I gave it.

It broadened my understanding of people. It strengthened my commitment to listening and learning. And it reminded me that citizenship is not passive.

I will continue serving in some way for as long as I am able. Helping others, in whatever form that takes, remains one of the most meaningful things a person can do.