RIFs. Budget cuts. Hiring freezes. Reorgs dressed up in HR-speak like “workforce reshaping,” but no one seems to know what actually moves the needle. Lately, it’s felt more confusing than a crappy B-rated movie plot.
If you’re a federal worker right now, your future probably feels like someone else’s spreadsheet—chaotic, confusing, and somehow greenlit without a plot. Just like that crappy B-rated movie.
You didn’t sign up to be a political piñata. You signed up to serve—to build, to fix, to lead. And now, with uncertainty of a massive RIF, you’ve got two choices:
1. Wait for permission.
2. Lead like hell.
This is where rebel leaders rise.
This Isn’t a Career Crisis. It’s a Clarity Check.
I’ve been there—spent 10 years in federal service, juggling the politics, the pressure, and the purpose.
When things get messy, most people freeze. They stall. They wait for a comms-approved message to tell them what to do. And some “leaders” refuse to answer any town hall questions that aren’t part of the script. Why? Because it’s easier to play it safe than face the truth.
But if you’re going to survive these times of uncertainty, and lead through it—you need to cut the noise, flip the script and find your cause.
Not your job title. Not your series and grade.
Your cause.
“What mission would I chase even if the position disappeared tomorrow?”
That question? It saved my career more than once.
Leadership Theater Won’t Save You. GSD will. Why? Because this isn’t the time for posture, panic, or politics. This is the time to SPAR:
Stop the bleeding. Prioritize ruthlessly. Act decisively. Rebuild intentionally.
It’s a field-tested framework from Rebel Leaders GSD—born from my father’s advice, tested in combat, refined in government, and built for moments exactly like this.
Because life is a fight—and every challenge is a chance to play the game, not get knocked out by it.
SPAR isn’t just a checklist. It’s a mindset for anyone who’s ever felt outgunned, outnumbered, or out of time.
• Stop the bleeding: What’s draining your focus, energy, or momentum? Fix it fast. Even if it’s just getting people aligned.
• Prioritize ruthlessly: What actually moves the needle? Everything else? Noise. Cut it… Now.
• Act decisively: Forget perfection. Make the best call with what you’ve got and move. Speed is your edge.
• Rebuild intentionally: Don’t just patch the hole. Use the crisis to lead better—by upgrading how you build policies, run processes, measure performance, and empower people. AKA the “4Ps”.
You Are Not Your Position Description
If your identity is tied to your title, you’re always one org chart away from irrelevance. But if your identity is tied to your cause, no one can strip that from you.
You’ve got a choice:
1. Lead by default—tied to systems, scared to move.
2. Or lead by design—rooted in purpose, built for impact.
Rebels don’t sit on the sidelines. They’re not chaos agents either. They’re the stabilizers in a broken system. They take action when others hesitate. They GSD when others overthink. They embrace constraints—and they don’t whine.
So What Now?
If you’re sitting in a cube wondering what happens next—build your own answer.
1. Rally your team. Quiet the noise.
2. Get clear on the mission—whether it’s official or not.
3. And if the system ejects you? Good—that’s their loss, not yours. Build something better.
The world needs rebel leaders more than ever. Not for rebellion’s sake, but for resilience, clarity, and bold execution when others fold.
Here’s What You Can Do Right Now
1. Write your cause in one sentence. Not your job. Your cause.
2. Identify the one thing your team needs most—and give it to them.
3. Cut one meeting this week and use that hour to build something that lasts.
Final Thought
If you’re in government right now, it’s easy to feel powerless. But power doesn’t come from titles or edicts from above or short cryptic emails in the middle of the night. It comes from movement. So, get moving…
Lead loud. Lead clear. Lead like a rebel.
You got this—handle the chaos and still move the mission. Rebel Leaders GSD.
Subscribe to the newsletter to stay tuned for the release of Rebel Leaders GSD this summer. In meantime if you want some humor check out my comic book The Frontlines on Amazon.
Other thoughts on the RIF check out: Don’t Call It a RIF—Call It a Rethink