“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” Ronald Reagan
Protecting our Citizens & Serving our Community
Every County Attorney employee has the pressure, the responsibility, and the honor of representing the Great State of Texas, our beloved Williamson County, and this County Attorney’s Office. This obligation must be fulfilled with the highest ethical behavior, professionalism, and unmatched public service. Each member of our team shall proudly commit themselves to the following core values in the execution of their duties: Fairness, Innovation, Integrity, Loyalty, Partnership, Quality, Respect, Service, Teamwork, and Work Ethic.
Fairness: the impartial and just treatment or behavior without favoritism or discrimination. We shall treat all reasonably, consistently, and with the same level of exuberance regardless of their situation. We must protect everyone’s constitutional and statutory rights regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.
“We’re blessed with the opportunity to stand for something – for liberty and freedom and fairness – and these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to.” Ronald Reagan
Innovation: the introduction of a new idea, method, or device. We must ensure the most effective use of limited resources and identify and apply new methods and technology for ever increasing efficiencies. We shall strive for continuous improvement to deliver better prosecution and legal services to those who depend on us and an overall enhancement to our community’s quality of life.
“There’s a way to do it better – find it.” Thomas Edison
Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. As professionals, members of the justice system, officers of the court, and public servants, we must hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct. Ethics and integrity should never be situational but steadfast and consistent.
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” C.S. Lewis
Loyalty: faithfulness to commitments or obligations. We must be loyal to the goal of public trust and take seriously our commitments and obligations to our community, to our law enforcement, to our victims, and to the judicial system overall.
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Partnership: We must continue to build, maintain, and advance partnerships and avoid regression to isolationism. Partnerships within our own county structure, within our community, with our law enforcement community, and with all the voices that make Williamson County a great community.
“Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.” Phil Jackson
Quality: the degree of excellence of something. To earn and maintain public trust we must execute our duties with uncompromising commitment to quality in all aspects. Each member of the County Attorney’s Office is responsible for ensuring that our community receives the finest prosecution and legal services possible. Every effort shall be made to hire, train, and retain the most qualified and hardworking individuals.
“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.” Aristotle
Respect: a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something. Every member of the County Attorney’s Office must treat one another and every member of the public with dignity and respect. Each member must work to ensure a working environment deeply rooted in trust, courtesy, and mutual respect. We must also apply that attitude of consideration, dignity, and respect to the community we serve.
“Show respect even to people who don’t deserve it; not as a reflection of their character, but as a reflection of yours” Dave Willis
“There is no respect for others without humility in one’s self.” Henri Frederic Amiel
Service: the action of helping or doing work for someone. We must lead by serving. Only by maintaining a servant’s heart can we avoid the pitfalls of ego and arrogance. Our focus must never deviate from those we serve. It is an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to serve others and we must never lose sight of that reality.
“Always do more than is required of you.” George Patton
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Gandhi
Teamwork: the combined action of a group of people, especially when effective and efficient. Each member of the County Attorney’s Office must contribute to the overall mission of the office. All must contribute - contribute through collaboration and encouragement. We must support one another, motivate one another, and hold one another accountable to the overall mission of the office and standards of the office.
“Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success.” Anonymous
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Henry Ford
Work Ethic: the principle that hard work is intrinsically virtuous or worthy of reward. A positive and proactive work ethic is expected of all members of the County Attorney’s Office.
· A Positive Work Ethic is approaching the profession with a “can do” attitude and never remarking that some task “is not my job.” To approach work with a good attitude and an expectation of accomplishment.
· A Proactive Work Ethic is not waiting to be “told” something needs to be done but instead being knowledgeable enough about the mission of the office to recognize there is a need and proactively filling that need with individual effort contributing to the overall team goals.
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Edison
“Have the positive attitude, character, and work ethic that inspires and elevates the raw talent of others around you to new levels of achievement.” Ty Howard
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” The Minds Journal
“Show up early, stay late, do your best, always say thank you, give people more than they expect, and follow up.” Shep Hyken