Seeing the Big Picture: Civil Service Behaviour at Administrative Assistant and Administrative Officer Grade
The behaviour Seeing the Big Picture is about understanding how your role contributes to the wider goals of your team, department, and the Civil Service as a whole. At Administrative Assistant (AA) and Administrative Officer (AO) grade, you are expected to understand your responsibilities, recognise how your work supports public services, and consider how your actions affect others.
This behaviour shows that you are aware of the purpose behind your work and the importance of delivering results that align with organisational objectives. It highlights your ability to gather information, understand different perspectives, and make decisions that take into account the wider context. It also demonstrates that you value inclusion and ensure that your work considers people with diverse needs and backgrounds.
When writing a 250-word statement for this behaviour, aim to demonstrate:
🌍 A belief statement that shows your understanding of how your work supports broader goals.
🌍 A situation where you needed to align your actions or decisions with team or organisational priorities.
🌍 The actions you took to gather information, collaborate with others, or ensure your work met wider needs.
🌍 The result, showing how your contribution supported your team, customers, or the organisation’s mission.
The B-STAR method helps you structure your statement clearly: begin with your belief, describe the situation and your task, then explain your actions and the results achieved. Strong examples will show that you understand how your work fits into the bigger picture and that you take pride in contributing to public service goals.
The image above provides a full example statement for Seeing the Big Picture at AA/AO grade. Use it to guide your own response and show how you stay aware of purpose, context, and impact in your daily work.
