There is an old story about two woodcutters challenged to fell as many trees as they could before sunset.
The first worked relentlessly. He swung his axe from dawn to dusk, convinced that success belonged to the one who put in the longest hours. The second, however, paused from time to time. Watching him stop, the first smiled to himself and continued chopping with even greater intensity.
But when the day ended, the second woodcutter had cut more trees.
Perplexed, the first asked how that was possible.
"I wasn't resting," the second replied. "I was sharpening my axe."
It is a simple parable, yet one that has survived generations because it captures a timeless truth: sustained excellence is not merely about working harder; it is about constantly becoming better.
That is what makes Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan's recent note to Secretaries to the Government of India far more significant than it may appear at first glance. Accompanied by a practical guide on conducting effective meetings, the note is, in reality, a thoughtful reflection on professional excellence in public service. Its most memorable line is also its most profound: after three decades in service, will an officer have acquired thirty years of experience, or simply repeated one year's experience thirty times?
That question deserves to be asked not only in the civil services but across every profession.
The accompanying guidance speaks of what many would dismiss as routine matters. It advises officers to question whether a meeting is necessary at all before convening one, to begin meetings on time, keep them focused and preferably within an hour, encourage subordinates to speak freely, even if it means disagreeing with the chair, prepare clear minutes with actionable decisions, and ensure timely follow-up. It also reminds officers that courtesy towards colleagues and external stakeholders is not merely etiquette but an essential leadership trait. Individually, these suggestions appear ordinary. Together, they represent a philosophy of administration. They remind us that institutions are strengthened not merely by grand ideas but by disciplined execution of the basics.
The Japanese have a word for this philosophy: Kaizen, or continuous improvement. It transformed companies like Toyota into global benchmarks, not through one revolutionary innovation but through thousands of small improvements made consistently over decades. Every employee was encouraged to identify inefficiencies, improve a process, or refine a routine. Individually, those changes seemed insignificant. Collectively, they transformed an organisation into one admired across the world.
The same principle applies to governance.
Great governments are rarely built solely on landmark policies or headline-grabbing reforms. They are built through thousands of everyday decisions: how carefully a file is examined, how effectively meetings are conducted, how clearly instructions are communicated, how diligently decisions are followed up, and how respectfully citizens are treated. These may seem like mundane administrative details, yet they often determine whether a policy succeeds in the field or remains confined to paper.
The Cabinet Secretary rightly observes that these "small things" often distinguish an outstanding officer from a mediocre one, sometimes even more than domain knowledge. That observation carries an important lesson. Expertise may help one enter public service, but it is the willingness to learn, adapt and improve continuously that defines a distinguished career.
India's civil services have long been described as the steel frame of the nation. But steel does not become stronger by remaining unchanged. It is forged, refined and strengthened over time. Likewise, institutions do not become exceptional because of occasional brilliance. They become exceptional because thousands of public servants choose to improve their craft, one decision, one meeting, one file and one interaction at a time.
As India works towards the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, much attention will rightly be devoted to technology, artificial intelligence, digital governance and policy innovation. Yet an equally important transformation is quieter and less visible. It lies in cultivating a culture where every civil servant believes that today's work should be done just a little better than yesterday's.
The old woodcutter understood that a sharp axe is more valuable than endless effort. The Cabinet Secretary's message carries the same wisdom for India's bureaucracy: pause occasionally, sharpen your professional tools, question familiar routines and never stop learning.
For, in the end, the difference between an ordinary career and an extraordinary one is seldom measured by the number of years served. It is measured by the number of years one continued to grow.
