Manage self is about drive, persistence, self-awareness and learning.
This capability is often underestimated because people assume it just means being motivated. In practice, it is much more useful than that. Panels are often looking for evidence that you take ownership of your performance, respond to feedback well, and keep developing rather than waiting for someone else to drive your growth.
That usually means a STAR-style example will work better than a claim about being hardworking or self-motivated. If you need a refresher, go back to our STAR Method Examples for NSW Government Applications.
What changes across the levels
- Foundational: willing to learn, completes assigned work, builds new skills
- Intermediate: shows ownership, reflects on feedback and stays focused
- Adept: sets challenging goals, manages own performance and adapts learning into practice
- Advanced: models initiative, sound judgement and sustained high performance in complex settings
- Highly Advanced: creates strong performance and learning culture around others
At the higher levels, this capability is not just about being hardworking. It is about being deliberate, reflective and dependable.
How to build a stronger example
Good examples often include:
- taking responsibility without being chased
- learning something new and applying it
- adjusting your own approach after feedback
- staying productive through change or pressure
Example paragraph: Foundational / Intermediate
When I moved into a new administrative role, I made a point of learning the systems, processes and expectations quickly so I could contribute with less supervision. My task was to become dependable in the role as quickly as possible without creating extra checking work for others. I asked questions early, took notes, and looked for ways to apply feedback straight away rather than repeating the same mistakes. That helped me become reliable in the role more quickly and reduced the need for others to recheck routine work.
Example paragraph: Adept
In my current role, I manage competing deadlines and a steady flow of urgent work, so I have had to build strong habits around organisation, reflection and continuous improvement. A useful example was when I received feedback that my written updates needed to be sharper for senior readers. My task was to improve the quality of those updates without losing important detail. I changed the way I structured briefings and made a conscious effort to present key points more clearly. That improved both the quality of my work and the confidence others had in my outputs.
Example paragraph: Advanced
In a senior project role, I was expected to make sound decisions and maintain momentum in an environment with constant change. My task was to stay effective even when assumptions shifted and the original plan no longer fit perfectly. I set clear priorities for myself, kept sight of the broader outcome, and adjusted my approach when new information emerged rather than getting stuck in the original plan. That combination of initiative, reflection and discipline helped me maintain performance in a more complex setting.
Final advice
Avoid turning this capability into a personality statement.
Panels do not need to hear that you are “highly motivated”. They need to see what that looks like in practice.