AI as a Resilience Tool: Insights from a Longtime USPS Civil Servant
Meiko Patton, an AI communications specialist and spokesperson with the United States Postal Service, brings over 30 years of corporate communications experience to her mission of empowering federal leaders in the AI era. She is the founder of Meiko.AI and the creator of the “Ms. Beehiiv” newsletter, where she shares weekly insights on using AI effectively. Through her “AI Fed Newsletter,” curated tools, and strategic workshops, she helps mid-career professionals and federal executives lead with clarity and confidence amid automation. Recently, Patton was named a trusted advisor with Ragan’s Center for AI Strategy.
What Most People Don’t Know About USPS Careers
Many assume USPS is just about delivering letters. Patton says it’s an entire ecosystem of careers. When she joined, she believed the only jobs were letter carriers and supervisors. Later, she discovered roles in sales, communications, customer service, IT, and more. Her career progressed from street mail carrier in Los Angeles to managing corporate communications for entire districts. USPS represents a microcosm of the federal workforce, offering untapped opportunities for those who want to serve.
Early AI Exploration in a Federal Setting
Patton’s AI journey started in 2022, with the release of ChatGPT. As an avid Bible reader, she was amazed at how quickly she could research deep scriptural topics, including Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic word meanings. This sparked the idea that AI could enhance professional workflows, documentation, and communication strategies within the federal government. She began exploring AI’s potential to preserve institutional knowledge and support CEO succession planning, helping employees adapt to change.
Convincing Skeptics: AI as a Tool for Resilience
Patton doesn’t spend much time convincing skeptics because AI’s impact is clear. Top companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google are investing billions in AI. Trillion-dollar companies are emerging on its foundation, and the president has signed an executive order on AI adoption. Her focus is showing federal employees that AI isn’t about replacement but empowerment. AI helps employees transform their expertise into skills that will remain relevant. Adaptation is key, and AI accelerates that process.
Being “RIF-Ready”: Preparing for Workforce Changes
“RIF-ready” means preparing for workforce reductions, shutdowns, or transitions after buyouts. After facing workplace harassment, Patton chose reinvention through technology rather than walking away. Today, she assists federal employees in using AI to document institutional knowledge, translate it into marketable skills, and build career plans that withstand job loss. She even negotiated an 80% discount for federal employees to learn AI with Rundown AI University. This hands-on approach exemplifies her commitment to practicing what she preaches.
One practical step to prepare: start mastering AI tools now. Patton uses ChatGPT, NotebookLM, Perplexity, Manus, and others daily. Even if it means paying out of pocket, developing AI skills is crucial for future readiness.
Ways to Decompress After Work
Patton finds peace in reading the Bible, praying, or listening to audiobooks. Recently, she’s been listening to “Feelings Buried Alive Never Die” by Karol Truman. The book discusses how words, thoughts, and feelings carry vibrations recorded in the body, even DNA. This perspective encourages her to speak kindly, protect her energy, and remain grateful.
Work Habits to Bring Back and Leave Behind
- Make a comeback: Kindness. Patton recalls Zig Ziglar’s advice: “Be kind to everyone you meet because everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about.” Kindness fuels collaboration and loyalty, and workplaces need to embrace it again.
- Glad we left behind: The silence around harassment and bullying. Having endured it herself, Patton believes no employee should “tough it out” in toxic environments. Speaking up creates safer workplaces, benefiting both individuals and organizations.
For communications professionals, Patton’s experience offers a clear message: embrace AI as a tool to build resilience, invest in continuous learning, and foster kindness in the workplace. These steps prepare you to lead confidently through change.
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