Re-imaginingGovernment

friend of the people”

Not Even Wron glocal government finance in England

January 2015

PPMA annual seminar

Bristol

April 2015

imperatives for changefiscal crisis - losing a large chunk of our revenues

the risk of irrelevance - losing connection with our citizens

a changing psychological contract for staff

the big reset•redesign our services•revise our priorities•reallocate our resources•reframe our organisation•revitalise our people

DY N A M I C N E E D S & F L U I D D E M A N D S

BIG SQUEEZE

N AT U R E O F O R G A N I S AT I O N S

C H A R AC T E R O F WO R K

T E C H N I C A L P RO G R E S S & S O C I A L AC C E L E R AT I O N

do you know a five year old?

they will be in their eighties in 2095

someone who is eighty-five today will have been five in 1935

it’s not just about the next 5 years

capabilitiesthe decline of "craft"

and the rise of service

adding intellectual value in an

automated world: tiny apps and big data

local governmentspecialties, specialisms

& the challenge of flexible specialisation

the current challenges to professionalism

weak & fragmented supply markets,

fractured career routes

tomorrow’s Councilis open and connected

not closed and parochial

emotional utility “how do these services

make me feel?”

organisational mood or climate

•a high performance climate?•an energising climate?•a neutral climate?•a de-motivating climate?

20%15%20%45%

percentage of staff who say they work in

happiness at work

happiness & different people

encourage others to be continually

curious, creative and innovative

fosterlearning

purpose

work motivation

job importance

job difficulty

self efficacy

job specificity

extrinsic rewards

mission valence 0.86

0.10

0.21

0.55

0.09

-0.20

0.39

0.23

Wright B (2007) Public Service & Motivation: does mission matter? Public Administration Review

nurture

leadership rolessetting direction

building capabilitymaintaining momentumencouraging confidence

intellectual energy

emotional labour

The most

are often the ones that are

obvious andimportant realities

hardest to seeand talk about ...

“how’s the water boys?”“what is water?”

Public servants add most value through their focused awareness

of the needs of others.

This is water.This is water.

Awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight, all around us, all the time …

that we have to keep reminding ourselves, and our staff, over and over:

thank you sources and references

Bandura A (2003) Self-Efficacy: the exercise of controlWright B (2007) Public Service & Motivation: does mission matter? Public Administration Review Baron-Cohen S (2011) Zero Degrees of EmpathyFoster Wallace D (2005) This is WaterFlorida R (2010) The Great ResetCoffee R & Jones G (2006) Why Should Anyone be Led by You?Institute for the Future (2010) Future Work Skills, iftf.orgLayard R (2005) Happiness: lessons from a new scienceMeyer E (2014) The Culture MapQuirk B (2011) Re-imagining Government Rosa H (2013) Social AccelerationSennett R (2008) The CraftsmanThomas K (2007) Intrinsic Motivation at Work: building energy & commitment

@BarryQuirk1

Re-imaginingGovernment

friend of the people”

Not Even Wron glocal government finance in England

January 2015

PPMA annual seminar

BristolApril 2015