Bullet-Point Thinking: Public Sector Challenges & Opportunities
1. PAUL
KNIGHT
Some Bullet-Point
THINKING
PUBLIC SECTOR CHALLENGES
& OPPORTUNITIES
Now, more than ever, is the time to encourage, nurture and empower
talent. More investment in staff not less.
Resist the urge for short term fixes, e.g. slicing budgets across the top.
This is a recipe for disaster, organisations will have less resources whilst
maintaining high levels of inefficiency. We need radical transformation.
Stop benchmarking like for like. We need to look outside of the sector
for inspiration. Our customers don’t compare our website to the next
council’s. They compare it to the likes of Google or Amazon.
We need to create capacity for creativity and a culture that
embraces the new, takes risks and breaks conventional delivery models.
We need strong leaders to hold their nerve whilst we try new things.
The sector needs to get comfortable being a pioneer. We cannot ask
for innovation on one hand and proof / evidence it will work on the
other. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
We need to be ambitious for our customers. Our challenges are
unprecedented but so are our opportunities. We should not resign
ourselves to providing less. We should commit to providing more for less.
The sector needs to keep it’s eye on the horizon. In times of challenge
we all too often get our heads down, focusing on the immediate
challenge in hand.
There are more opportunities than ever to work in partnership and coproduce / co-deliver services. We should be bold with our partnership
working aspirations but not be afraid to go it alone if a partnership
doesn’t deliver.
The sector has a young people deficit. We need to engage young
and upcoming talent within out organisations.
We need a new recruitment strategy, prioritising passion, creativity
and a sense of urgency.
