This is part 1 of 6. Next posts will focus on the government's 5 missions
Prime Minister Keir Starmer reminded us that:?
Productivity in the public sector is 2.6% lower than this time last year, 8.5% down compared with just before the pandemic. That wouldn’t be accepted in any other sector or walk of life.
I do think too many people in Whitehall are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline. [...] the nimbys, the regulators, the blockers and bureaucrats… The alliance of naysayers.
This statement highlights a cultural resistance to innovation and the pursuit of excellence. But such a culture can and should thrive within the public sector. I believe the best public sector leaders and teams:
- Live innovation and excellence daily: They establish a clear, shared ambition and goals that resonate with all civil servants, driving both innovation and excellence in every task. It becomes about constantly asking: "How can we improve this process, service, or policy to achieve better outcomes?"
- Recruit, retain, and reward excellence: During the pre-vaccine pandemic days, my best friend, an NHS doctor, risked her life daily to treat a surge of COVID patients in intensive care. Her reward? A “special” badge. I've also worked alongside members of the UK armed forces who've faced mortal danger, yet several feel MoD does not value their efforts. We need to attract, retain, and genuinely reward those who demonstrate innovation and excellence in their roles.
- Have a user-centric mindset focused on outstanding service: The most outstanding teams place the user at the heart of every decision, striving to deliver outstanding service. This user-centric approach, often seen in successful technology companies, delivers excellent results in the public sector too.
- Use data collaboratively: The public sector generates vast amounts of data and operates at a massive scale. Successful teams have a culture of numeracy and experimentation, where civil servants are comfortable analyzing data and using it to test hypotheses. They invest in interoperable data infrastructure and provide the training needed to build capability across all departments.
- Measure and report metrics that matter: While targets alone don't paint the whole picture, they are essential for driving progress. Every public service should be accountable for clear, published targets that reflect the desired outcomes for the public. Successful teams aim beyond the status quo to achieve ambitious goals.
UK public services can deliver more efficient, effective, and user-centric services to the people of the UK. Buy it starts with the right culture - a culture that embraces both innovation and excellence at every level.
Apendix: Assess your team's culture of innovation and excellence
Introduction: This short questionnaire is designed to help identify areas where you can foster a stronger culture of both innovation and excellence within your department or agency. For each question, rate your team's current performance on a scale of 1 to 5, where:
1 = Rarely or Never 2 = Occasionally 3 = Sometimes 4 = Frequently 5 = Almost Always or Consistently
Section 1: Living innovation and excellence daily
- Question: In the past month, how often have team members proposed new ideas or suggested improvements in your work? (1-5)
- Question: Does your team have a clear process for testing new ideas and learning from both successes and failures? (1-5)
- Question: In your team, are individuals encouraged to think creatively and strive for excellence, even if it means questioning established procedures? (1-5)
Section 2: Recruiting, retaining, and rewarding excellence
- Question: Does your team/department have effective mechanisms for recognizing and rewarding individuals who demonstrate exceptional performance, initiative, and innovative thinking? (1-5)
- Question: Are there clear pathways for career progression within your team/department that are directly linked to contributions, and achievement of valuable outcomes? (1-5)
- Question: Does your team/department actively invest in training and development opportunities to adapt to new technologies and changing demands? (1-5)
- Question: Does your team/department conduct exit interviews, and use the feedback to improve employee retention strategies? (1-5)
Section 3: Having a user-centric mindset
- Question: In the past three months, how often has your team sought direct feedback from users to understand their needs and experiences and to identify opportunities to enhance service quality? (1-5)
- Question: Are team members encouraged to gain a deeper understanding of user perspectives and challenges? (1-5)
- Question: Does your team use user feedback to iterate and improve services on an ongoing basis? (1-5)
Section 4: Using data collaboratively
- Question: Does your team have access to the data needed to make informed decisions, measure the effectiveness of your work, and identify areas for improvement and enhanced performance? (1-5)
- Question: Are team members comfortable analyzing data, interpreting results, and using data to support their decisions? (1-5)
- Question: Does your team/department have systems and processes in place to facilitate data sharing and collaboration across different teams and agencies? (1-5)
Section 5: measuring and reporting metrics that matter
- Question: Does your team have clearly defined, measurable objectives that are aligned with your department's overall mission and priorities, and that reflect a commitment to excellence? (1-5)
- Question: Does your team track progress towards these objectives using relevant metrics and indicators? (1-5)
- Question: Are these objectives regularly and openly reviewed and updated to ensure they remain relevant, ambitious, and drive continuous improvement? (1-5)
- Question: Does your team have a validated long term roadmap for service improvement that sets ambitious and clear targets? (1-5)
Share this post with others to help transform the culture of public services. I'd also love to hear your thoughts – what resonated most with you in this post?
