The importance of culture change to enable cross-sector collaboration and achieve missions

There has been much discussion about what mission-driven government means for delivering the government agenda. The approach, popularised by Mariana Mazzucato’s Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide, focuses on how to achieve a specific goal (or mission) by reorientating and rethinking how government and other sectors work together to achieve a shared objective. By its very nature, it is focused on outcomes, mobilising institutions to collaborate and deliver. In recent months, there has been vast speculation on the mechanisms and governance of how best to do this. Yet, there has been worrying little exploration of the need for a wholesale mindset shift across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors to enable this. The need for a new approach, a fresh ‘social contract’ between the sectors, will be integral to the success of mission-driven government. Below are a few areas that need to be considered across the sectors to make the most of a mission-driven government.

Surface and acknowledge cultural differences early

It would be fair to say the relationships between the civil service, private sector, and not-for-profits have been turbulent over the last decade. There were high points of collaboration to address the COVID-19 pandemic and other times when there was more to be desired. Fundamentally, there is a cultural misunderstanding. To remove historical cultural ways of working or the danger of mistrust, the coming months will be crucial for uncovering the cultural differences between the sectors. HR and L&D teams should be focussing on bringing key learnings into their organisations on how to work with sectors outside their own, taking time to understand how different sectors operate in practice. Reflecting on drivers, ambitions, and internal workings will be key to establishing how to partner and collaborate on successful outcomes. ???

?Cross-sector network development is critical

With mission boards, and the various advisory panels being set up there is a danger that specific sectors or organisations feel excluded despite having a vast amount to offer. To that end, building networks across sectors will be critical to ensure the input for policy dialogue is broad and varied. Equally for those outside of government, with the focus on missions, there is an absolute need to work across departments to have a 360 view of how the missions are developing. The mindset in these early days of the new government needs to be around listening and understanding where there is scope to work together (and where there is not).

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Porosity as a mission imperative

To truly achieve tangible outcomes for the missions, porosity must be the centrepiece of policy and delivery. While much discussed by multiple governments, widespread secondments, talent exchange programmes, cross-sector mentoring, and talent exchange programmes remain elusive. Private and not-for-profit sectors need to offer skills and talent to the government with the long-term objective of supporting more robust policy and delivery outcomes. Ultimately, delivering a mission-driven government will require a real diversity of thought. This will also require different structures, models, and programmes to enable long-term outcomes.

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A new dynamic between government affairs and policy professionals ?

Now more than ever, there needs to be a mindset shift from those working within or with the government affairs profession. The development of trust will be critical; this means a more long-term strategic approach where lobbying for specific policy changes needs to be de-prioritised. Instead, the focus in the early days of a new government should be around co-creation, finding the spaces where we can and should collaborate, and being clear on the goals or outcomes we want and where they align. Using this period to discuss the ‘how’ of working together needs to be top of the agenda.

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All of the above points to a potential new reality for cross-sector collaboration. If we can get in right in the early days of the new administration, there is scope to change how the public, private and not-for-profit sectors work together. A new mindset, a new skillset, and new capabilities are needed. Cometh the time, cometh the cross-sector collaboration!

?In the coming months, WIG will focus on supporting all of the above. Whether through the Advanced Collaborative Leadership Programme, which enables mindset shift and provides the capabilities to collaborate, or the ongoing events series focused on the key missions, WIG is here to support. Should you want further details, please contact the team. ?