2 min read
Wednesday Wisdom
3 min read
The public opinion trap
2 min read
The paradox of public leadership (or: just give them the damn picnic table)
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” “I must be cruel to be kind” “The child is the father of the man” Literature is full of...
1 min read
Revenge of the Arts degree
I'm taking a brief break from my "Taking the Boot of the Public Sector" series to tell you something important about education and recruitment. In...
2 min read
In defence of the bureaucrat
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Is the pain real? precedent, phantom and projection
One of the worst things I’ve experienced in my adult life was a horrific abscess I had in my tooth when I was 22. I was immobilised with pain and the...
3 min read
You'd never run a business like this! taking the boot out of the public sector volume 2
This week, I continue my 'Taking the boot out of the public sector' series. It's too common to dunk on government, and when even the politicians get...
1 min read
Public services are complex
One of the most popular and least imaginative criticisms of the public sector is that it is less efficient than the private sector. Since the late...
10 min read
How running a marathon became resilience skills training
I ran my first marathon in September this year, in beautiful Tauranga. It was one of the big-ticket items on my bucket list and with a milestone...
4 min read
You can be the one who changes things
It's never been more possible to do great work You are always free to choose a different path Your employer wants you to shake it up. It's never been...
1 min read
How to ask quality questions
Bad questions kill relationships. When we turn up to a meeting, conversation, or email powered by judgement and annoyance, our questions reflect...
1 min read
A strategic choice a day keeps the existential dread at bay
Do you have everything you want? Do you have the resources to close the gap?
1 min read
Tippity tap, send
Recently, my 9-year-old daughter imitated what people do at work with this handy little phrase: "Tippity tap, send.". With that, she struck an air...
2 min read
Success hack: networking with the right people
The company you keep matters. When you're surrounded by smokers, you're more likely to be a smoker. When your friends are successful at work, you're...
5 min read
Get out of the way: your future is inevitable
My 8 year old waffle chef What if you're the barrier? A new approach to achieving your goals.
1 min read
Just keep going
It’s hard to stick to new stuff. We sign up to new things all the time – fitness regimes, ideas, podcasts, committees – and the initial burst of...
4 min read
10 ways to take control of your life
Sometimes, the world spins wildly out of your control, and you forget you have control of your life. Here are ten things you can take charge of right...
1 min read
Fear breeds complexity: simplify the public sector
The Global Simplicity Index tells us that, in the private sector, simplicity pays. The majority of consumers will spend more, for an easy customer...
1 min read
The consequences of your commitment
Are you struggling to make progress on the most important things to you?
2 min read
How to ask bigger questions
Most meetings and workshops are a waste of time. They're full of people resolving trivial issues that could be handled by email or delegation with...
3 min read
Unwinnable games
On Sunday, I got busy organising and optimising for a packed week. Between school runs, home maintenance disasters, travel and work, I knew I was in...
2 min read
How to walk the talk
Have you ever had one of those ‘practice what you preach’ moments? Where you realise you need to walk the talk to have any impact? I have those...
1 min read
Learning in lockdown: use crisis to develop new skills
I always have my best ideas on a plane. It's not great in lockdown, I'll admit, but there's something about putting myself in a different situation...