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Embracing Change and Innovation in the Public Sector
August 2010
Following the recession, the burgeoning national debt and the need to radically reduce the cost of the public sector, we know there are going to be big changes ahead. Carrying on achieving targets with fewer people and resources generally is undoubtedly going to be a challenge and an unwelcome one for most
The secret to making the changes as exciting and productive as possible lies in embracing your creativity and powers of innovation so that your department or organisation emerges in a stronger place than before.
Let us use the case of a large FE College as an example for how resources are likely to be reduced. It has made its entire specialist teaching staff redundant with disastrous consequences for students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia.
Below are some proven tips for stimulating creativity and making things happen which could be used to turn round a negative situation such as this
— Collaborate with your Colleagues
The golden rule when trying to innovate and change is to work with a team of people to come up with ideas. That way you are far more likely to get buy in and enthusiasm for implementation than if one person tries to force their own idea on others. A team working together can generate more ideas and also better refine them to make them more practical. In the case of the college the Vice-Chancellor should appoint a task force with the remit to develop alternative approaches to specialist teaching given that there is no budget for specialist teachers
— Understand your Stakeholders
It is vital the team get under the skin of various Stakeholders and work out what their issues are and this Stakeholder remit should be wide. In the case of the FE college, for example, Stakeholders are not just the Students with learning difficulties who are falling behind, but also the other Students and regular Teaching Staff, who might be held back by their under-performance. Then there is the Administrative Staff and even the Local Community, disappointed that their College has a high drop out rate.
— Bring Diversity into the Team
The more diverse perspectives there are, the more likely you are to come up with new ideas and fresh alternatives. In the case of the College, there are a range of people they could call on, from former students with dyslexia who have learnt coping strategies to dyslexic role models who have been able to harness the special creativity which often goes with their condition.
— Get as much Lateral Stimulation as possible
To stimulate ‘out of the box thinking’, focus on completely unrelated ‘lateral’ areas and then find a way to relate this material to create a solution. An easy way to do this is to hand out random postcards and ask the Team to come up with ideas stimulated by their postcard. In the case of the FE College, a postcard of two people exchanging gifts might suggest the idea of a Bartering System, whereby Students with learning difficulties swap their often enhanced practical skills for coaching to overcome their learning issues. The programme could be co-ordinated by a local charity, the student union or the admin staff.
— Focus on Action & Implementation
Senior Management must motivate the Team to implement the good ideas they have had. By making it clear that this is a key initiative and that Staff appraisals will be affected by the outcome, the Vice-Chancellor of the FE College can really make a difference.
In summary, by embracing creativity and thinking about things differently, your stakeholders can still be helped even though there may not be the dedicated resources available. At the same time, internal staff of your department or organisation can realise that they do not have to be helpless victims of cuts, but that with a little imagination and motivation they can still create a positive outcome.
How the article appeared in the HR & Training Journal June 2010
