A few days ago, I was chatting with local government colleagues about our shared experiences. We bemoaned the trends that come and go, with little analysis as to whether we are simply repeating mistakes – from centralised services being devolved down to neighbourhood level, only to be reconfigured back to the centre under the guise of efficiency.
So, too, do we see the trends between generalists and specialists in public management. There is always a clear divide with technical knowledge and expertise favoured in some roles, but occasionally this limits career pathways to specific areas of expertise. Generalists are favoured in more strategic roles and their skills to navigate complex landscapes, often being expected to quickly grapple with issues outside of their core skillset.
