Title

This country is in the first throes of some significant ‘change management'. When one puts this into practice within an organisation, one focuses on a communication strategy and on ensuring all teams have the skills they need to deal with change. How are we going to do this on a national scale? Rod Aldridge is chairman of the Aldridge Foundation Local government is going to have to make sweeping changes, ones which cannot just be achieved by salami-slicing budgets, imposing recruitment freezes, and the plethora of other efficiency initiatives which are already under way. All authorities are facing decisions that will impact on all residents. It will be interesting to see how many innovative examples of better ways of working will be sent back to Whitehall from those public sector workers recently asked to share ideas with the Government. There could be some good stuff in there. While I do not envy the decisions that councils will have to make, they are decisions which, if made correctly, have the potential to revolutionise local government service provision – and empower local communities. However, one of the biggest challenges is encouraging the wider public to look beyond immediate losses and their fear of change. This is easier said than done. People have a natural and reasonable inclination to focus on what they are losing, even if there is little left to lose. We can see and recognise the stuff at risk, but cannot necessarily visualise the benefits of different approaches – especially if we suspect they are more ‘spin' than substance. My experience as an academy sponsor has taught me that caring parents, anxious to ensure a good education for their children, will still resist change, even in a school which is clearly failing them. We are most conservative in our risk taking around the issues that matter to us most. As a nation, we're not good at calculating and managing risk. So, how do we change this? Now is the time to get our least conservative, most adventurous thinkers – young people – involved in shaping our future. After all, they are the ones who are going to have to live with the decisions that are made over the next few years. For them to be able to participate in this process, they are going to need the right package of skills and an appetite to get involved. Let's hope that our education system is prepared for this challenge. It is ironic that one sector facing the loss of one-quarter of its resources is also the research and development department we will all be depending on for creativity, smart risk-taking and unbeatable problem-solving skills in future.

Title

WHITEHALL

Plugged In

SUBSCRIBE TO CONTINUE READING