Embracing Excellence in the Public Sector

Every year, governments invest millions, if not billions, of dollars to increase employee effectiveness and reduce inefficiencies. Computer systems sporting acronym-laden names and continual reorganization efforts often lead the pack. At times, desired results are achieved and the investment is validated. However, all too often initiatives die on the vine due to leadership changes and lack of continued funding, or the muffled conversation that the effort should have never started in the first place eventually wins the day.If people can be bold enough to suggest that there can be a world without hunger, war, or poverty, why can'¬"t we agree that there can be a government with engaged, committed, and customer-focused employees? This book contends that the answer lies not in new sweeping changes to policies, processes, or procedures. All too often, these efforts gum the works, slow progress, squander resources, and cause workers to dig deeper into their anti-change fighting positions.Instead of sweeping changes and reforms, a commitment to developing leaders and teams that drive accountability, commitment, and engagement is needed. If the desired efficiencies are to be truly achieved, governments must rethink business as usual and embrace pragmatic and arguably more effective efforts. Successful accomplishment of strategy doesn'¬"t happen in the highest government offices or bodies of legislation. It happens at the front line where individual employees and their leaders interact and make decisions about how to employ resources every day. Unless that part is straight, no grand strategy matters.This story discusses how one group of leaders in one government agency worked to get it right. The story is a work of fiction, and the characters exist only in the author'¬"s mind. However, the five steps outlined in this book are grounded in reality and represent how leaders and their teams can work together to accomplish amazing results. Many government leaders and employees don'¬"t operate under this simple five-step process. It isn'¬"t because they are bad people who don'¬"t want to perform well. It'¬"s simply that most of them operate in a system that over time erodes their passion for excellence. Governments will be far more effective when frontline employees and their leaders embrace a simple planning and execution approach.Why was Embracing Excellence written?In 20 plus years of leading and consulting, Dr. Patrick Leddin has seen that the biggest challenge in many organizations is not the development of the big strategy. It is the ability to make the plan come to fruition. Additionally, he saw a need to write a book directly to public sector employees in an easy to read and understand story that talks the language that government employees are used to hearing. The common jargon of the business world is avoided as the uniqueness of the government audience is addressed in a direct and clear manner.Who should be reading Embracing Excellence?Team leaders, Division Leaders, Directorate Leaders, anyone on or in a team associated with making the organization'¬"s top goals happen in a consistent and systematic fashion. Frankly, any leader in the public sector who is trying to get their team or the teams in their organization to plan and implement more effectively.What'¬"s the benefit from reading Embracing Excellence?Readers will find that the book provides them with a clear framework to get all team members aligned with the organization'¬"s top priorities and a means to work together to accomplish what matters most.