Three thoughts on leaders and leadership

by Nick Charney

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As you likely know I joined the Institute on Governance (IOG) via an interchange in January of this year.

I've since taken on additional responsibilities, a new title and started the IOG's Executive Leadership Program. In fact, the program kicked off this week with a two day executive retreat.

It was an incredibly rich two days but rather than sing the program's praises, I wanted to quickly share three of my early takeaways from the program (which I scribbled down in my learning journal):

1. Leadership is a process of influence that happens in a group to achieve a result. 
2. It is about resilience, both personal and institutional, good leaders are able to turn the former into the latter. 
3. We often rely on our own strengths and talents, good leaders play to the strengths and talents of others.

Cheers (and happy Halloween!)

Thoughts on Problem Definition from NYU's GovLab

by Nick Charney

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Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Alan Kantrow from NYU's GovLab who was in Ottawa to frame up a collaboration with the Institute on Governance (where I am currently on interchange). In addition to back of house discussions, Alan took the time to speak to a number of different groups including the IOG's Executive Leadership Program (which is currently recruiting it's next cohort) about the importance of problem definition. It was a great talk and Alan made some key points that are worth sharing:

• We are more likely to pursue solutions that are locally optimal but globally suboptimal, this is problem shifting not problem solving.
• There is an interesting incongruence between hierarchical incentive structures that reward solving small problems and problem shifting which generates animosity among peers horizontally.
• Making the system known – the up front costs/benefits and embedded logics – explicitly puts people in an uncomfortable position because the outcomes from a good systems map are (in most cases) predictable.
• Shift the bulk of your resources upstream to problem definition, if there has been any central lesson in the work of the GovLab thus far it is that poor problem definition creates poor outcomes. Don't short change yourself upstream (problem definition).
• You need both a theory of change and a theory of action; these are not synonyms. The former is about how does a project touch people, how do they respond and what are their incentives, whereas the latter is about how you cause change to happen within that context, at what points of intervention and in what sequence?
• Far too many people ignore the risks when defining their problem; they genuflect in their direction but fail to go beyond a discussion of type and probability. There is tremendous value in assessing risks against other criteria, time, location, human resource resiliency, cash flow, etc. Resiliency against certain risk types is an important competitive advantage, it allows people to bid on risk.

As a side note, I left the talk wondering about the tension between the amount of time and effort required for proper upstream problem definition and the super-fast superficial culture that reinforces heads down doing instead of heads up thinking.

On the Clerk of the Privy Council

by Nick Charney

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I co-wrote this month's Canadian Government Executive Magazine cover story with the Institute on Governance's Maryantonett Flumian; the article explores the relationship between the Clerk of the Privy Council Wayne Wouters and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Here's an excerpt:

To describe Wayne Wouters’ journey, we have to begin by acknowledging that this journey is in part directed by another very significant leader, the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper. Without the mutual respect and understanding by these two Westerners of each other's roles and the institutions that each heads, there can be no sustained progress for either Canada or its public service.

A prime minister, on his best days, is the guardian and steward of the country's prosperity, humanity and resilience. He holds those values close to him as he leads a government on behalf of Canadians. The Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet is head, guardian and steward of a vital national institution that contributes to supporting the agenda of the government of the day. He ensures that the values of the public service, including stewardship, excellence and integrity, are honoured and oversees the non-partisan institution as it strives to protect Canada's national interest while maintaining its relevance. [Full article]

I think it's timely given all the chatter recently ...

"Ruth Hubbard: The real problem with the public service" http://t.co/xj0yIq7koG #cpsr #goc #cdnpoli
— Nicholas Charney (@nickcharney) June 18, 2014

Here's the @Canada2020 white paper on GC renewal that's been in the Citizen lately: http://t.co/Lr93N9nvze #cpsr
— Kent Aitken (@kentdaitken) June 11, 2014

"Privy Council Office defends top federal bureaucrat" #goc http://t.co/Pf63uyqWMC
— Nicholas Charney (@nickcharney) June 16, 2014

... have a read, and let me know what you think; also Happy National Public Service Week :)

Cheers

Today is my last day in the Public Service

by Nick Charney

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Sensational title I know, and while it's true that today is literally my last day, I consider my departure more of a pivot than anything.

I've been in the civil service for 7 years and felt it was time to readjust, to choose a course of action that allows me to benefit from a different experience and test new hypotheses. An opportunity to elevate my work and focus more closely on some of the issues that are facing the public service, issues that I think are rising in importance.


Where I'm going and what I'll be doing

On Monday I assume responsibilities as a Senior Research Officer at the Institute on Governance, an Ottawa based not-for-profit who's mission is to advance better governance in the public interest. My work will likely be spread across its four lines of business (modernizing government, public sector governance, indigenous governance and not-for-profit governance), involve its in-house learning lab and span all three jurisdictions. In short, the move provides me greater flexibility and a more diversified work experience built around wider array of challenges.

As I embark on this journey - a temporary, two year assignment under the Policy on Interchange Canada - I would encourage you to reach out if there is a mutual opportunity you want to pursue.

That said, you might want to do so quickly; I have a feeling things are about to pick up.

Cheers