On Politics and the Public Service

by Nick Charney

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While talking politics in the public service is taboo, there is no denying that there is an inherent connection between the quality of political discourse in a country and the quality of its public service. I wanted to pause for a moment and share a great speech given by Jon Cruddas – an MP in the UK – at the Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). It's thoughtful, not overly partisan, and demonstrative of what political discourse can be. It stands in stark contrast to politics in Canada and is definitely worth listening to.


Ps - The transcript is also available and I strongly recommend reading Aaron Wherry's Today in demonstrating contempt for Parliament for contrast.
Cheers

The Education System and the Culture of Entitlement

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: our career expectations are totally messed up.

You know what else I think?

The school system, a system that we spend the better part of our lives in, is a key contributor.

In school the curriculum is linear and clearly defined; teachers check homework daily; and students advance en masse (yearly) often irrespective of their relative abilities.

But can we really blame new recruits for failing to understand the complex work environment, for wanting constant feedback or expecting yearly promotions without the slightest bit of introspection vis-a-vis their actual performance?

Personally, I find it hard to hold it against them, or us for that matter; we’ve all become acclimatized to a system that makes little to no effort to mirror the real world.

Maybe it’s time to rethink the education system

Maybe it is time to teach students that work isn't going to be so clear cut, that management won't always have time to give instant feedback (if at all), and that if they want to advance, they will have to earn it by demonstrating enduring value, not simply their longevity.

If I can’t convince you, maybe Sir Ken Robinson can:

Originally published by Nick Charney at cpsrenewal.casubscribe/connect