By Vinay Vadarevu A key to achieving success as a public servant lies in mastering the art of engaging citizens effectively. This helps you understand their problems to offer effective solutions. For example, when implementing drought relief measures or even social programs, a methodical approach may overlook how the plan is perceived by the people and whether it is providing the intended relief. Engaging with citizens ensures better outcomes. In this blog, I share 5 effective tips to nail citizen engagement.  First, a personal story It is evening, already dark. In the remote hilly ..read more

By Sandra Naranjo Bautista If you have ever dealt with the frustration of the bureaucracy as a public servant, or if you have been annoyed at delays or unnecessary red tape trying to get a government service, this blog is for you. I summarize my three takeaways from Sludge, a book about the bureaucratic burdens of the public sector and how to overcome them. It is written by Cass Sunstein, Harvard Professor and former Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs during the Obama Administration. What is sludge As a public servant, you might be thinking about way ..read more

By Sandra Naranjo Bautista Trust is essential for effective policy implementation and service delivery. Trust in government affects investment decisions and levels of productivity from the private sector, influences citizens’ engagement and their demand for better public services, and impacts our social cohesion as a whole. Who do citizens trust? In this blog, you’ll find a summary of the Global Trust Worthiness Index 2022 focusing on citizens’ trust in civil servants, government ministers, and politicians. Who do citizens trust? According to the Global Trustworthiness Index 202 ..read more

By Sandra Naranjo Bautista This is the roundup of our most popular blogs of the year. Enjoy! #5 The 5 M’s of Development by Harvard Professor Matt Andrews How does change happen in development? This blog gives you five themes that emerge from Professor Andrews’ research and practical work that can help explain what is needed for big (or small) transformations to take place. #4 Politicians vs Civil Servants Politicians and public officials think about public policy differently. Understanding how and why their views and priorities differ is crucial to improve project implementation. This b ..read more

By Sandra Naranjo Bautista Women occupy less than half of the leadership positions in the public sector despite representing more than 50% of the population. The presence of women in leadership positions in the public sector is essential. Not only due to gender equality factors but also because there is evidence that their presence generates multiple benefits. In addition to contributing new experiences and perspectives, women’s presence is associated with higher economic growth, better public services, improved performance of public organizations, lower levels of corruption, am ..read more

By Sandra Naranjo Bautista Are you struggling to find a balance between work and your personal life?  Have you felt you can give more but you are always dealing with urgent matters that leave the important stuff aside? Even worse, are you thinking about joining the quiet-quitting club? In this blog, you’ll find 5 simple, powerful and effective daily habits that you can build into your routine to become the public servant you’ve always wanted to be. Be proactive When I was a little, my dad told us the kids’ version of A Message to Garcia, a widely distributed essay by Elbert Hubbard. This ..read more

By Sandra Naranjo Bautista In an era of rapid changes, innovation should be part of the public sector’s DNA. At Better Govs, we are fans of sharing useful (did I say free?) resources to help you improve your innovation skills and ease your public sector journey. This blog gives you a brief overview of the Innovation Playbook developed by the OECD’s Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI). Short of time? Check this blog for a summary. You can download the playbook here. I recommend having a quick look at the case studies and toolkits.  Some context In 2019, OECD countries and 5 ..read more

By Sandra Naranjo Bautista Innovating in government sounds appealing but also impossible for some organizations that resist change. How to find space to try something new? What can we learn from the private sector and what can entrepreneurs learn from the government? We discussed all these topics with Martín Burt, former mayor of Paraguay’s capital -Asunción-, and world-renowned social entrepreneur. This blog gives you a summary of our conversation. You can also listen to it fully here. (2 min) Martín’s advice to implement innovative policies effectively Start with the people. Understa ..read more

By Sandra Naranjo Bautista Mastering your leadership skills is a must in the public sector. Whether you are leading a small or a big team, knowing how to motivate your people and lead them towards achieving results will be the difference between wishful thinking and impactful actions. In this blog, I share three powerful leadership lessons from Jacinda Ardern. New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, is, arguably,one of the most successful political leaders in managing the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. In December 2020 she&nb ..read more

By Sandra Naranjo Bautista Is change even possible in the public sector? It might not always feel that way, but it is. In this article, I talk about how to think about change in the public sector, a way to find entry points for transformation, and a strategy to engage others to push your ideas forward. Think of government organizations as turtles  Let’s start with a simple analogy! This has nothing to do with speed.  Lant Pritchett, now RISE Research Director at the University of Oxford, is one of the brilliant minds we have in development. Recently, I heard him talk about bureaucra ..read more