A Look Back on 2023: A Year in Review
A Look Back on 2023: A Year in Review
Highlights from last year
Happy Tuesday, Transformation Friends. Another week, another opportunity to go Beyond the Status Quo.
Happy 2024, everyone! As we embark on a new year, I want to express my gratitude to all of you who have joined me in this journey of exploring public sector transformation. I started this space early into 2023 and just wanted to thank everyone for reading, commenting, and discussing. I’ve enjoyed using this space to talk about my opinions and views on transformation and service delivery in the public sector, but more so, I’ve enjoyed hearing what you all have to say about it, too. Your engagement and insights have been a highlight of the year for me.
As we usher in the new year, it's customary to look back and reflect on the previous one. With many new subscribers joining us recently, now is an opportune moment to revisit some of the key topics we've explored over the past year. For those who may have missed them, this is a perfect chance to catch up on our insightful discussions.
2023 on BtSQ: A Year in Review
Where it started
First, let’s start with where it all started. My first post here looked at fear and opportunity in the face of change, inspired by Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken." We explored how this fear can be a barrier to embracing necessary changes in our systems.
The Most Popular Posts
One of our most engaging discussions centred around leadership lessons from the popular character Ted Lasso. His approach to leadership, grounded in empathy and understanding, offers valuable insights for public sector leaders.
My most recent post, reflecting on my experiences overseeing some of the Government of Canada's most significant transformation initiatives, got much attention.
Lastly, I emphasized adopting outcomes-centered approaches instead of traditional, inflexible planning methods. This paradigm shift, which prioritizes results over mere procedural adherence, has the potential to improve the efficacy of public service delivery markedly and was quite popular.
Some of my favourites
I spent a lot of time thinking about the consequences of over-planning in major transformations. The idea of trying to plan away uncertainty (a fallacy) and the downward impact this has on success. This lead me to explore the idea of "Planning Debt," analogous to Technical Debt. It’s my favourite article from last year.
Taking inspiration from the world around us (hat tip to the fantastic podcast/publication 99 Percent Invisible), I enjoyed taking a deeper look at the Anglepoise lamp, a perfect example of how functionality and aesthetics coexist harmoniously. This is a metaphor for what good public service should aim for: efficiency and user-friendly design.
Finally, any reflection on 2023 must include a discussion on Business Cases, an area where, in my opinion, there's significant room for improvement within the public sector in Canada.
Series
I wrote several articles as components of larger thematic series. In case you haven't had the chance to read them, they include:
A comprehensive 4-part series that introduces Programme Management.
A detailed 6-part series focused on Public Sector Value Chains.
Wrap up
That’s a wrap on BtSQ for 2023. What can you expect here in 2024? It's more of the same, but likely articles every two weeks.
I encourage you to continue to share your thoughts and experiences. Reflect on your own 2023:
What were your key learnings about public sector transformation last year?
How have you applied these insights in your professional context?
What are you looking forward to exploring or implementing in 2024?
Until next time, stay curious, and I’ll see you Beyond the Status Quo.