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> The Nature of Change:
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Our Perspective on the Process of Change
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The
Public Governance Institute website explains how we see public
policy "change" and why our program differs from anyone
else you will find working in and with the public governance.
Political philosophy, religious values, cultural preferences,
economic reallocation and digital technology are driving change
on a global scale at speeds hard to imagine 25 years ago. Yet
most leaders -- in government and many allied organizations
-- do not see themselves as leaders of change. Instead, they
assume their main business is to "make policy;" their
responsibility is to "figure out what to do."
We agree that "what" matters a lot. But so does "how."
Because how the community of nations copes with change -- defines
it, adapts to it, and above all LEADS it -- will determine the
fate of billions (people, not dollars, marks, yen, or Euros).
When 20th Century India failed to capitalize on the industrial
revolution, generations were sentenced to economic stagnation
and poverty. More recently, an entire continent failed to grasp
the consequences of the AIDS epidemic; ineffective leadership
thereby sentenced millions in Africa to horrible pain and death.
In sum, the need for national institutions to plan and execute
change wisely is becoming a precondition for societal success.
And that means overcoming the barriers of resistance, culture,
and capacity to absorb the demands of change.
Certain nations have recognized the imperative of change and
managed it well. By the 1970s, New Zealand had fallen from being
one of the wealthiest nations on earth to weakling status. From
1983 on, a Labor Party government engineered a transformation
that sets the standard today.
In the mid-1980s, Ireland resolved to make itself a magnet for
the world's most advanced manufacturers, and during the 1990s
turned in growth rates that astonished us all. In the western
hemisphere, Costa Rica has made progress that somehow escaped
the grasp of its regional neighbors even when they tried similar
policies.
Why do some nations succeed in achieving the outcomes they envisioned
when they launch public-policy initiatives, while others fail?
We contend that it's because the governing individuals and institutions
of most countries approach change as an unfathomable mystery
rather than what it ought to be: a manageable process requiring
a sober assessment of reality and a high level of discipline.
Yes, leaders need all of that, in addition to inspirational
goals and strategic thinking. The best "what" can
turn to ashes when institutions are not clear on the "how."
And that's why the Public Governance Institute was formed. Our
goal is to develop change-leadership skills in various countries
that will enable their leadership to assess their own needs,
prioritize initiatives, and execute implementation of change-related
projects with minimal outside assistance.
When compared to failed initiatives that rob populations of
needed new policies or waste donor-group resources (public or
private), the added cost to carry out your change agenda methodically
is minimal.
Like any organization with such a scope, we have our friends
and endorsers. But time is always short, and we'll conclude
this introduction with just a single tribute, because it expands
on our explanation:
"In too many countries, policies and their implementation
are imposed by multilateral or bilateral donors and outside
influences without regard to either the national decision-making
process, capacity or interest in carrying out the policy in
question. This [Public Governance] project reverses this process
by focusing first on developing the capacity of leaders in each
country to implement the change they regard as vital. This shift
in emphasis, in my view, offers a better approach to ensure
donor assistance is properly delivered within the cultural constraints
of the recipient country."
Hon. Henry Hyde
Chairman
Committee on International Relations,
U.S. House of Representatives |
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