I attended the Government Technology Exhibition and Conference (GTEC) last week in Ottawa. It was a knowledge-full week and I will share a few memorable learning moments.
I attended the Next Generation CIO Monday, where Linda Lizotte-MacPherson, president, Canada School of Public Service, shared some thoughts on the future role of the Chief Information Officer. Quote of the keynote: “Execution, execution, execution…that is where your credibility starts and stops.”
On Tuesday, Louis Richardson, social business evangelist, IBM, discussed where ideas come from and the traits of a creative thinker including observation, experimentation, risk taking and communication. He also emphasized that organizational culture must be people-centric, not content-centric.
Wednesday, I heard from leaders at Shared Services Canada (SSC) and their current focuses, including data centre consolidation, a single email system and network consolidation. Maurice Chénier, senior assistant deputy minister, Projects & Client Relationships, explained that the power of the group is greater than the sum of the individuals and that the exceptional individuals at SSC make government work.
I also had the chance to meet with the GCCONNEX team on the exhibition floor on Wednesday. Joy Moskovic and Ryan Androsoff are leading the charge with the upgraded knowledge sharing platform for the federal public service.
On the final day, Dr. Bernard Meyerson, VP Global Innovation, IBM, spoke to why innovation matters. Innovation is linked to growth and growth happens when good people pursue grand challenges to accomplish the seemingly impossible. The pace of innovation is accelerating and the speed of light is too slow. In the big data world, we need to:
- Manage complex systems of systems that generate big data;
- Leverage big data into unprecedented insights; and
- Employ unprecedented insights for a smarter planet.
GTEC prepared me for another year of good people, shared knowledge and grand challenges.
Craig Sellars is a passionate public servant and biologist. This article is entirely his own initiative and does not necessarily reflect the view of the government, his office or his position therein.
