Canadian Government Executive - Volume 25 - Issue 04

October/November 2019// Canadian Government Executive / 11 Public Service “I want to stress the need for the gov- ernment and the public service to look at these audits differently, not just as a list of issues we found in dif- ferent programs, but as symptoms of a much deeper culture issue. Depart- ments can implement our recommen- dations and deal with the symptoms we’ve raised, and that is important. But the real question for the govern- ment to think about is why we keep finding and reporting serious prob- lems ...” (Michael Ferguson, May 2018) Accordingly, there is a need to examine and evaluate reforms, not individually, but marked by one senior executive: “It is an honour to serve Canadians and I know we can do ever better!” Thus, the views expressed in the survey need foremost to serve as constructive catalysts for further progress. The way forward is not solely a matter of better management and oversight, but also proper evaluation and consideration of actual results, as well as more serious acknowledgements of the views and voic- es of the executives impacted by too many well-intentioned reforms. References: 1. “Changing the Game: Public Sector productivity in Canada”, Canada’s Public Policy Forum, 2014, page 1. 2. https://socialsciences.uottawa.ca/ public-management-policy/sites/ socialsciences.uottawa.ca.public- management-policy/files/survey_ final_report_ps_management_re- forms_v6-1.pdf 3. Refer to the Executive Survey Report (Section 3.) for a sum- mary of executives’ comments and themes. Robert D’Aoust (BCom, MBA, CPA-CA, CFE) is a federal executive currently in residence at the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy. He formerly held senior positions in the public service, including as Chief Audit and Evaluation Executive, and Chief Finan- cial Officer, as well as worked in the private and non-profit sectors. Selected Comments: “We have been successful in spite of horizontal initiatives, not because of them. Also, there are too many initiatives.” “Too many business rules in HR, which greatly contributed ... to the transition to a single pay system too complex to succeed ... We need to reward simplification. The internal processes and rules of the GOC must take into account user productivity.” “Most reforms have had limited impact as they simply codified things people are already doing. ... Centralized reform initiatives are inherently difficult to implement - one size does not fit all.” “All the rules and regulations and oversight, it is aimed at ensuring nothing gets done.” system-wide. While this survey was a very modest step in that direction, it nonethe- less generated an abundance of informa- tion and insightful suggestions through executives’ written responses. There was also considerable consistency in many of the views expressed and, as presented in the full report, a number of major themes emerged that should help chart the path to better solutions and progress. Although clearly management reforms need better outcomes, a balanced out- look is also essential. The Canadian pub- lic service is ranked as one of the best in the world, and various achievements and successful reforms yielded many valuable improvements over the years. As justly re- TORONTO, OTTAWA, SUDBURY, IQALUIT AND CUSTOMIZED AT YOUR LOCATION ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION WORKSHOP Resolve conflict by cultivating cooperation and understanding, while saving time and money. DEALINGWITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE WORKSHOP Increase your confidence when delivering difficult messages and improve productivity and morale. BECOME A POWERFUL NEGOTIATOR WORKSHOP Be more persuasive and create value by negotiating better deals without damaging relationships. 1.800.318.9741 www.sfhgroup.com contact@adr.ca DIFFICULT PEOPLE AND ISSUES TAKING TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME?