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Public Services Summit 2010

Don't alienate the mavericks, says head of Nesta

Nesta chief executive Jonathan Kestenbaum used his closing keynote speech at this year's Guardian public services summit to put the case for innovative vision as the way forward for public services

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jonathan kestenbaum
Nesta's Jonathan Kestenbaum makes his point at this year's summit. Photograph: James Young

Jonathan Kestenbaum, chief executive, Nesta, closed this year's summit with a keynote speech on innovation and in particular the infrastructure organisations should implement to encourage visions of achievement.

There has been much talk of short-term pain at the summit, Kestenbaum said, but there was also a vision emerging of how public services will have to change through users, community, technology.

His point was how do those, particularly managers and leaders, working in public sector navigate this journey?

He made four observations, the first of which was managers know that strategy is where it begins – set hurdles too high, or the scope to narrow and you are heading for failure. It's not about blockbuster designs (iPod, Viagra). The best ideas come from the widest imaginable funnel, while not advocating anarchy or chaos, he said the process should be fluid, yes of course innovation needs impact, focus, but they should not be too restrictive.

A wider funnel is more likely to generate solutions; a small funnel means ideas will be pushed too quickly, the focus too narrow, managers will miss the wider picture

Next he talked about the innovation process, controls are way too tight. Planning, budgeting, regular review and appraisal – are business processes but wrong for innovation. These milestones are often missed by great innovative companies., he said. What is needed is a flexible budget.

More importantly, he said, is that organisations should not alienate 'mavericks' or trailblazers - don't keep them separated from the team. Communication across departments is vitally important and there is a massive premium on inter-personal skills, coalitions which provide air cover for when things are not going to plan. The skills and attributes of men and women that can embed innovation in an organisation is vital – as is the role of HR departments who must be able to spot potential innovators.

There skills maybe not be what you would find on a traditional CV; maybe the way they dress, act, attitude, for it is these types of people who can bring real change to an organisation as long as they have the freedom within it to express themselves.

So, a positive end note to a day and half of intense debate, and by general consensus one of the best Guardian public services summits. We look forward to next year.


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  • Mcpherson

    8 Feb 2010, 2:15PM

    Mavericks are by their nature anti authority despite often working in very hierarchical organisations. They have no time for paperwork, office politics or standard procedures. They ignore the rules, cut corners, upset their bosses but they get results.

    Often these individuals are not particularly successful in that their career has stalled despite their cleverness; largely because successive bosses consider them a liability, likely to upset important people like politicians by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time even though it is the right thing.

    Their passion for the job is acknowledged but not admired by their less able, less committed, more cynical career minded colleagues. But they often command the loyalty and respect of their team.

    Is this the dynamic, rebellious manager we would all like to be if only we didn?t have a mortgage and kids at university. Because the reality is most of us are not like this. We make compromises, we do the boring stuff like responding to emails, keeping the recording up to date, authorising expenditure, attending meetings and we follow policy and procedures most of the time and do not disagree with our boss too often- at least in public. We may not be compliant by nature but are made so by the work place. Yet the organisation also needs people who challenge the way things are done in order to respond to changing circumstances. If budgets are cut, whilst demand is increasing, if service user expectations are rising and continuous improvement is to be maintained then managers will need to be innovative. So some insubordination, deviance and disregard for accepted ways of doing things will be tolerated, provided it gets results.

    But spare a thought for the person who has to manage them! Never quiet sure what they will say or do next, which important and influential person their cavalier attitude and characteristic bluntness will up set, which carefully nurtured relationship they will jeopardise by their rash actions or what damage their disregard for procedures might cause to the reputation of the organisation. Because in the real world these things matter.
    Blair

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