This Government Transformed podcast, supported by knowledge partner Skillsoft, looked at how governments can assess the skills they need; how they are working to quicken recruitment in key digital skills; and how artificial intelligence developments will change the skills that civil servants need.

Join host Richard Johnstone and representatives from the governments of Belgium, Canada, South Africa and knowledge partner Skillsoft as we also discuss how governments can benchmark skills and performance, and how they are working to do more with less.

This podcast is based on a Global Government Forum webinar, How to get the right skills mix for modern, digital government, held on 8 July and supported by knowledge partner Skillsoft.

Click here to find out more about Global Government Forum’s training and development programmes.

Read Global Government Forum’s Making Government Work report, which reveals five pillars of a modern civil service.

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From policy officials working to develop responsive services that meet users’ needs, to frontline officials who have to make choices on what tax cases to prioritise, the work of government requires the skills to make effective decisions.

This Global Government Forum webinar looked at how governments can build systems that help drive better decision-making – and how civil servants can develop the skills to make – and implement – confident decisions.

This webinar brought together public servants from around the world to discuss how governments are streamlining the way they work to become more nimble. It looked at how governments are building systems that will provide more effective data on public service delivery – boosting effective decision-making and facilitating action.

This session discussed:

• The data practices that are making a difference for decision-makers, and the value that can be unlocked from more timely and accurate data in government.
• The technology and operations that are improving decision-makers’ agility to react to changing and evolving conditions.
• The skills needed to make confident decisions in government.
• The role of AI and AI agents in better decision-making and action-taking.

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There’s a link to Joe’s essay at the bottom of these notes, but Everythingism is what Joe Hill describes as the belief in government that “every proposal, project or policy is a means for promoting every national objective, all at the same time”.

In this episode, Richard and Joe dig into exactly what Everythingism means, how it manifests in policymaking, and the impact that it can have in government.  

According to Hill, Everythingism emerges from the denial or avoidance of trade-offs in government – and argues this denial is one of the contributors to the widely-felt frustration with the pace of change in government.

Also worth noting for listeners is that Richard spoke to Joe before the think-tank announced its name change to Re:state from Reform.

We hope you enjoy this podcast, and please do share with anyone who would like it. And to hear more from public service experts and analysts, subscribe to Leading Questions wherever you get your podcasts.

Read Joe’s essay here: Everythingism: an essay

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According to a survey of public servants undertaken by SAS, all public sector agencies surveyed are currently experiencing some form of fraud and expect to see an increase in at least one type of fraud over the next 5 years.

Fraud is also having an impact on public finances. In the UK, chancellor Rachel Reeves has set out a crackdown on fraud in the welfare system, with a focus on saving £4.3bn by the end of the decade, while the International Public Sector Fraud Forum has published a revised framework that sets out key principles and processes for conducting fraud loss measurement exercises to better quantify the cost of fraud – and measure savings.

The importance of unlocking these savings is demonstrated by the SAS research, which identified that tackling fraud, waste and abuse could release savings equivalent to around 16% of their government’s budget.

This webinar session examined the scale and extent of the fraud challenge that governments around the world face – and how to tackle it.

The session brought together public servants to discuss:

• The trends in the type of fraud threats that governments face now – and will face in future.
• How governments are tackling the threats they face now – and preparing for the threats that are on the horizon.
• The role for AI and analytics in tackling the fraud challenges that government face – and how these technologies can be embedded in current working practices.

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But the race cannot be run, let alone won, without systems changes and cultural reinvigoration among department workforces. Deploying AI technology at scale will mean changing delivery systems, long-term staff training and fluid yet secure and ethical data sharing within organisations. 

This webinar, supported by GGF’s knowledge partners SAS, discussed how to make AI work for government.

Speakers discussed ways to develop use cases, including business cases, for AI that demonstrate how it can be deployed in the most effective way. They also discussed the building blocks for making AI work, as well as recommendations on the AI tools and media that panellists themselves find useful.

The ‘How to deploy artificial intelligence in government: a step-by-step guide’ webinar was originally held on 13 March 2025.

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In this episode, three public servants from across the Canadian government spoke about the challenges that come with deploying AI to create more efficient public services and unlocking economic growth.

Specifically, they discussed the challenge of garnering trust – both of Canadian citizens and the public servants they work with – on AI projects.

This conversation looked at how organisations within the Canadian government are seeking to strengthen responsible AI management practices and unlock the potential of the technology to make better decisions.

The speakers discussed how the government can set AI assurance standards to apply to organisations across the public and private sector, and how individual public sector organisations can work to build confidence in the use of AI, as well as how international collaboration can be strengthened to tackle AI risks across borders.

This podcast is based on a webinar Building trust in AI to help government deploy it, held on 13 May. Find out more about the session and watch it in full here.

AccelerateGOV – Global Government Forum’s public service transformation event – co-hosted by the Government of Canada returns on December 9th 2025. Register your interest now for the conference, which will set oput how public servants can meet the new Governemnt of Canada’s priorities.

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In a recent conversation hosted by Global Government Forum, government data experts discussed the role, opportunities and challenges of using data and AI to deliver on its five missions. 

Those five missions include: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, making streets safer, breaking down barriers to opportunity, and finally, building an NHS fit for the future.

In this podcast, you will hear from government data leaders on how data insights can be used to achieve these goals, as well as how to drive the changes that mission-led government requires.

The challenges that organisations faced were also discussed, including foundational data constraints, and the limitations of legacy systems, funding and digital skills.

Listen to find out from government leaders how data can help drive the government’s missions.

This podcast is based on a webinar Real time insight for missions: how to measure progress on the government’s priorities, held on 6 May. Find out more about the session and watch it in full here.

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From external factors, such as finance and people, to external issues like geopolitics and climate change, EY has identified the top 10 risks that will impact governments throughout 2025.

In this conversation, Catherine discusses these challenges and unpacks the steps governments must take to meet them.

The top 10 risks for the government and public sector in 2025 report that Catherine refers to in this discussion can be downloaded here or alternatively listened to as audio by searching for "top 10 risks for government" on your favorite podcast platform.

In addition, we invite you to check out EY’s Risk Radar mini-series, available to listen to on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Podbean. This six-episode mini-series explores macro trends across the top risks, offering insights and practical strategies.

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The podcast, based on a Global Government Forum webinar held on 4 March, sets out what the new rules, in the policy statement and the Procurement Act 2023, will mean for what public authorities will want to buy, and how they will do it.

Listen to this podcast to discuss the key elements of the new UK procurement approach will mean across the public sector – and beyond.

Find out more about the webinar on its dedicated webpage, and download the slides from the session here.

Find out about Global Government Forum’s upcoming webinars.

Global Government Forum’s Innovation 2025 conference will bring together government innovators from around the world in London on 25-26 March 2025, including in public procurement. Find out more and register to attend.

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In this podcast, experts from the UK, Estonia and Brazil share best practice on harnessing people-powered insight in policymaking, examining how governments are working to understand citizens’ lived experiences and to turn their ideas into public services that really work.

Co-creation isn’t always easy. It often requires the building of trust between a range of stakeholders with competing interests – even bitter contentions – but as we hear, with the right approach, government teams can identify areas of consensus amongst a diversity of perspectives.

Showcasing a paradigm shift from designing for citizens to with citizens, the experts give a range of examples of successful innovations: ones that helped iron out Brexit trade issues in a high-charged environment, led to inclusive budget design at local government level, and empowered children to help their families understand what state benefits they might be eligible for.

This human-centred approach to policy design and implementation takes much experimentation, testing and learning as well as upfront investment in time and money – but as we find out, the benefits can be huge.

This podcast is based on a webinar held on 11 February. Find out more about the speakers on the webinar page: Crowding in innovation: how to open up policy development to people-powered insight, and view GGF’s upcoming webinars to register to join future conversations.

Global Government Forum’s Innovation 2025 conference will bring together government innovators from around the world in London on 25-26 March 2025. Find out more and register to attend.

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Focusing on delivering these long-term missions requires, according to prime minister Keir Starmer, requires a different approach to government. It requires departments to work together outside traditional silos, as well as with regional and local government, and businesses and unions, 

How, then, will Labour change government to deliver these missions? This podcast, the fourth in Global Government Forum’s How Government Works series and based on a webinar held on 14 November, discusses the changes that Labour is making in government to drive progress on these missions, as well as other changes in how government is structured that can deliver on its priorities. The session also touched on what the Budget reveals about the government’s priorities for the next year and beyond. 

This episode was recorded before prime minister Sir Keir Starmer set out the milestones for the government’s missions in a speech on 30 November, and before Sir Chris Wormald was named as the UK’s cabinet secretary and head of the civil service with a mission to “change the way government serves this country”. These updates will be discussed in the next webinar in GGF’s How Government Work series, taking place on 4 March. 

And find out more about how the UK government and its international peers are dealing the challenges they face at Global Government Forum’s Innovation conference on 25-26 March 2025.

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This episode explores the policymaking processes: what gets prioritised for legislation and how it is scrutinised and passed, and how does it move to delivery both in the public and private sectors. 

This is the third in a series of podcasts from Global Government Forum setting out how government works, and was based on a webinar held on 13 September 2024.  

Keep your eyes on your podcast feed for more episodes from Global Government Forum’s How Government Works series.  

Register for the next webinar in GGF’s How Government Work series, providing more information on the government’s missions and what they mean in areas like procurement, taking place on 4 March.

And find out more about how the UK government and its international peers are dealing the challenges they face at Global Government Forum’s Innovation conference on 25-26 March 2025.

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Organisational cultures are key to how any operation functions, and this episode looks at everything from the civil service and ministerial codes, to ethics advisors and independent standards committees, and onto parliamentary scrutiny of the government. 

This is the second in a series of podcasts from Global Government Forum setting out how government works, and was based on a webinar held on 23 August 2024.  

Register for the next webinar in GGF’s How Government Work series, providing more information on the government’s missions and what they mean in areas like procurement, taking place on 4 March.

And find out more about how the UK government and its international peers are dealing the challenges they face at Global Government Forum’s Innovation conference on 25-26 March 2025.

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This first podcast in Global Government Forum’s How Government Works series provides easy-to-digest information on who does what, and how, in government.

Listen to this episode to get a simple summary of everything from constitutional frameworks to the organisational structures and interactions, and onto operational procedures, people and power. The session also looked at how to interact with these institutions and people in the most appropriate and effective ways.

This is the first in a series of podcasts from Global Government Forum setting out how government works, and was based on a webinar held on 12 July 2024. At the time of recording, Simon Case was the UK government cabinet secretary, prior to his departure in December 2024.

Find out more about how the UK government and its international peers are dealing the challenges they face at Global Government Forum’s Innovation conference on 25-26 March 2025

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This special episode of Global Government Forum’s Leading Questions podcast, taken from a webinar held on 19 November, looks at what public servants will be doing to prepare for the incoming presidential team led by President Donald Trump.

In this podcast, webinar chair Siobhan Benita discusses the work that civil servants will be undertaking for the government transition with Jason Briefel, non-attorney partner and director of government and public affairs, Shaw Bransford & Roth, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum.

Listen to this podcast to hear insight on what civil servants will be doing to prepare for a new president, the process of a presidential transition, and what the Department of Government Efficiency means for government.

The conversation covers:

• What the election result reveals about the public's priorities for government - particularly around trends like tackling inflation and immigration.
• How the result fits into international electoral trends.
• What happens in a government transition.
• How civil servants will be preparing for implementing Trump's priorities - introducing tariffs, deportation of illegal immigrants, reducing government spending.
• Key appointments that are made so far.

Mentioned in this episode:

Japan looks to learn from Elon Musk’s US government efficiency programme

Read the US CIO study mentioned in this report

Register now for Government Service Delivery – the new name for GovernmentDX

Over the two days of May 13 – 14, 2025, the Government Service Delivery event program unites global digital government leaders to explore tech-driven innovation for delivering high-quality public services for customers. This event will include an exclusive series of roundtables and an open conference – find out more here and register your interest

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They discuss Dominic’s broad mandate, which includes service delivery, security and privacy, as well as his current priorities such as improving digital services, enhancing cybersecurity, and modernising legacy systems. Dominic touches upon Canada’s past technological failures and controversies, and stresses the role of collaboration, both within government and with provincial governments and the private sector, to bring public services into a new era of human-centred service design. The conversation also covers how to professionalise the digital workforce and implement more agile procurement practices to keep pace with technological advancements.

“In the financial world…chief financial officers have to get certifications and have to keep those certifications up to date,” Rochon said. “In the federal government, that is not the case for the digital world. I'd like to explore how we get to that, particularly given how fast technology is evolving.”

He highlights how such an approach is particularly needed if government is to make the most of artificial intelligence, for example.

This episode also previews AccelerateGOV, Global Government Forum’s annual conference held in Ottawa, where digital leaders from around the world gather to discuss how governments can overcome challenges to realise the opportunities of digital transformation.

Listen to the podcast in full to hear about how Dominic is leading the way to making digital transformation happen.

Public servants can register free to attend  AccelerateGOV,  taking place at the Shaw Centre on 21 October.

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·       Strong leadership with mutual respect and alignment between ministers and senior officials

·       Building a highly skilled, inclusive and thriving public sector workforce.

·       Fostering an agile, digital, and risk-taking culture focused on delivery.

·       Implementing working structures that transcend organisational silos.

·       Cultivating a service trusted by its users and the public.

The report is the culmination of interviews with 12 senior civil service leaders from around the world, and comes in response to requests from leaders at Global Government Forum’s annual Global Government Summit for a comprehensive “blueprint” for government that could consolidate and expand key knowledge shared over the past decade.

In the conversation, report authors Richard Johnstone, Siobhan Benita and Lord Gus O’Donnell discuss the elements of each of these pillars, setting out the findings from this unique research. Listen now for an unprecedented primer on the key issues that governments around the world are facing. For civil servants looking to understand how to cultivate a service trusted by individual users and the public at large, this discussion is essential listening.

Read our Making Government Work report here.

Thank you to the leaders who took part in this study:

·       Glyn Davis, secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia

·       Donna Cadogan, head, public service, Barbados

·       John Hannaford, clerk of the Privy Council and secretary to the Cabinet, Canada

·       Taimar Peterkop, state secretary, Estonia

·       Henrik Haapajärvi, former state secretary to the prime minister, Finland

·       Claire Landais, secretary general of the government, France

·       Haryomo Dwi Putranto, acting chair, Indonesian National Civil Service Agency, Indonesia

·       John Callinan, secretary general of Department of Taoiseach and Government, Ireland

·       Folasade Yemi-Esan, head of the civil service of the Federation, Nigeria (retired 14 August)

·       Leo Yip, head of civil service and permanent secretary (Prime Minister’s Office), Singapore

·       Simon Case, cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, United Kingdom

·       Dustin Brown, deputy assistant director for Management, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President, United States (at time of interview).

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Join Siobhan Benita as she discusses the key issues of the campaign with Dr Thomas Gift, the associate professor of political science and director of the Centre on US Politics (CUSP) at UCL, and Kevin R. Kosar, a resident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Listen to this podcast to find out the key issues shaping the campaign, the policy priorities being set out by the parties, and the early actions that the next president will likely take.

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Subtitled Empowering People To Help Government Do Better, Honig’s book explores how civil servants can be empowered to drive better government performance. 

Honig argues that many public sector organisations are too focused on compliance – what he describes as an attempt to keep those who might want to do ill from doing it. 

Such as approach wears down public servants, leaving those who are driven to make a difference frustrated by the obstacles and compliance rules they face. 

This highly topical interview comes as the new UK government aims to focus government on five key missions, and provides insight on both how to realise progress on what Honig calls these grand missions, as well as using missions as a means to clearly state public service purposes – be that fighting fires or providing care, or being the best internal auditor. 

Honig says that empowering civil servants is vital to achieving all these missions, giving civil servants both autonomy and support as a team to deliver. 

Listen in full to hear about how to make mission delivery happen in government – from strategies to drive change like implementing ‘green tape rules’ to the role of leadership. If you have questions about how to make mission-driven change happen in government, please contact richard.johnstone@globalgovernmentforum.com – and we will ask Dan for his tips of adopting a mission approach in government.

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The general election will be held on 4 July, with parties setting out their vision for the future of the country.

That means that right now, civil servants are working on ‘day one’ documents for new ministers who will be appointed after votes are cast. These briefings will highlight the key issues that the next government will have to deal with, and set out the path to implement key policies.

Richard Johnstone, the executive editor of Global Government Forum, Leading Questions podcast host Siobhan Benita and the former Director General, Government Digital Service Kevin Cunnington, discuss the policy battleground in this election; the issues the next prime minister will inherit – whoever they are – and what will be happening in Whitehall right now as officials observe the campaign.

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Having spent 32 years at the Bank of England, latterly as chief economist, headed up the UK government’s Levelling Up Taskforce, founded the charity Pro Bono Economics, and spent the last two years as chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts, Andy has a range of roles and experiences to draw on. Yet though he has been very honest publicly about his organisations’ successes and failures over the years, he hasn’t divulged much about his own leadership style and motivations – until now.  

The man once named amongst the world’s 100 most influential people by Time magazine has seen his fair share of crises – not least, during his time at the Bank of England, the global financial crisis of 2008, the European debt crisis, Black Wednesday, and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Looking back over those 32 years, it was hallmarked or perhaps pockmarked by crises. They always come along, don’t they? But we seem to have had a particularly virulent sequence over the last 15 years plus,” he says.  

It is fortunate, then, that Andy is energised by the opportunity to drive big, system-wide change.  

Motivated by his belief that the most effective and durable way of making change is to engage as broad a base of stakeholders as possible, Andy describes the importance of listening to those not often given a voice. Indeed, speaking to people for whom the economy was not working proved to be “one of the most valuable sources of intelligence I could have had”.  

He also speaks of his tendency to be publicly honest about the things that have gone wrong and to suggest ideas radically different from the status quo; his concern that civil servants do not have “a long enough window of relative tranquillity to build their sea defences against whatever the next tsunami might be”; and of the importance of having an “optimistic, non-fatalistic mindset”.  

This fascinating episode is a window into the motivations of a man in the business of “establishing next practice rather than best practice thinking”, of considering what’s around the corner, and of “instilling a sense of belief about what’s possible”.

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From dealing with a vulnerability in the country’s digital ID system – which involved updating thousands of digital services – to the country’s response to the COVID pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this is an episode packed with lessons on what to do when government is faced with emergency.  

Taimar’s main learning from the digital ID crisis was the importance of building relationships with the private sector, academia and civil society – so that they can be called upon when the government lacks the internal capabilities to deal with crises on its own.  

“You need all the different players in these situations to talk the same talk and to have the same message: ‘This is the problem, this is the solution, and don’t worry’,” Taimar says.  

Through clear and consistent communication with citizens, the Information System Authority, which led the work to secure the IDs and which Taimar headed up at the time, managed not only to retain trust in the digital ID system but to actually increase it. Indeed, following the incident, use of the cards actually began to rise.  

When COVID hit, by which time Taimar had been appointed secretary of state, he took the lessons from that crisis and applied it to his leadership through the pandemic, not least in looking after the wellbeing of public servants, many of whom were having to work 16-hour days. He brought in mental health advisers and gave officials who had done exceptionally well gifts to boost morale. 

Also describing his part in moving management of the pandemic response from the health department to the prime minister’s office and establishing a COVID taskforce; Estonia’s readiness for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; his background as a lawyer and technologist; and why he has decided to work for two years in his second term rather than the usual five, this is a not-to-miss episode for any public servant interested in how government can prepare in the era of permacrisis. 

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Having been appointed health department permanent secretary just as a coalition government was formed and responsible for implementing sweeping and controversial reforms, Una was right in the thick of it – being scrutinised before a parliamentary committee no less than 28 times. 

It was a “bumpy” ride, she admits, but one she was absolutely ready for.  

Being the daughter of Irish immigrants who were “firm believers in giving back”, Una worked in politics, academic research and other roles before joining the civil service Fast Stream in her early 30s.

She held roles in the Cabinet Office and transport department but was always drawn to health.

Looking back, it was time spent setting up a hospice and care centre for people with AIDS and HIV in London in the 1980s that had the most profound effect, she says, having seen first-hand the people who were on the receiving end of poor care and discrimination – and wanting to play a part in making change.

Also describing her role in inquiries into major healthcare failings at two hospitals and “deeply hurtful” realisations about her own department’s conduct, insights into working with ministers, and her current work as a career and leadership coach, this is an episode packed with personal reflections from a leader whose motivations never wavered.

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Israel Pastor has more than 20 years’ experience as a senior manager in the Spanish state administration – including stints in the health, environment, finance and justice departments – affording him a broad perspective on leadership and what it takes to make the organisation you’re in charge of better.    

Having studied hard to get through a rigorous selection process whereby people with no prior professional experience can become an executive member of the civil service – entering at grade 26 of 30 – Israel found himself leading a team in an unfamiliar organisation whilst still in his 20s.     

He advises others who find themselves faced with such a baptism of fire, to “find your references, your mirrors and your mentors” and to have the humility to learn from less senior colleagues.  

Entering any new high-ranking position requires vision, the ability to connect disparate projects and programmes, and the resources “in your backpack” to make improvements, he says. And as listeners will find out, it is these capabilities, along with a focus on shining a spotlight on the work of his teams and being attentive to colleagues’ needs, that epitomise his leadership style.  

Also describing his current work leading the civil service’s learning and development programme, Israel shares his view on what leaders’ greatest challenge will be in the coming years and how to overcome it. He also touches on much more, including on frank discussions with political bosses, pushing back against the stereotype of the lazy civil servant, the importance of institutional communication, and remaining faithful to your public service calling.  

Don’t miss this episode featuring a man who has been determined from a young age to be the best public servant he could be. 

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In this episode, Iain tells podcast host Siobhan Benita about talent management reform, his realisations about effective leadership, his work as a consultant to governments around the world, and why public servants should be mindful of the increasingly diverse perspectives of citizens.  

Realising that great leaders in the New Zealand Public Service often reached their potential “despite the system” rather than because of it, Iain’s focus in his latter years in the top job was on devising and implementing a more systematic way of identifying and nurturing talent and “empowering people with a sense of possibility”.

He credits this and subsequent work with women now accounting for more than half of chief executive roles – but there is “unfinished business” he says, particularly around ethnic representation.

Now working with civil and public services around the world to improve their effectiveness, he describes what looking at governments from the outside in, as well as the inside out, has meant for his perspectives.

He also looks back on the lessons from COVID – particularly that governments “failed pretty spectacularly” when it came to wellness – and his belief that the frames put around government response to major shocks are too narrow.

Also sharing his thoughts on bias in decision-making, waning public trust and the rise of mis- and disinformation, and the promise of technology to change public services for good, this is an episode packed with the kind of wisdom that comes only through decades of hard work, experience and reflection. 

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She took her first job in Washington D.C in the early 1990s – inspired by her WW2 veteran uncle – and hasn’t looked back.   

The senior adviser on strategic engagements and communications to the US federal CIO, Noreen is right at the heart of government. But having worked at nine agencies and for six administrations – and in a range of roles from strategic communications to stakeholder engagement, HR to technology – she has a very well-rounded perspective on government operations.  

From volunteering to take notes at meetings of foods standards executives in the midst of a deadly E coli outbreak to a particularly sobering moment whilst at the Department of Labor, Noreen has always shown a dedication to understanding her colleagues’ needs and how she might help meet them.  

And she has kept two quotes front of mind: Teddy Roosevelt’s “Do what you can with what you have, where you are”, and her boss Clare Martorana’s motto that “people support what they helped create”.  

Also covering improving citizens’ interactions with government through technology, why leaders shouldn’t confuse their role with that of a subject matter expert, the particulars of the American system and much more besides, this is an episode brimming with insight from a public servant whose work always comes back to one thing: resolutely serving the American people as best she can.  

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With a background in maths and law, she joined the public service in 1994 just as South Africa was transitioning from the old apartheid regime to a new democratic order. Working in provincial government before moving to national, Phindile’s career has been akin to “navigating an obstacle course”, not least on account of her race and gender.

From a magistrate describing her as a “little girl” and refusing to address her in the courtroom to coming up against lawyers in the public service who excluded her by speaking Afrikaans, Phindile has faced discrimination with strength and grace – sometimes working to educate bigots and when necessary “fighting fire with fire”.

She says she has always had people “who have known what I’m capable of who troubleshooted on my behalf” but it is principally her self-confidence – built by her parents from a young age – that has helped to pull her through. She is, she says, “motivated by struggle”.

Using her experiences and leadership prowess to support others – Phindile subscribes to the idea popular in Africa that “a star shines because the other star gives you the light for you to shine” – she has worked to help talented colleagues get over crises of confidence, pushing them out of their comfort zones so that they can achieve their best. 

In this first episode of the new series of Leading Questions, Phindile also describes the “harrowing” experience of transforming a public service built on apartheid – to serve four million of a population of 54 million – into a democratic system capable of serving all South Africans.

From an “eclectic” leader who comes across as humble and unassuming, this is a lesson in quiet unshakable strength, resilience and never giving up.

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Sarah Paquet, director and chief executive of FINTRAC Canada, has won awards in recognition of her commitment to advancing gender diversity and inclusion, while Zukiswa Mqolomba, deputy chairperson of South Africa’s Public Service Commission, wasted no time challenging the country’s patriarchal society upon being appointed to her latest role last year.

Both vocal advocates for women leaders and their contribution towards creating fairer societies, in this podcast – which pulls together the best bits from our recent women leaders webinar – Zukiswa and Sarah discuss everything from imposter syndrome and confronting microaggressions in the workplace, to parental leave policies and whether hybrid working helps or hinders women professionally, and much more besides.

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Listen now to get the inside track on what governments will be working on in 2023.

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Gertrud Ingestad – now director general for human resources and security at the European Commission – had been a language teacher in her native Sweden for 13 years before she decided to take a leap into the unknown.

Joining the Commission (the “friendly monster”) as a translator in 1995, Gertrud rose up the ranks, holding a variety of roles in different units, from head of training, to resources director, to information systems and interoperability solutions chief. Approaching retirement after 27 years at the Commission, in this episode, Gertrud looks back at a career she describes as a “series of banana skins”.

Having started in her latest role as HR chief on 16 March 2020, the first day of lockdown in Belgium, she and her team had been responsible for negotiating a new work model for a hugely complex organisation for which in-person collaborative work is a core value – and with the complicating factor that most of its employees had special conditions under ex-pat status that means they must work primarily from Brussels. As such, Gertrud is eminently well-placed to share lessons valuable for anyone navigating the post-pandemic world of hybrid work. Also touching on experiencing burnout, being alert to cultural sensitivities, the growing importance of managers’ people skills, and why authenticity is key.

This not-to-be-missed episode is full to the brim with wisdom from a woman who proves that being an introvert and an effective leader are not mutually exclusive. 

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Professor Colin Talbot of Manchester University and the University of Cambridge took an unconventional route into academia, having spent time in the private sector and local government before landing his first academic role. A seasoned researcher and author who specialises in public services and public management reform, Colin’s previous experience as a consultant for public organisations allowed him insight into their true operating nature and not just the ‘party line’ he is usually fed in his research work – and a unique and rounded perspective.

In this episode – a departure from our usual focus on public service leaders’ career challenges and highlights – Colin takes a look back at the UK’s public management changes under New Labour, compares the UK governance system with that of other countries, and explains what he sees as the pitfalls of the country’s heavy reliance on central government, including “fundamental mistakes” made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peppered with ample context, insights, and examples of what he believes the UK has got wrong – and right – in this podcast Colin puts forward his key messages with verve: that strengthening and empowering local government and encouraging civil servants to spend time in frontline delivery roles are vital if public services are to be improved. 

An absorbing listen, those seeking to understand public management challenges and how to overcome them will not be disappointed.

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Yazmine Laroche had a varied 30-year career in the Canadian public service, rising to become public service accessibility chief, and the first person with a visible disability to be appointed deputy minister in the bureaucracy’s history. 

In this episode – recorded shortly after she retired from the public service in June – Yazmine gives an extremely honest and compelling account of the obstacles she faced in her career. From accepting a job she felt ill qualified for and was told she would hate, to striving to improve the working lives of public servants with disabilities after decades of minimising her own. Yazmine has never shied away from challenge, all in the name of one thing – her resolute commitment to public service.

A hugely experienced and astute leader who believes her time as a public servant has made her a better person. Yazmine shares her hard-won advice for aspiring leaders, speaks of the “tremendous importance of allyship”, and explains why failing to create representative teams could lead to “terrible outcomes”. One not to miss.  

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Michael Wernick spent nearly four decades in the Canadian public service, rising to become the country’s most senior official before his retirement in 2019. In this episode he reflects on some of the many lessons of his long and varied career, its supreme highs and its crushing lows. 

Drawing on his experiences as a white city-dweller at the helm of what is now known as the department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs to the three years spent as clerk of the Privy Council of Canada and secretary to the Cabinet, Michael is open about the public service’s strengths and its failings. 

Touching on the systemic racism in government processes, why he has a problem with the notion of ‘speaking truth to power’ while simultaneously advocating candour, and why his vision for the public service is akin to the moving staircases in Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, this is a valuable listen for anyone interested in the inner workings of government.

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From helping to establish the UK Department for International Development (DFID) after its separation from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to managing a prisons crisis as justice department permanent secretary, Suma Chakrabarti has never been afraid to take on big, complex challenges. Quite the opposite – the opportunity to create change is, he says, what energises him.

In this episode, Suma reflects on his long career in the UK civil service – which also included stints in the Cabinet Office and Treasury – and his time as president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Discussing his decision to leave one civil service job because he was at loggerheads with the minister, why he thinks the merger of DFID and the Foreign Office is a mistake, the future of work, his advice to ambitious civil servants, and much more besides. Suma reveals himself as a bold, astute, and empathetic leader with a truckload of lessons to share.

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Stephanie Foster had been in defence for 23 years when she volunteered to take responsibility for a floundering AUS$1bn stimulus package for local government. Despite facing public criticism over the scheme that she feared might end her career, she says breaking the rules – albeit unknowingly – helped her team deliver 1,000 projects across Australia.

Now deputy secretary governance, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and head of reform for the Australian Public Service, Stephanie also talks of the mighty challenge of delivering the Foster Report in response to an alleged sexual assault in Parliament House, against a politically-charged backdrop and under intense media scrutiny.

Looking back at her long career, what’s clear is that she has become a leader formed of the qualities she admired in her mentors – one who isn’t afraid to be afraid, and who is perfectly imperfect.

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Minouche Shafik was the youngest ever vice president of the World Bank. In 2008, she became permanent secretary of the Department for International Development, before moving to the International Monetary Fund as deputy managing director in 2011 only to find her new boss engulfed in scandal.

From there, she became the deputy governor at the Bank of England and is currently director of the London School of Economics.

Minouche draws on her vast experience to reflect on her own leadership style, her belief in servant leadership and her passion for promoting diversity.

She also explores the challenges associated with leading decentralised organisations, the beauty of an independent civil service and why a small gesture from Christine Lagarde has stuck with her for many years.

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In 1996, David Omand faced his first major leadership challenge: he had become the director of GCHQ and was charged with continuing the intelligence agency’s post-Cold War programme of technological transformation and reform.

In this episode David discusses his experience of being “the young man sent from London to destroy the organisation”, the overlooked concept of followership and the importance of having a narrative.

He also explores his time as permanent secretary of the Home Office, reflecting on why he put so much store by safe spaces, how a life-threatening diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma changed his approach to work, and becoming the UK’s first Security and Intelligence Coordinator.

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Lord Gus O’Donnell’s long career in the civil service started in 1979 in the Treasury and included stints as a diplomat in Washington, press secretary to prime minister John Major and cabinet secretary, head of the civil service and permanent secretary of the Cabinet Office under three prime ministers – Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron.

In this episode he discusses what it was like to work with four very different leaders, at very different points in their premierships, and with very different styles. He also reflects on his own leadership development, how he remained calm in a crisis and why he regrets feeling irreplaceable.

There are plenty of insights on the civil service too – with comparisons between the private sector, his drive to instill pride and why he always told people that if they want to get on, they should get out, get different experiences …and then come back.

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Of course be true to yourself and your values, says Ciaran Martin CB, professor of practice in the management of public organisations at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government.

“The bit I interpreted wrongly, which made it the worst piece of advice, was to just act yourself at work,” he adds.

In this episode, Ciaran reflects on his long civil service career including stints at the Cabinet Office, GCHQ and latterly as the founding chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre.

He considers the switch from central government into the intelligence agency; why “monolithic” leadership dictats from Whitehall were useless when working with technical specialists; the experience of publicly fronting the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack; and whether Northcote-Trevelyan still holds.

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“But I think the permanent secretary also has to respect that the cabinet minister is not necessarily someone to be shaped in content or style to the previous way of doing things.”

In this very special episode, Sir David Bell and Ed Balls explore the minister-permanent secretary relationship.

The two joined forces in 2007 at what was the Department for Children, Schools and Families – David as permanent secretary and Ed as secretary of state. They discuss first impressions and how they built a coherent team and vision together based on chemistry, trust, and openness, with plenty of fun thrown in there too.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing. The department faced a series of crises including SATs results, payments of Educational Maintenance Grants, and the tragedy of Baby P. Both Ed and David talk about how they worked together in a crisis, and personally managed the pressure.

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In this episode, Sir Peter Housden reflects candidly on his first permanent secretary role at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

He talks about how he prepared in all the wrong ways, what he learned from the experience and the coping strategies that kept him going.

In 2010, he put his lessons into practice when he moved to become the permanent secretary of Scotland. Here he explores how different the environment was, trust between civil service and ministers, public service reform, the Scottish Independence referendum and how good habits can save you.

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Dame Helen Ghosh enjoyed a long career in the civil service, becoming permanent secretary of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2004 and then the Home Office in 2011. She then led the National Trust before becoming master of Balliol College, Oxford in 2018.

In this episode Helen discusses the importance of embedding in and understanding what different organisations expect from a leader, drawing on her extensive experience of taking the helm in very different environments.

She also considers the role of the civil service in serving the government of the day, and shares insights into her own hinterland and where she draws resilience from, as well as female leadership, dealing with public scrutiny and being open to the fact you may have made a mistake.

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