Beyond the incremental approach: radical change in government
Governments and other public organizations require a blend of incremental change, bold experimentation, and strategic transformations. Fueled by a culture that values responsibility, autonomy, and trust, leaders should use strategy to balance incremental and radical change.
Traditionally, public sector organizations embody stability, navigating changes cautiously and incrementally to ensure consistency and trustworthiness. This incremental approach, referring to a process of making small, continuous improvements within existing frameworks, is widely seen as preferable in the public sector.
The opposite of incremental change is radical change. Radical change signifies a fundamental shift in strategy, services, or processes. It involves rethinking and redesigning organizational elements from the ground up. Radical change is inherently riskier and can be disruptive but also has the potential to lead to significant breakthroughs and transformative innovations. Radical change does happen in the public sector but is mostly triggered by external pressures, like an institutional crisis or major political shifts. Rarely is it triggered by the public organizations themselves because of the associated risks of these types of endeavors, but this begs the question of whether incremental change is also really the best way to create public value and remain aligned with society.
There's a growing recognition that tackling today's challenges requires a departure from a focus on traditional linear approaches and an embrace of more radical approaches as well. The rapidly evolving challenges facing society today might benefit from more 'radical' actions by governments. This doesn't imply a disregard for incremental improvements but rather a recognition that both are necessary; however, this does require a plan.
Strategy in the Midst of Political and Institutional Expectations
To actively align with evolving societal and technological trends, it is important for organizations to integrate incremental modifications with bold experimentation and strategic radical transitions. Contrary to a purely incremental approach that seeks to minimize tensions, it is also up to leaders to create tension in order to create space for more fundamental changes. For this reason, strategic management needs to play a more critical role in the mindset of public leaders.
The organizational strategy serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it outlines how organizational goals and plans are realized and align with, add to, and sometimes challenge political and institutional expectations, clearly delineating where incremental versus radical changes are warranted. An important task of leaders is to 'sell' and advocate for their strategies. They need to ensure comprehensive understanding and support for the combined set of incremental and radical changes among political and institutional actors, and their own civil servants. This is particularly crucial for the radical elements of a strategy, as they are likely to face greater scrutiny. The strategy itself also acts as a source of legitimation for more radical shifts. By positioning them alongside more incremental changes, it helps contextualize and normalize radical elements. Once a strategy is in place, it empowers civil servants by providing a legitimate mandate for action while creating space for more innovative, radical approaches.
Cultivating a Culture of Change
Creating a strategy that allows for more radical change offers new possibilities, but ensuring that this space is actively utilized by individuals presents another unique challenge. The public sector is often, and not without reason, stymied by its bureaucratic and risk-averse culture, leading to a frequent disconnect between strategy and implementation. Therefore, organizations should reevaluate their cultural beliefs and behaviors and focus on creating an internal appetite for change. Organizations can do this by cultivating a 'change culture' that invites civil servants to reflect and question established practices and systems, thus pressing an individual’s responsibility in shaping public service performance. Such a culture extends beyond just challenging the status quo; it signifies individual leadership and commitment to action. Within this culture shift, employees should be granted greater autonomy, reducing bureaucracy's constraints. This also means that individuals are allowed to take risks—a concept that may seem nerve-racking for some. For individuals to take responsibility and embrace their autonomy, leaders play a critical role in embodying and promoting trust. They must demonstrate a commitment to innovation, encourage the undertaking of calculated risks, and be ready to provide support in the face of challenges or failures. It's this foundation of trust that allows people to embrace radical modes of change.
In conclusion, in dynamic times, organizations have to move beyond a solely incremental approach to change and also embrace non-linear approaches. The ability to strategically integrate incremental and radical change requires a long-term investment in both strategy and culture. Leaders need to adopt a more strategic lens and cultivate a 'change culture' that fosters responsibility, autonomy, and trust within their organizations. By embracing this non-linear approach, public sector organizations can become more responsive and relevant in the face of ever-evolving societal challenges.
Acknowledgement: a key construct in the blog is based on the research of Greenwood and Hinings (1996) regarding radical change.
