Artwork – Cathryn Lloyd
Attending the BiiG Public Sector Conference, whose tagline, ‘Insight Innovation Impact,’ hinted at its purpose, offered a welcome reminder: good people are doing good work in the public sector, and we need more of that.
Two keynote presentations stood out to me.
Futurist Ross Dawson spoke about Navigating the Future of Work in Government. His core message: things will never be as slow as they are now which I took to mean that things will continue to speed up – for good or bad. The speed and constant change of technology, particularly AI, continue to impact and reshape our world, making it timely to remind ourselves that we are not machines but living systems.
Ross encouraged us to see the public sector not as a rigid machine but as a dynamic, evolving organism. Research shows trust in government may be low, but expectations are high. To meet them, governments need to be agile, citizen-focused, and deeply ethical.
He posed questions worth ongoing reflection:
- What do we want our societies to be?
- What do we measure – and does it support wellbeing?
- How do we use AI in decision-making, and how much do we delegate to AI?
Leadership today calls for a systemic view and a willingness to be what Dawson referred to as policy intrapreneurs – those who create meaningful change from within.
Artwork – Cathryn Lloyd
Brenton Caffin explored Public Innovation in the Age of Polycrisis. The World Economic Forum defines a polycrisis as “a cluster of related global risks with compounding effects, such that the overall impact exceeds the sum of each part.”
This concept highlights how interwoven current crises, such as climate change, economic instability, geopolitical conflict, and health emergencies, not only coexist but also amplify one another. Historian Adam Tooze, who has helped popularise the term, describes it as “the coming together of multiple crises” whose collective impact is greater than any single issue. He also coined the phrase “everything, everywhere, all at once” to characterise the simultaneous and compounding nature of these challenges.
Originally introduced by French philosopher Edgar Morin in the 1990s, the concept of the polycrisis is gaining increasing relevance as governments, institutions and businesses confront complex, rapidly evolving conditions that defy simple solutions.
Understanding this context is crucial. As Brenton noted, innovation in the public sector is an act of leadership. Waiting for more funding or the perfect plan isn’t always feasible. “No cash” is often just an excuse to avoid change. Instead, public leaders must create the conditions for experimentation, learning, and adaptation.
What stood out most across the conference was the emphasis on learning.
- Learning is central to meaningful change.
- Rebellious curiosity matters – getting curious about our motivations and why we do what we do is a good place to start.
- Pride in service – conspicuous delivery – is essential.
- Change happens at the boundaries in the liminal spaces.
Trust is fragile, and complexity is growing; staying curious, connected, and committed to learning might be one of the most powerful things we can do.
Where might your team or organisation be trying to apply simple solutions to complex, interconnected problems?
How are you cultivating resilience and learning in yourself and others?
How do you encourage curiosity in yourself and the people around you?
Do you equate speed with success?
What sort of busy are you?
At Maverick Minds, we work with people navigating change and complexity – bringing creativity, innovation, and new perspectives to their work environments. We deliberately encourage people to hit the pause button, slow down, at least for a bit and notice. Where your energy and attention going. We see the value in that every time. If that sounds like something you’re after, let’s have a chat.