docChange@SouthAustralia public sector values and behaviours
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Change@SouthAustralia public sector values and behaviours
Change@SouthAustralia public sector values and behaviours engagement Summary of values conversation Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................................3 Contributors ..............................................................................................................................................................4 Development of the values and behaviours framework .......................................................................................8 Honesty and integrity ...............................................................................................................................................9 Collaboration ..........................................................................................................................................................10 Trust .........................................................................................................................................................................11 Respect ....................................................................................................................................................................12 Courage ...................................................................................................................................................................13 Ethic of service .......................................................................................................................................................14 Sustainability ..........................................................................................................................................................16 Engagement ............................................................................................................................................................17 Pride .........................................................................................................................................................................19 Tenacity ...................................................................................................................................................................20 Appendix 1: Seven core values proposed by Cabinet and Senior Management Group 5 November 2013 ..23 Appendix 2: Voting outcomes on draft values and behaviours framework to 29 April 2013 ........................24 Summary of values conversation 3 Introduction Change@SouthAustralia (formerly the Public Sector Renewal Program) was designed to lead a values-based cultural change program in partnership with agencies and employees across the public sector. A cornerstone of the program has been the engagement of public sector workers on the delivery of a values and behaviours framework. This in turn will help to inform agency initiatives aimed at embedding values-based practices consistently. This document is part of that iterative and on-going conversation with the public sector employees. Working from the set of seven values Cabinet and Senior Management Council brainstormed in November 2012, around 600 people shared their views and ideas about how we can collectively make the public service as agile, innovative, unified, collaborative and productive as possible. Participants have contributed to the framework, giving their time online, at a workshop, or both. At the workshops, they voted on which values, organisational practices, behaviours and taboos resonated most strongly with them. They articulated personal and professional experiences and insights in order to share with their peers what they are proud of, disappointed by, and see as opportunities to put these values into action. This is a summary of that conversation. The contributors, listed in the front of this document, will see many of their ideas and comments reflected here. A genuinely co-produced piece of work, it is a testament to the passion, commitment and professionalism of today’s South Australian public sector. I want to personally thank all the participants in this process. Your contribution is a clear statement of your belief in the value of your work, and a positive step towards a more responsive, agile and productive public sector. Erma Ranieri Chief Executive, Change@SouthAustralia (Change@SA) Taskforce Summary of values conversation 4 Contributors Sophie Adlaf Kayla Air John Alderman Pat Alexander Jude Allen Ruth Ambler Theo Anastasiou Peter Anderson Marion Andrew Caroline Antonino Alison Auid Jackie Ayre Gurdev Bahl Laura Baker Kathleen Banas Lisa Bancroft Carol Barnes Heather Barr Faye Barrett John Barrett Mardi Barry Susan Bates Brendon Batt Jo Battersby Liz Bawden Michelle Baylis Andrew Beckmann Shanan Beesley Graham Bell Sarah Bennets Rita Bennink Paul Bennison Kirsty Bevan Christopher Birtwistle-Smith Jill Bolzon Jo Boothey Anne Bosio Monica Boulton Brenden Boyce Kristine Boyce Val Braendler Janet Brain-Hobbs Jackie Bray Peter Brennan Robert Bria Mary Broadhurst Cathy Brook Tricia Brooks Alysha Brown Jovanilla Brown Karen Brown Richard Brown Mario Bruno Lesley Burford Jamie Burt Robert Buterin Daniel Butler Leena Butler Peter Butterfield Wendy Butvila Trevor Buzzacott Lisa Campbell Peter Canty Rachel Capetanakis Esther Caprez Gess Carbone Nick Carboon Emily Carey Carolyn Carwana Tricia Cash Belinda Cece Miranda Chamberlain Georgina Chandler Michael Chapman Robert Chappell Gary Cherlet Juanita Chester Jodie Chetcuti Chiara Ciui Tara Clark Kerry Clifford Bronte Colagrossi Pauline Cole Debra Contala Ashleigh Coombs Loretta Corney Mark Correll Lynne Cowan Jane Coward Lisa Cox Andrew Craig Alison Cramond Nicki Crawford Angela Crimes David Cripps Gemma Cunningham Sally Cunningham Andrew Curtis Sue Czerniak Kaaren Dahl Suzanne Dalla Santa Christopher Dalton Nicki Dantalis Stephan Davenport Judy Davies Jessica Davis Raylene Dawson Abigail Day Kylie Dayman Lyn Dean Brian Dearlove Lisa Deguglielmo Michelle Deland John Denlay Paula Dickson Peter Dietman Spiros Dimas Sorana Dinmore Stacey Dix Megan Dixon Lucy Dodd Tracey Dodd Cheong Doherty Lucia Doherty Kate Dooley Sabina Douglas-Hill Miriam Doull Anita Downie Jason Downs Gill Duck Jennifer Dunstan Robyn Dwight Sharon Ede Alyson Edwards Julie Edwards Rebecca Edwards Peter Embling Wendy Engliss David Ennis John Evangelista Nicole Evans Summary of values conversation Teresa Evans Gail Fairlamb Rob Faunt Kristy Ferguson Isabel Fforde Christine Fiebig Chloe Fischer Bob Fisk Sam Fletcher Sarah Fletcher Cindy Flower Barbara Foley Denise Fowles Michael Fox Annie Francis Carolyn Francis Jane Francis Anthony Freebairn Anne French Madeleine Frost Simon Froude Anne Gale Jackie Gates Paul Gelston Fiona Gill Luisa Girolamo Toula Glezos Ania Gorska Anthony Grantham Kellie Graves Maree Greig Michael Griffiths Jo-Anne Grigg Christine Groemer Antonella Guidoccio Ramaa Gupta Deb Guscott Wendy Hackel Alana Hale Arkellah Hall Chris Hall Christopher Hamer James Hamilton Jessica Hannah Trish Hansen Carol Harding Alan Hartley Scott Hartwell Fiona Harvey Barry Hayden 5 Cathy Hayles Charles Hays Leeanne Head Mary-Anne Healy David Heath Georgia Heath Paula Heinrich Danielle Helbers Rick Hennig Lauren Heritage-Brand Richard Herraman Philip Hespe Margaret Hess Shane Hewish Hugh Higgins Kieran Higgins Michelle Hill Reginald Hiscock Mark Hobba Julie Hockley Chris Hofmeyer Philip Hogg Nada Holicky Maria Holmes Peter Horne Rebecca Hoskin Marg Howard Ian Humby Meredith Hunt Roger Hunter Wayne Hunter Bernadette Hurst Angela Hutchinson Fran Hylton Michelle Ingrames Adele R Jackson Terry Jackson Andrew Jantke Pat Jarrett Tammy Joachin Georgina Johns Rob Johnson Ann-Marie Jolley Alison Jones Catherine R Jones Les Jones Loiza Kallis Leila Kasprzak Joe Kavanagh Daryl Keen Kevin Kelly Stephen Kelly Dana Kerrigan Zakiuddin Khan Cara Kilsby Belinda King Bryan King Lachlan Kinnear Nev Kitchin Michelle Kneebone Christine Koch Bronte Koop Sophia Kostoff-Kosmas Lin Krust Paola Lagos Rebecca Lang Deb Langridge Delfina Lanzilli Davide Latini Jann Lawler Emma Lawson Robert Lawton Michael Leane Selene Lee Fong Yee Sonny Lee Abigail Leeuwenburg Monte Leverington Barry Lewis Bianca Lewis Carolyn Lewis Dave Lewis Mark Lewis Meg Lewis Wendy Lewis Matthew Leyson Helen Lines Daniela Llamas Angela Lloyde Grant Lomman Javier Lopez Sue Lorraine Sandra Lowe Trevor Luzuk Jessica Lynch Brenton MacDonald Liz Malcolm Taryn Mangelsdorf Sonia Mangelsen Audrey Manion Tania Mann Summary of values conversation Cynthia Manners Sarah Marano Tim Mares Peter Marshall Gail Martin Jennifer Martin Merridie Martin Sandra Martindale Christine Martyniuk Kristy Mason Tim Materne Debra Mathew Chris Matthews Dennis May Sally Mays Karen McAuley Susan McCormick Zac McCrindle Alice McDonald Joshua McDonnell Trent McGee Rebecca McGuire-Johnston Alwyn Mckenzie Val McMahon Trish McMillan Adam Mellow Georgia Meneaud Linda Mernone Amy Merwarth Sarah Metcalf Philip Michael Susan Miels Anne Millard Andy Millazo Dean Miller LeeAnn Miller Angus Mitchell Tina Moat Nadia Moffatt Eunice Monaghan Creina Montgomerie Helen Montrose Charles Moore Maxine Moran Steve Moro Alan Morris Barry Mortimer Katherine Mower Kathryn Mroczek Pronoma Mukherjee 6 Toni Mundy Jessica Murrell Siobhan Mutton Peter Mylius-Clark Georgina Neill Cathy Nelson Belinda Ness Sally Niehuus Krystal-Lee Nixon Angela Noack Kate North Peter O'Dea Meghan Oldfield Paul O'Loughlin Phil O'Loughlin Jessica O’Reilly Renae Ormsby Ilus Osborne Lindsay Oxlad Danni Padrevita Teresa Panetta Nicole Panuccio Tasoula Paradissas Colleen Parkinson Arisara Patthum Ann-Marie Pawlowski Brett Pendlebury Janelle Pennino Karyn Perry Mark Perry Sarah Persse Claire Petersen) Tony Petrie Michelle Phillips Christina Phung Denise Picton Lisa Pigliafiori Gary Pike Christy Pirone Hannah Pitcher Sharon Platt Anna Pope Ann-Marie Porter Barbara Power Steve Power Tia Poynter Angela Pringle Yllana Prosser Lynette Pugh Belinda Radcliffe Uttara Ramakrishnan Kim Ramsay Erma Ranieri Chris Rawlinson Patricia Ray PaulReardon Kathryn Reed Nicola Reese Helen Rehn Janet Reid Victor Rigney Jacqueline Riviere Rosalba Rivis Kristina Roberts Patrick Robinson Rob Robinson Susie Rodeghiero-Smith Rachel Rogers Sharon Rose Justin Ross Michelle Ross Rob Royal Carlene Russell Darren Russell Cathy Rutjens Jo Saies Leanne J Sanders Michyla Saunders Carol Saville Kristy Schirmer Anne Seery Helen Sergi Andrew Seward Adrian Shackley Ajay Kumar Shah Christopher Shakes Andrew Shaw Darian Shephard-Bayly Tian Shi Heidi Silverston Christopher Smith Darren Smith Grace Smith Heather Smith Nancy Smith Prue Smith Stephen Smith Yvonne Smith Greg Smith Gordana Smoljan Summary of values conversation Grant Smyth Kris Spyrou Debbie Squire Jennifer St Jack Kate Stephens Craig Stevens Melissa Stokes Nicola Stratford Jorg Strobel Kristy Stupple Burcu Subasi Kelli Sullivan Paul Summerton Jo Sutherland-Shaw Vanessa Swan Jason Sym Choon Rob Taverner Glenys Thompson Helen Thompson Amanda Thomson Heather Thomson Robert Thorburn Janet Tieste Damon Toivonen Margaret Tonkin Suzanna Toogood Peta Towner Hang Tran Hiroshi Tsunoda Fran Turner Lisa Twelftree Kate Van Schaik Rick Van Den Berg Claire Vandenbergh Sonya Vandergoot Suzie Vari Vince Varricchio Tom Vartzokas Emma Vasey Bettina Venner Steve Venning-Smith Linda Ventura Clare Venturi Steve Vicino Catherine Viney Samantha Vodic Cuong Vu Lucy Wade Keryn Waldron Garrie Walker 7 Kate Walker Kirstie Walkley Mandy Wallace Frank Walsh Fiona Ward Elizabeth Warhurst Stephanie Wasley Malinda Watson Amanda Watson-Tran Maree Wauchope David Wearing Wendy Webb Julie Wedderburn Vicky Welgraven Tamara Wenham Mercedes Whibley Cecilia White Nina White Jason Whiteley Lee Willcock Paul Willey Julie Williams Mark Williams Annemarie Williamson Brian Wilmshurst Tim J Wilson Heather Woods John Woodward Richard Wundke Vanessa Wyrley-Birch Hwee Ling Yeo Lynn Young Racheal Young Libby Zada Kathryn Zeitz Summary of values conversation 8 Development of the values and behaviours framework The identification and embedding of values is critical to better service delivery in the twenty first century, an imperative for the public sector. A shared view of values and behaviours fosters a high performing organisational culture, centred on performance excellence. This in turn translates into more responsive and citizen centric service delivery and higher productivity. The values and behaviours engagement strategy involved public sector employees in a sector wide conversation about how they can embody values through their work and as such respond to citizen needs more effectively. Working from the initial seven core values drafted by Cabinet and the Senior Management Council in November 2012 (Appendix 1), Change@SouthAustralia sought online feedback from public sector employees between 6 February and 1 March 2013. This process generated an additional three values (collaboration, engagement, and sustainability) and one amended value (“honesty” became “honesty & integrity”), along with supporting operational practices, behaviours and taboos. The contextual commentary informed the revised framework, which comprised: Values – statements of what we consider important. Descriptions - what the values and behaviours mean to the public sector. Organisational practices – what everyone in the public sector can expect. Behaviours – actions that can make us successful, and Taboos – actions that limit success. The revised framework informed 10 workshops from early March to the end of April, attended by over 530 public sector employees. Producing several hundred comments reflecting individual and collective experiences, challenges and aspirations, the workshops provided an opportunity to explore how and why the public sector wishes to become a more values-based entity. At the conclusion of the workshops, honesty and integrity and collaboration remained the most highly rated by contributors. Other values ranked in the top five were courage, trust and respect (Appendix 2). This paper summarises the conversation for each value and its operational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T). Themes and concepts strongly supported by the contributors are noted. In some instances, the contributions have been edited for clarity. The paper also highlights ideas for putting the values into action. These opportunities are intra- or inter-agency initiatives aimed at driving change and embedding values in tangible and practical ways. We are seeking your feedback on whether the summary reflects the values conversation as you experienced it, and that it covers the important issues. Feedback may be emailed to change@sa.gov.au until 30 June 2013. Completion of the summary document will close off the first stage of the values and behaviours engagement process and kick off the next stage, the development of the values model. Summary of values conversation 9 Honesty and integrity We value honesty and integrity in all that we do and say. We act truthfully, consistently and with fairness in our transactions with citizens, customers and each other. We hold ourselves and each other accountable for our behaviour. “Encourage integrity to own our own behaviours and mistakes as individuals and as a team – to have open and honest conversations about how to improve (i.e. communications or services).” Honest and Integrity was the most highly and consistently ranked value. It elicited significant commentary about the importance of being honest with oneself, with others, and acting in a transparent and authentic way. This value translated into an expectation that all levels of the public sector and Government will model honest practices, be transparent in their actions and hold others accountable as they hold themselves accountable for appropriate and constructive behaviour. Voting demonstrated strong support for actively managing good and poor performance, in the proposed operational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T). The most highly rated elements in order were: Actively dealing with unacceptable behaviour as it reduces the effectiveness of our workforce (OP) Not tolerating people who undermine or bully others (B) Not dealing with people who do not perform (T) Many comments noted unhelpful or draining performance management practices and systems that made dealing with poor performance “an exhaustive process that many see as too difficult.” Consistent, clear and open processes that were visible and understood by all participants were cited as broadly missing in performance management systems. Contributors noted that a productive and constructive performance management system would include proactive organisational support, focused skills development on managing difficult issues, and a genuine commitment by senior managers to help all levels manage poor performance impacts. “Active, increased support for those managing poor performance” was seen as key to managing difficult issues successfully. Performance management should also focus on “getting the best out of someone and understanding why it isn’t working” and noting that “sometimes what is perceived as ‘bad behaviour’ or ‘lack of care’ may be due to a lack of skills or training to do the job to the best of a person’s ability.’’ Clearly articulated performance targets and expectations for all staff greatly assist performance conversations, as evidenced by best practice performance management approaches. Opportunities arising from this conversation included a significant project whereby agencies would develop or refine their values-aligned performance management systems, trial new practices with a view to showcasing best practice methodology across the public sector. Raising the visibility of successful approaches would enable them to be modelled in other agencies and provide examples of workable practices. There were a number of notes regarding the overlap between honesty and integrity with trust and respect, particularly in terms of performance management needs and managing bullying and harassment. In the interests of clarity, it is recommended that performance management related practices, behaviours and taboos be aligned with honesty and integrity and those activities related to bullying and harassment be aligned with respect. Summary of values conversation 10 Collaboration We value collaboration with each other as a means to achieve our best and most innovative results. We construct solutions together; we are one public sector and work together as such. “I’d like more examples of behaviours that achieve collaboration – most people understand the negatives of silos, but want to learn ways of collaborating effectively and efficiently.” The second most highly ranked value, collaboration, was suggested during the initial online consultation stage and received very strong support from workshop contributors. At its most basic, collaboration starts with good communication and respect for contributions. The organisational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T) receiving most votes for this value were: Core willingness and drive to collaborate with stakeholders, customers and colleagues (OP) Innovation and leadership in advancing new ways of working is rewarded (B) Silos continue to win the day (T) Collaboration was seen as a practical and effective mechanism to counteract silos, which consistently ranked as a highly undesirable taboo. Contributors queried “are there organisations that demonstrate (collaboration) – successful in working across or reducing silos? If so, please promote, communicate, (and) model them. I work in an organisation which professes this, yet remains impossible to navigate, confounded by politics (and) lack of leadership.” Noting collaboration as “a common sense whole of government approach”, contributors cited information sharing and working together cooperatively from an early stage as positive examples of collaborative efforts. Reduced duplication of effort, reduced wastage of resources and a better fit between project objectives and desired outcomes were cited as benefits. By its nature, collaboration encouraged “rigorous debate”, and should “make use of staff experience and knowledge at all levels regardless of ‘hierarchy’ and fear of ‘losing power.’” Collaboration was seen as a trigger for innovation and better customer service design, but needed time to occur. They supported “generosity with our own resources when supporting the work of other agencies (and) seeking alignment between policy agendas.” Values in action suggestions include creating a “greater ease of communication and cooperation between government agencies through information being more readily available and advertised in an easy to find guide.” Tools and templates, such as COAG’s National Collaboration Framework, may offer assistance to kick off collaborative efforts, supported by case studies where agencies have actively focused on collaboration as a means to improve productivity and service outcomes. Running “problems solutions workshops across government agencies” would help provide an outside-in view of issues. “Public reward and recognition for cross & intra agency initiatives that are collaboration based” would also build support for this value as would explicitly “reporting on collaborative initiatives.” The close relationship between collaboration and engagement was noted, with some contributors articulating that collaboration occurs between stakeholders and partners, while engagement occurs with the citizens and customers. Combining these values into one value was suggested, but it is recommended that these values remain separate to emphasise the importance of each within the engagement and improvement value chain. Summary of values conversation 11 Trust We value trust in each other’s ability to deliver the right results and do what is right. We trust in our collective and individual expertise to problem-solve quickly and effectively, and manage risk appropriately. We trust each other to take personal accountability for the decisions we make and actions we take. Our organisations recognise and reward self-initiative. “To me trust is the cornerstone of values. Trust allows empowerment, limits micro-management and provides a supportive culture.” Participants expanded the original draft value to include the concepts of trusting the innate knowledge of customers in knowing what they need, taking personal accountability for the outcomes of our actions and seeking a consistent application of rules and expectations across all levels of the public sector. Voting for the organisational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T) focused on: Personal accountability is interwoven into the performance management framework at all levels (OP). Behaviours are modelled at all levels of the organisations (B). Allowing risk aversion in the face of common sense (T). Contributors emphasised that “trust is more than problem-solving; people feel empowered, have permission, supported etc.” While trust was essential to implementing a “process that enables high quality decision making” contributors noted that “rules are part of this, but not the focus.” Trust included recognising “the skills and abilities of our public service employees rather than seeking external expertise or consultants.” Acknowledging that ineffective controls inhibit trust, contributors counselled to “administer controls by understanding their intent, not the ‘black letter law’ (policy direction) – inform staff about ‘why.’” While some contributors challenged the concept of eliminating rules and controls which cause employees to feel distrusted - “I see no point to this! Staff need reasonable rules, expectations etc. to make sure performance has a measure” – other contributors supported allowing “a risk taking behaviour by creating a risk management culture/ approach.” A number of contributors noted that risk aversion was “more often than not an excuse (not to) change” and that “we must address this risk aversion culture!” linking it to a lack of innovation. Central to achieving a trust-based culture was developing a clearly articulated and pragmatic risk management approach wherein a less risk adverse environment with functioning controls would “assume commitment and allow individuality in its development.” Contributors stressed that not providing the appropriate levels of delegations or “paying lip service to delegated authority… fiscal constraints are no excuse” were examples of mechanisms that undermine staff confidence, as was “finger-pointing and blaming.” The perceived lack of clarity around risk meant that “calculated risk taking is not recognised or rewarded.” Suggested opportunities arising from the conversation included profiling a public sector organisation that has transitioned from a risk adverse model to one with a less rigid hierarchy and more shared decision making. Evidencing the benefits and innovations of such a model, in particular where staff skills and experience were aligned and progressed with appropriate delegations, would help other parts of the public sector to trial more risk responsive and trust-based initiatives. Summary of values conversation 12 Respect We value respect for the individual, their unique gifts, and their contribution. We respect the value of people and the contribution that their diverse perspective and experience brings to our work. We bring out the best in people through good leadership, good people management and making the wellbeing of all staff a priority. Respect for each other extends to the citizens of South Australia. “Respect is a critical building block for the public sector, society, teams and organisations. If we can’t respect each other, we will not be able to collaborate, build partnerships, trust and engage constructively.” The conversation around respect, and the importance of this value in every aspect of public service, was significant. In the main, contributors believed a respectful working environment should not be dependent on where a person sits in an organisation and respect should be extended to all levels. Respect was manifested as “work life balance for all employees,” “due process and natural justice and fair treatment,” “recognising good performance,” and an active acknowledgement that “the people (workforce) are the greatest asset to the (public sector) – without it, nothing would function.” Votes strongly endorsed the following organisational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T) for this value: Bringing out the best in people through good leadership, good people management and making the well-being of all staff a priority (OP). Have respect for the individuals around you and the different views they may have (B). Discrimination based on race/gender/ethnicity or age (T). There was a perception in all the workshops that a rigid view of hierarchy stifles contributions by staff employed at lower classifications. Comments iterated that “leadership can come from anywhere – more brains, more engagement – encourages innovation.” Contributors advocated the need to “open minds of managers and leadership to the unique contributions and vast experience of staff, no matter where they are in the system.” This approach included strong support for leadership development at all levels as “competent and respectful leadership at all levels within the organisation (is) critical to a respectful culture.” Good leadership meant “listening to the individual ideas or concerns and how those can be developed into opportunities or reducing risks.” As one participant noted “where is the commitment to consult before a policy decision from central office is made? The current approach (notification after the fact) doesn’t respect or value our work.” Importantly, while the value is described in terms of public sector employees and their relationships with each other, many comments supported the need for “mutual respect between the (public sector) and the community”, including “respecting the fact we spend tax payers’ (dollars).” The underpinning rationale was that “respect for our customers (and) citizens should be at the centre of our services.” Similarly, a number of comments across all workshops indicated the “need for government to publicly support the public sector (respect) in the face of political and public criticism.” Suggested opportunities arising from the conversation included “better utilisation of skills registers” as a means to promote and support development options such as “rotational opportunities for administrative staff within agencies.” There was support for expanding the categories listed under the taboo regarding discrimination to reflect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml) Summary of values conversation 13 Courage We value courage in our ideas, thoughts and actions. We are willing to make hard decisions and to have difficult conversations. We embrace transparency, support calculated risk taking and reward experimentation with new ideas. “Hard decisions are not so hard when driven by value(s).” Much of the commentary for courage focused on practical suggestions on how to support courageous decision making in the public sector, and how to better manage those issues where difficult decisions were most challenging. Personal and organisational courage are both required to “challenge the way things are currently done.” Strongly endorsed organisational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T) for courage were: Create a culture that embraces and rewards innovation and creativity (OP). Willingness to make hard decisions and have difficult conversations (B). Not confronting poor performance (T). While some contributors noted “a decision is only hard if not based on all the facts needed and is not aligned with goals and outcomes”, there was significant support in all workshops for transitioning to a culture less fearful of failure. This belief was summarised as “moving from a fail-safe culture to a safe to fail culture.” Required at the individual and organisational levels, public sector employees must have the “courage to admit your mistakes no matter who you are or what level”, while organisations must also “articulate their risk tolerance approach clearly” and have a “no blame culture.” Creation of “a culture where safe risk taking is encouraged and learnings come from failure” was seen as paramount to reducing the significant impacts that risk aversion places on success and innovation. Innovation was stifled by “obsessive rule following with no rationale” and “because existing processes make it (new ideas) too hard.” Conversely, a safe risk taking culture encouraged calculated risks and “decisions are transparent and evidenced based.” This needed to be supported by a commitment to have “the courage to take responsibility early for failures and put fixes in place.” Successful teams and organisations displayed “courage (which) is supported by the right tools – confidence in understanding what your values are and how they relate to the organisations. This should not be assumed knowledge.” Leadership played a critical role in supporting courage, innovation and change. Contributors believed that being able to “effectively engage frontline workers in the issue and solution finding” would help create a positive risk management environment, as would “more encouragement of those who do the right thing and set good examples.” Effective and timely performance management systems supporting difficult decisions were flagged as a must have to support embedding courage. Likewise, visible support for people progressing through performance management was essential as “when continued poor performance is not handled, it is seen by the rest of the workforce as … being rewarded (because) they lose nothing”. Noting some contributors were seeking evidence of “what does a culture that embraces and rewards innovation and creativity look like? How will we recognise and progress others’ ideas?” a values in action opportunity suggestion included profiling initiatives where risk taking has been successful, with particular attention to the roles played by all levels of staff involved in the process. Summary of values conversation 14 Ethic of service Service is at the centre of all we do. “Ethic in service should be designed around the citizen-centric service delivery and the value of service has to be embedded in the culture to make sure every public servant feels accountable for the same.” While not ranked in the top five values, the ethic of service generated substantial commentary regarding the role of the customer in defining a service or product in terms of their needs and expectations and how this could be accomplished. Voting for this value’s organisational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T) focused on: Transparent and accountable decision-making (OP) Willingness to “go the extra mile” so as to deliver better outcomes (B) “I don’t care” attitude (T) The challenges of meeting customer expectations elicited comments around the benefits of more open and honest communications between providers and customers: “we need to be clear about the services we can and can’t provide – be transparent” and “reverse needs (and) expectations – not sure services should be defined by citizen’s expectations. If we simply do this then we may always fail, as citizens’ expectations are at times unrealistic.” Contributors stressed the importance of being clear about “our limitations without creating false or unachievable expectations.” There was additional commentary on the need to value and respect internal as well as external customers, so that “internal service is always expressed in terms of external service outcome.” Interestingly, the most supported workshop comment recorded against the taboo of not valuing internal customer service was “The ‘it’s not in my job description’ attitude.” Ideas on creating a more citizen centric environment ranged from “empowering staff to make decisions closer to the customer” through to “why not allow citizens to help design the service? After all, it is for them.” The idea of co-design or co-production with customers and citizens triggered support in all workshops: “(Times 2 support) for co-creation in identifying what those needs will be.” These comments reflected a wide spectrum of organisational maturity regarding an outside-in view of service design and delivery, offering important values in action opportunities. At the minimum, contributors indicated it would be “good for each agency to further define what services they are trying to achieve under this over-arching value” and that we should seek “commitment to service at all levels of the organisation – from service providers to (execs).” Contributors questioned how best to “balance regulatory (or) enforcement roles with service goals,” but noted the public sector need to acknowledge “that our customers don’t know what they don’t know and being conscious of this in our interactions with them.” Some contributors were challenged by the concept of ‘willingness to go the extra mile’ noting “going the extra mile is difficult to gauge. A clear ‘standard’ for each job should be described. Management can demand more and more of staff with ‘extra mile.’” While noting ‘extra mile’ can be described as discretionary effort where there is no obligation to give, the idea of more consistent service standards across the public sector, regardless of working environment, was seen as an opportunity for further consideration. This approach is evidenced by contributors who supported “taking responsibility for issues you see in the field even if it’s not your department’s responsibility – if a site is unsafe and the public is at risk – DO SOMETHING.” Summary of values conversation 15 Opportunities included undertaking a significant co-design service delivery project with a customer group and profiling the process and outcomes in a case study. The development of common service standards for the public sector was seen as a means to activate the value of service in day-to-day work. Summary of values conversation 16 Sustainability We value sustainability as a means to provide for all over the longer term We use human, environmental, financial and intellectual resources in a considered way, having regard to the needs of future generations. “I think human nature makes it easy to focus on the short-terms benefits of something. It takes some courage (and) discipline to equally weigh the long term benefits (and) cost, and have a value for sustainability helps give us that focus.” The sustainability conversation presented contributors with an opportunity to expand the original online offering that focused on natural resources. This refinement recognised that decision making needed to also consider “balancing the environment, resource and social issues – balancing tensions at all stages.” A key consideration evidenced by contributors focused on “working efficiently to give the best service we can with the resources we have.” The organisational practice that received most votes centred on decision making, with equal weight needing to be given to both short term gains and longer term benefits and costs. This concept informed the heart of the sustainability discussion. Comments indicated that the public sector needed a longer term view approach to planning and implementation, as “some works, particularly collaborative effort and prevention strategies cannot be measured in the short term – prevention is very long term.” Contributors noted that “we need to find a way to work with the long term, often intangible ‘value’ not just ‘short-term’ costs and benefits.” Contributors cited challenges to embedding the longer view as it is “at odds with the budget cycle – use it or lose it” and strategically “there is tension between long term thinking and election cycles”. However, contributors noted sustainability was “not always about consuming less. It’s most about best practice to maximise and better shape the resource we do have” and challenged the sector to “cut waste - not people & programs – of energy, water, materials, human potential.” This positive impact extended beyond the immediate public sector too: “we impact on the SA community through the services we deliver. We are 12% of the workforce and our actions matter – be environmentally conscious and socially responsible.” While some contributors didn’t “feel this is a value that would be a core value to be presented at the whole of (public sector) level”, others called out the “It’s not core business” attitude” that stifled innovation in this arena. The drive for “making cuts for the sake of making cuts and wasting elsewhere” was seen as evidence of taboo behaviour and counterproductive. Opportunities included undertaking improved resource management options such as committing to better “operational processes that help our staff provide consistent and competent services” with attention to “maintaining healthy workloads (and) environments”. Summary of values conversation 17 Engagement We value engagement with the community and business to create a better place to live and work for South Australians. 1 We aim to bring the voice of communities and stakeholders into the decision making which is relevant to them. “Not a value itself – it’s the cornerstone of everything we do.” The third of the new values suggested online permitted contributors to confirm their commitment to having “more effective means of finding out what the customer actually wants” and ensuring that “we seek out ways to bring the community into the decision-making.” As one participant noted, “to create a better society, the (public sector) has to have an ‘outward-in’ approach where information will also be drawn from the citizens out there to understand their expectations.” Voting for this value’s organisational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T) centred on: Community partnerships are encouraged and the service design is open to external experience (OP) Decision-making is open to input (B) We assume we know and understand what the citizen and business want (T) At a minimum, “engagement creates opportunities for different views to be heard, creating a ‘vibrant’ city and community. It also ensures service delivery remains relevant to the people receiving it.” Comments indicated a desire for greater coproduction with the community, with some contributors advocating engagement as “not just limited to decision making – could include policy (and) program development, implementation and evaluation.” Others noted that the sector could “work in partnership with stakeholders to build their (commitment) to and capacity with engagement with the community – a facilitation role” and that the benefits of better engagement with the community included a process to “encourage (and) develop community ownership of policies (and) practices”. Barriers cited by contributors to “meaningful, authentic & appropriate engagement” included the perception that “consultation = weakness = exposed to questions” and decision-making needed to be “open to change (not just consulting for validation).” Other less constructive current practices included having “policy decisions drive decision making without engaging customers” and trying to “drive customer expectations based on what we are resourced to do.” Contributors noted issues to meaningful engagement such as “tokenistic consultation when projects have already commenced” as well as “mis-management of public expectations in consultation processes – be honest if input is not likely to impact,” devalued efforts in the engagement arena. While some contributors felt engagement was “time consuming and can be expensive processes – can create unrealistic expectations,” there was significant support for engagement and recognition of benefits in terms of better citizen outcomes. Noting that “engagement shouldn’t just focus on the community – engaging other departments, employees also will contribute to community engagement,” early and fulsome consultation with colleagues would “avoid doing work that has already been done in other depts...etc.” Opportunities exist to engage with the community more demonstratively in “not just decision making, but co-production, co-creation, ethnography, design” would provide the public sector with valuable intelligence into the communities needs 1 Better Together: Principles of Engagement - a foundation for engagement in the South Australian government, p 8. In this context, community is described as individuals and groups of people not part of an organised structure. Stakeholders are defined as people who are organised under the banner of a defined group or organisation, often providing representation to a broader group. Summary of values conversation 18 and assist in creating a better fit with outcomes. Suggestions around wider use of the “Better Together” strategy across government, and how it would assist agencies “engage in targeted consultation with the community in the development of project scope(s) and objective(s)” were supported. Summary of values conversation 19 Pride We value and take pride in our professionalism. We are proud public sector employees. We serve the community of South Australia and the Government to the best of our abilities and in the best interests of the community. We are responsive, skilled, flexible and adaptable. “Definitely a perception about public service that is at odds with ‘pride.’ Really need to address this.” Commentary on the value of pride focused on whether it was pride that the public sector valued or its professionalism: “should be ‘we value excellence and professionalism’. The challenge for contributors appeared not that they weren’t proud of their role and contribution, but of how to express this value in a way that reflected “contemporary practice. Responsive to community, skilled and flexible (or) adaptable > informed”. Feedback in the organisational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T) endorsed supporting efforts to make the most of people and their contributions to better service: Active support for staff to realise their individual and collective potential (OP). Finding new ways to do things better for our colleagues and customers (B). Providing poor service to customers and citizens (B). Professionalism included constructive internal relationships so that employees were “being positive about our work when speaking with others” and noting that “criticism between agencies is destructive and demoralising to staff who witness it.” One person shared “I receive unconstructive feedback from senior management about things out of my control. This breeds risk aversion and doing the bare minimum as to avoid attention (and) criticism. This is not a rewarding workplace.” Contributors were also seeking guidance on “how do we generate pride by the community in its public service? I am a proud public servant, but often public servants are not valued by the public.” The government view and media depiction of the public sector challenged some contributors, who asked “how do we improve the recognition of the public sector by the media?” and noted there is a “need for government to articulate its policies for the public sector and the role played.” Collectively, the sector needs to recognise failure “as an opportunity to grow and learn without blame.” In terms of building and improving the professionalism of the sector, contributors noted that “a performance management or rewards approach that recognises excellence and professionalism, but ‘pulls’ up (below-par) service and behaviour” was required. Others supported “helping my peers to be the best they can be” as a mechanism to improving the lot of South Australians. Suggestions included “offering opportunities for people to undertake resilience training” and to better assist the public, “we need to ask for feedback on the service we provide – it’s the only way to improve it.” More actively promoting good news and innovation examples from across the sector would help to build confidence as would ideas that “celebrate and acknowledge good (or) best practice”. Contributors believed this would actively counter “negative images (and) stories with positive stories.” Community feedback or stories on service improvement initiatives would also assist in profile raising. Summary of values conversation 20 Tenacity We value tenacity in achieving our vision and goals. We are resilient and sustain our commitment. We have a bias for action, persevering and working with each other to achieve our goals. “Not sure tenacity is the right word, but I like the idea of having a bias for action.” Tenacity consistently ranked lower with contributors, with comments reflecting a level of discomfort with the word and perception around its meaning. Examples included “perhaps ‘resolve’ would be a better term”, “Is tenacity the right word? Perseverance? Resilience?” and “need to quantify tenacity to be clear it’s about sticking to purpose and being informed about purposes as well as ensuring staff are informed about purpose (and) work.” The organisational practices (OP), behaviours (B) and taboos (T) that received most votes for this value were: Demonstrating leadership in advancing new ways of thinking (OP) Minimising unnecessary bureaucracy and being flexible in how we problem solve (B) Giving up in the face of difficulty (T) Contributors backed trying to find new and alternative ways to achieve positive outcomes. This included suggesting innovative values in action projects such as “dynamic teams are formed for problem and issue solutions” as well as mechanisms such as “sharing ideas etc. eliminate duplication” and having “a part of weekly meetings – flow info up and down the management levels.” Noting that open communication was essential, contributors also flagged that “we need more than forums to invite and facilitate a flow of ideas – we need a framework for those ideas to then be enacted, evaluated, implemented and acknowledged.” Recognition of operational constraints as barriers to tenacity were also cited, with contributors reflecting on open door policies that were “a great concept yet it seems managers are too busy managing up to have quality time for managing down – so their listening and retention of info is poor.” Line managers suffered by “not being across organisational priorities AND not being able to convey them.” Similarly, building team resilience to draw on when barriers arise encompasses “being open about what the real barriers are” and ensuring “organisations are clear about procedures to rectify matters.” While acknowledging the need to persevere, points were also made that the sector “still need to recognise timeliness – sometimes a project or idea is better off waiting for the right time” and that “persevering with an agenda that doesn’t necessarily match whole of government’s (agenda)” was counterproductive. Similarly, “sometimes it’s okay to stop – need to recognise when it’s not the (right) time.” Once again, leadership was highlighted as an essential element for driving change as were “sound communication practices (and) systems in place enabling engagement.” Tenacious leadership traits included “being innovative with workplace culture design and management. Increased satisfaction = increased productivity.” Organisations needed “a greater willingness to invest in the health and well-being of staff to increase resilience and strengthen the ‘tenacity’ of the workforce.” Opportunities included “work on how all systems add value to clients (and) customers and how they limit access” as a means to minimise unnecessary bureaucracy and create more flexibility in problem-solving.” This behaviour was one of the most highly supported concepts in all workshops, and signals a commitment to streamlining processes. “Listening to Summary of values conversation ideas from all levels & even external to the organisation” would assist in this aim of reducing red-tape, as would challenging “convention by asking ‘why’” and using “SMART behaviours.” 21 Summary of values conversation 22 Conclusion The values engagement has not immediately revealed which values, if any, should be pruned from the draft framework. The relationship between the values is complex and each brings a specific quality to the public sector’s ethos. While there is overlap in some operational practices, behaviours and taboos, the values themselves form a complete story about how the public sector wishes to work. Articulating the narrative of how the individual values interact with one another – for example how honesty and integrity influences trust which in turn influences respect – will be the focus of the next stage of the engagement strategy. Participants in the engagement strategy thus far will be contacted and encouraged to continue their involvement through this and subsequent phases. Public sector employees who were not involved in the online or face to face engagement initiatives are encouraged to register for future opportunities at change@sa.gov.au or by calling 8303 2183. Summary of values conversation 23 Appendix 1: Seven core values proposed by Cabinet and Senior Management Group 5 November 2013 Values 1. We value the ethic of service to advance the lives of all South Australians Organisation Practices Individual Behaviours Taboos Willingness to “go the extra mile” so as to deliver better outcomes Tailoring solutions to individual/community Listening for understanding Sense of ownership for property and resources 2. We value respect for the individual for their unique gifts and their contribution Public services are person centred and responsive to diversity Transparent and accountable decision making Forums for regular feedback from team members and stakeholders Growth opportunities based on capability and merit 3. We value trust in each other’s ability to deliver the results and do what is right Open to others ideas and points of view Giving objective and clear feedback to others 4. We value honesty in all that we do and say Eliminate rules and controls which cause employees to feel distrusted All work up to the level of trust placed in them, not down to the level of controls Values and behaviours embedded in Code of Ethics Organization-wide communication on priorities, performance and results 5. We value tenacity which fuels our vision and goals 6. We value pride in excellence and professionalism Destructive criticism Not respecting other people’s work Self-story on the personal contribution to the wellbeing of SA citizens Excitement about coming to work Demonstrate the highest levels of resilience Willingness to make hard decisions 7. We value courage in our ideas, thoughts and actions Open door policies to allow discussion Forums to invite and facilitate flow of ideas from other levels of Public Sector Clear articulation of value to South Australia Recognition and reward system for high value delivery Recognition of those who go beyond the rules and do the right thing Guiding principles rather than governing rules. Full and accurate disclosure without prompting Talk directly to those concerned about any subject or matter of concern Finding multiple ways to give results Recognition of individual effort Valuing business as usual over innovation and bold action Not speaking up in meetings and designated forums Have your say at: http://saplan.org.au/yoursay or Twitter @PSRP_ChangeSA “I don’t Care” attitude Pursuing personal success at the expense of team or organization goals Discrimination based on race/gender /ethnicity or age Ignoring the policy/priorities of the government in office Sharing confidential information with unauthorized users Second guessing colleagues without seeking objective data Not dealing with people who do not perform Being punitive when people make honest mistakes Subverting others decisions Giving up in the face of difficulty Summary of values conversation Appendix 2: Voting outcomes on draft values and behaviours framework to 29 April 2013 Who participated? Over 600 public servants have contributed to the values conversation, online, through the workshops or both. Please note: A number of contributors were registered manually, and are not reflected in this chart. Please note: This includes 70 contributors with classifications not described under the Administrative stream. 24 Summary of values conversation 25 Values voting state of play At the conclusion of ten workshops, Honesty & Integrity and Collaboration remain the most highly rated by contributors. Other values ranked in the top five are Courage, Trust and Respect. Ethic of Service, Sustainability and Engagement have increased their rankings, with Pride and Tenacity rating consistently lower; a number of comments noted the language and/or intent of the values wasn’t clear. Demonstrating key areas of importance to the contributors, the most consistently and highly ranked operational practices, behaviours or taboos across, were: o Behaviours are modelled at all levels of the organisation o Actively dealing with bad behaviour that is not acceptable as its reduces the effectiveness of our workforce o Not tolerating people who undermine or bully others o Not dealing with people who do not perform o Bringing out the best in people through good leadership, good people management and making the wellbeing of all staff a priority o Minimising unnecessary bureaucracy and being flexible how we problem solve o Community partnerships are encouraged and the service design is open to external expertise o We assume we know and understand what the citizen and business want o Create a culture that embraces and rewards innovation and creativity Values voting state of play 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 Workshop Primer 8 March 21 March 5 April AM Votes Workshop 22 April PM 29 April PM 11 April – Port Augusta Votes Collaboration Sustainabilty Engagement Tenacity Pride Trust Courage Respect Ethic of Service Honesty & integrity 0 Summary of values conversation 5 April PM 8 April AM 8 April PM 15 April AM 26 0 Organisational Practices Behaviours Taboos Tolerating the difference between what is said and what is done Plagarism is not addressed Empire building Subverting others decisions Being punative when people make honest mistakes Not dealing with people who do not perform Not tolerating people who undermine or bully others Talk directly to those concerned about any subject or matter of concern Full and accurate disclosure without prompting Affording people natural justice Actively dealing with bad behaviour that is not acceptable as its reduces the effectiveness of our… Organisation wide communication on priorities, performance and results Values and behaviours embedded in the Code of Ethics Summary of values conversation 27 Operational practices, behaviours and taboos votes as of 29 April Honesty & integrity 250 200 150 100 50 Organisational Practices Behaviours Taboos Organisational barriers are allowed to block success Not sharing information with colleagues or resources with community partners Silos continue to win the day Innovation and leadership in advancing new ways of working is rewarded Actively making our own barriers more permeable and accessible. Drive to find the best ideas that are available anywhere, from anyone Core willingness and drive to collaborate with stakeholders, customers and colleagues Summary of values conversation 28 Collaboration 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Organisational Practices Behaviours Taboos Self-initiative is not recognised or rewarded Allowing risk aversion in the face of common sense Second guessing colleagues without seeking objective data Sharing confidential information with unauthorised users Behaviours are modelled at all levels of the organisation Taking personal accountability for the decisions we make and the actions we take Giving objective and clear feedback to others Open to others ideas and points of view Personal accountability is interwoven into the performance management framework at all levels Delegating responsibilities to lowest level appropriate All work up to the level of trust placed in them, not down to the level of controls Eliminate rules and controls which cause employees to feel distrusted Summary of values conversation 29 Trust 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Organisational Practices Behaviours Taboos Not allowing space in the organisation for sub cultures Excluding and marginalising people Tokenism Ignoring the policy/ priorities of the government in office Discrimination based on race/gender /ethnicity or age Have respect for the individuals around you and the different views they may have Sense of ownership for property and resources Listening for understanding Bringing out the best in people through good leadership, good people management and making the wellbeing of all staff a priority Putting people at the centre of our business Growth opportunities based on capability and merit Forums for regular feedback from team members and stakeholders Summary of values conversation 30 Respect 250 200 150 100 50 0 Organisational Practices Behaviours Taboos Not confronting poor performance Not admitting to mistakes Resisting and discouraging new ideas Not speaking up in meetings and designated forums when the opportunity arises for new approaches Favouring business as usual to avoid hard decisions or difficult conversations Understanding that failures are important for learning how to be successful in the long run Tolerate calculated risk when the benefits warrant it Leaders encourage experimentation with new ideas and positively reinforce these efforts Willingness to make hard decisions and have difficult discussions Listen deeply, speak candidly, question thoughtfully, challenge openly Recognising change opportunities and efficiency gains as an investment in the future Create a culture that embraces and rewards innovation and creativity Guiding principles, not just governing rules and policies Recognition of those who go beyond simply following the rules and do what is best in the situation Summary of values conversation 31 Courage 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Organisational Practices Behaviours Taboos Not valuing internal customer service Pursuing personal success at the expense of team or organisation goals “I don’t Care” attitude Recognise and value internal and external customers Genuine commitment to support the citizen access the services/supports they need to live their best lives Tailoring solutions to individual/ community Willingness to “go the extra mile” so as to deliver better outcomes Understanding and then designing services and policies in anticipation of meeting citizen expectations and need Acknowledging the inherent knowledge that our clients/ customers have about their own needs Transparent and accountable decision making Public services are person centred and responsive to diversity Summary of values conversation 32 Ethic of Service 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 ‘This will get the job done now, someone else will pay for it later” attitude Organisational Practices Always looking for ways to consume less and promote resource sustainability at work and at home, within the public service and to the public Decisions are considered with equal weight to short term and long term benefits and costs Public services consume fewer resources over time. Summary of values conversation 33 Sustainability 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Behaviours Taboos Organisational Practices Behaviours We assume we know and understand what the citizen and business want Share resources like public sector data Decision-making is open to input All projects demonstrate relevant levels of engagement Community partnerships are encouraged and the service design is open to external expertise Summary of values conversation 34 Engagement 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Taboos Organisational Practices Behaviours Taboos Providing poor service to customers and citizens Not respecting other people’s work Destructive criticism Contributing to building the team’s capacity and capability so as to improve what we do and the positive impact we have Finding new ways to do things better for our colleagues and customers Excitement about coming to work Demonstrate the highest levels of resilience Being able to talk about your personal contribution to the wellbeing of SA citizens and the community Active support for staff to realise their individual and collective potential Recognition and reward system for high value delivery Clear articulation of value to South Australia Summary of values conversation 35 Pride 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Organisational Practices Behaviours Taboos Cynicism is tolerated Allowing the drive for change to be lost Giving up in the face of difficulty Minimising unnecessary bureaucracy and being flexible how we problem solve Recognition of individual effort Finding multiple ways to give results Demonstrating leadership in advancing new ways of working and thinking Forums to invite and facilitate flow of ideas from other levels of Public Sector Open door policies to allow active discussion Summary of values conversation 36 Tenacity 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
