Steering from the Centre of Government in Times of Complexity
Compendium of Practices
From steering decision-making in times of complexity to stewarding cross-cutting policies and guiding good practices across the public administration, centres of government (CoGs) play an important role in achieving government ambitions. CoGs have recently found themselves under pressure to help navigate increasingly complex policy challenges in an environment characterised by multiple crises, polarisation and declining trust in public institutions. This compendium gathers and shares practices and experiences of CoGs in undertaking their various roles and functions. It describes the mechanisms CoGs use in roles such as bridging the political-administrative interface, stewarding cross-cutting policies, guiding public administration reform, and engaging with citizens and other stakeholders. Finally, it discusses the lessons learnt and key enablers that emerge from the experiences. This compendium serves CoG leaders and government officials who seek to better understand the role of the centre in contributing to better outcomes for citizens and society.
Building the centre of government (CoG) as a system
This chapter takes a systems-thinking approach to reviewing the centre of government (CoG) holistically. Evolving pressures and new requirements for the CoG need cohesive approaches which take into account the collection of elements – including people, processes, information and input – that can make up a high-functioning CoG. The chapter focuses on systems approaches, presenting country practices. It analyses the organisational design of the CoG, a systems approach to workforce development and the right mix of staff, and a holistic view on obtaining the right key materials and support, including digital tools and the right workflows. This chapter also highlights the need for balance between stability and agility at the CoG.