People with drive and infectious enthusiasm can get others on side. What if society was driven by such people? How would this affect government policy? How could it be adapted to create space for them? The Academy of Government Communication organised a seminar with the above title for civil servants on the 29th of November

National Government

People with drive and infectious enthusiasm can get others on side. What if society was driven by such people? How would this affect government policy? How could it be adapted to create space for them?

The Academy of Government Communication organised a seminar with the above title for civil servants on the 29th of November. I was invited to contribute, through a workshop on the day and an article in the final report, which was published in May.

 

The government is seeking a new role in society; with less steering from above, and more participation in self-organising networks. Thus, the role of policy makers is changing. So is that of communications officers. It is no longer about neatly packing and delivering Ministers' messages. A more facilitatory role is required between policy makers, initiative takers and other stakeholders.

 

The seminar, held in the Provincial House in the Hague was primarily focused on the staff of communications departments, but policy makers involved in interactive projects were also welcome. There was a good attendance, with around 300 participants. Some nice case studies were highlighted, such as: "Bio-based Economy" (with over 300 active member organisations), "The Netherlands is Becoming Wiser in Financial Affairs" (made up of banks, educational institutions and others trying to educate young people and immigrants in modern financial transactions) and "Parents and Schools Together" (which tries to get parents actively involved in schools).

 

Bringing a Network to Life

My workshop was about energy networks: where there is energy, there are lots of possibilities. But how do you get it to that point? After a brief explanation of the hot and cold sides of organising, I let participants experience for themselves what it takes to keep the energy flowing in a network, using constellations around a case brought in by a participant.

 

Yet again, it was fascinating to observe how this method works. I gave the workshop twice that day, and each time the participants were able to draw conclusions that I could not have foreseen. Both cases clearly illustrated that energy starts to flow when stakeholders adapt positions in which they can see each other as complementary. The trick is how to get them there. This is the role of what I call the free actor.

 

I go into more detail about these constellations in my article in the final report: "National Government Seeks Partner; With Contributions From Five Experts, Seven Visions, Nine Cases and One Story". It is a beautifully designed and easy to read publication (in Dutch).

National Government