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.
Setting the vision, strategic planning and prioritisation
This chapter discusses the role of the centre of government (CoG) in stewarding long-term government visions and translating these into clear priorities through a strategic planning process. Balancing long-term development outcomes with immediate priorities or crisis responses is becoming increasingly important. Through fostering alignment and cohesion across ministries and different levels of government, the CoG helps avoid duplication or conflict in government action. This chapter presents specific practical examples of mechanisms the CoG can use to build good strategic planning practices, including frameworks and standards, guidance, quality reviews and capacity building for ministries. It further discusses these within the context of developing a long-term vision in an increasingly polarised environment.
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