Get 'Er Done governance
Once in awhile, possibly more often than any of us would care to admit, different orders of government reach a stalemate when dealing with an issue. Going through the normal channels of diplomacy and process, the best of intentions turn into an absence of action.
I think the reasons for this reality are many: budget, political will, policy, legislation, mating habits of caribou, and myriad other things. Sometimes the inertia is so pronounced that no one on either side, the politicians nor the bureaucrats, can see a way forward.
As I reflected on one such circumstance, it struck me that almost every single time one order of government (or any other organization for that matter) meets with another, there is a learned environment that we recreate, as if by rote, that includes a lot of suits, polished shoes, support staff lurking in the background, careful dialogue and a plethora of platitudes, pronouncements and vacant promises.
It was at this point that the idea for "Get 'Er Done governance" popped into my head. Put those same people in a room, sans suits, sans Blackberrys, sans handlers. Give them a specific chunk of time and one objective: to work out a solution.
Contrary to public perception (at times) there are a lot of smart people in the various levels of government, well-meaning individuals who want to do the right thing and affect change for their constituents. However, we often run smack dab into the wall that marks the limits of our decision making authority, or a law, policy or procedure that brings forward progress to a grinding halt.
Bring the right people in the room, all the politicians and bureaucrats who need to be present to deal with the issue. Tell them to come as they are, to leave the power suits and mobile devices at home, and be prepared to work. I believe that roll-up-your-sleaves, Get-Er-Done governance would fundamentally change our capacity to innovate, collaborate and overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges.
When an issue reaches that point when things are going nowhere fast, either side should have the ability to invoke the GED protocol, forcing both sides to convene not as power players, but as human beings, to Get 'Er Done. Who's with me?
I think the reasons for this reality are many: budget, political will, policy, legislation, mating habits of caribou, and myriad other things. Sometimes the inertia is so pronounced that no one on either side, the politicians nor the bureaucrats, can see a way forward.
As I reflected on one such circumstance, it struck me that almost every single time one order of government (or any other organization for that matter) meets with another, there is a learned environment that we recreate, as if by rote, that includes a lot of suits, polished shoes, support staff lurking in the background, careful dialogue and a plethora of platitudes, pronouncements and vacant promises.
It was at this point that the idea for "Get 'Er Done governance" popped into my head. Put those same people in a room, sans suits, sans Blackberrys, sans handlers. Give them a specific chunk of time and one objective: to work out a solution.
Contrary to public perception (at times) there are a lot of smart people in the various levels of government, well-meaning individuals who want to do the right thing and affect change for their constituents. However, we often run smack dab into the wall that marks the limits of our decision making authority, or a law, policy or procedure that brings forward progress to a grinding halt.
Bring the right people in the room, all the politicians and bureaucrats who need to be present to deal with the issue. Tell them to come as they are, to leave the power suits and mobile devices at home, and be prepared to work. I believe that roll-up-your-sleaves, Get-Er-Done governance would fundamentally change our capacity to innovate, collaborate and overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges.
When an issue reaches that point when things are going nowhere fast, either side should have the ability to invoke the GED protocol, forcing both sides to convene not as power players, but as human beings, to Get 'Er Done. Who's with me?
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