Contents
Foreword by Lord Mandelson
Introduction – managing the unmanageable
1. The challenges of public sector management
No single, simple success measure
Democratic accountability
Pressure
2. Managing accountability
Introduction – the unaccountable lack of accountability
Why is it so hard to be accountable in the public sector?
How do you deal with these challenges?
Creating accountability in a partnership
Summary and checklist
3. Managing target setting
Introduction – to target or not to target
The consequences of bad targets
Why it is even harder to get targets right in the public sector
So what should you do about targets?
Summary and checklist
4. Managing politicians
Introduction – the challenges of arranged marriages
Some marriage guidance counselling
Summary and checklist
5. Managing people
Introduction - Appraising the appraisal
How to deliver good appraisals
Managing poor performance
Recruitment
Summary and checklist
6. Managing risk and innovation
Introduction - Mitigating risk. Stimulating innovation.
Managing risk effectively
Innovation – or the lack of it
Summary and checklist
7. Managing decision making
Introduction - Public sector (non) decision making
Summary and checklist
8. What the private sector can learn from the public sector
The Art of Persuasion
Making complex decisions
Crisis management
9. Public sector managers and their public
The importance of good public sector management
The status of public sector managers
Backgammon v Chess - unfair comparisons with the private sector
High importance, (relatively) low status – does it matter?
Making the public sector more attractive – better status, better pay
Conclusion
Twenty–five top tips
Biographies
Acknowledgements
Introduction – managing the unmanageable
1. The challenges of public sector management
No single, simple success measure
Democratic accountability
Pressure
2. Managing accountability
Introduction – the unaccountable lack of accountability
Why is it so hard to be accountable in the public sector?
How do you deal with these challenges?
Creating accountability in a partnership
Summary and checklist
3. Managing target setting
Introduction – to target or not to target
The consequences of bad targets
Why it is even harder to get targets right in the public sector
So what should you do about targets?
Summary and checklist
4. Managing politicians
Introduction – the challenges of arranged marriages
Some marriage guidance counselling
Summary and checklist
5. Managing people
Introduction - Appraising the appraisal
How to deliver good appraisals
Managing poor performance
Recruitment
Summary and checklist
6. Managing risk and innovation
Introduction - Mitigating risk. Stimulating innovation.
Managing risk effectively
Innovation – or the lack of it
Summary and checklist
7. Managing decision making
Introduction - Public sector (non) decision making
Summary and checklist
8. What the private sector can learn from the public sector
The Art of Persuasion
Making complex decisions
Crisis management
9. Public sector managers and their public
The importance of good public sector management
The status of public sector managers
Backgammon v Chess - unfair comparisons with the private sector
High importance, (relatively) low status – does it matter?
Making the public sector more attractive – better status, better pay
Conclusion
Twenty–five top tips
Biographies
Acknowledgements
