Let ourselves be seen
In my first posting on this topic I stated that I would have some views to share about the cultural implications from Gov2.0. One of the greatest challenges for the public service in the short to medium term is to let ourselves be seen; to expose our vulnerabilities and imperfections; to engage earlier and much more frequently with citizens and stakeholders in identifying problem issues and solutions; to engage with others as an ordinary, everyday activity.
But that challenge does not lie with public servants alone. For many citizens currently the machinery of government and policy development seems remote and they feel disconnected from it. The social challenge for citizens is to realise they can turn that notion on its head by engaging directly and constructively with government and with others through social media.
As connected consumers now have power through having access to much more information about goods and services, and new online stores to make purchase decisions, so to will citizens have more power to influence and shape government policy and practice.
A challenge that public servants and citizens share will be to foster new and authentic inter-relationships through social media engagement that were not possible before. That involves reaching out and making connections. It involves getting to know one another through sharing information … and through meaningful expression.
An open, learning dynamic
Out of these good relationships will come a deeper understanding of citizen and community circumstances and the identification and implementation of ‘fit-for-purpose’ solutions.
The outcome will be an open, learning dynamic that will be much faster to respond … in ways that are likely to be more relevant and therefore enduring.
