Leadership for a digital world in the public service: Lesson 5

Welcome back to Lesson 5 of Leadership for a digital world in the public service!

In the final lesson of this boot camp, you'll learn about the final two mindsets: Future Focus and Audience Focus.

1. Watch a video explanation of The Future Focus and Audience Focus Mindset (13 min)

Watch this video for an introduction to the final two mindsets.

2. Reflect on your own experience

Based on the brief descriptions above, where would you place your own maturity currently for these mindset?

The Future Focussed Mindset:

• Level 1: I'm aware of the Future Focussed mindset.
• Level 2: I understand the Future Focussed mindset.
• Level 3: I can evidence a Future Focussed mindset.
• Level 4: I embody the Future Focussed mindset.

The Audience Focussed Mindset:

• Level 1: I'm aware of the Audience Focussed mindset.
• Level 2: I understand the Audience Focussed mindset.
• Level 3: I can evidence an Audience Focussed mindset.
• Level 4: I embody the Audience Focussed mindset.

3. Use the suggestions and articles below to help you develop and nurture your Future Focussed and Audience Focussed mindsets

Future focus levels 1 & 2

Learn: Read How to rethink your policy with artefacts from the future to learn a technique for bringing more future focus to your thinking. (8 min)

Think: The modern leader understands the value and importance of looking outward as well as forward. This requires a habitual commitment to constantly widen one’s frame of reference. We don’t know what we don’t know. How can you start to widen your frame of reference forward into the future and outwards around you? Focussing also on your habits and techniques in becoming more networked from Mindset 3 - how can you start to leverage cognitive diversity to make better decisions and/or build your resilience and belief that a better future is in your hands?

Do: This week, when you're presented with problems or questions, take time to think through all of the possible solutions before jumping in with one. Ask yourself: “how many right answers are there to this?”

Make sure to also spend some time thinking about the possible future consequences of those solutions.

Future focus levels 3 & 4

Learn: Read We need to rethink the future to learn two techniques to test your assumptions about the future. (7 min)

Think: As a mature leader here, you are likely someone who leans heavily towards thought experimentation, visualisation and even simulation and scenario playing to envision multiple futures before taking action. You know the best future is one that is based on constant change and evolution rather than solutions that focus only on the end. Are you applying this thinking to digitally transforming systems, or are you primarily focussed on projects and programmes of work?

Do: Reflect on what a public service-wide future focus at a systems level would look like. Sketch out on a piece of paper what might look and feel different. You can leverage your beginners mind and create some thought experiments in the form of possible future scenarios.

Audience focus levels 1 & 2

Learn: Read Governments and the rise of empathy economy to learn what it looks like in practice to put humans first, even in the digital and tech space. (8 min)

Think: Reflect on the audiences you interact with on a daily basis, and consider the following questions: How well do you really know them as human beings? Do you know the values and beliefs that drive their decisions as an individual or perhaps supplier? How could you become more closely connected? How can you ensure you are aware of their full value contribution and that they know yours?

Do: Map out the audiences you interact with in your daily practice in an audience value chain, visualising the answers to your reflection above. Score yourself for how well you know them in terms of values, ambitions and people capabilities.

Audience focus levels 3 & 4

Learn: Read Public servants shouldn’t be afraid to speak from the heart to learn how to put the human first at work, starting with yourself. (5 min)

Think: At this point you are likely to be embodying the majority of the 7 Mindsets for digital age leadership. This means that being mature in this particular mindset drives your unwavering ambition to serve everyone as unique, in a personalised and meaningful way. Reflect on how the audience focussed mindset connects to the previous 6 mindsets you've learned about in this boot camp.

Do: Write down ways that you can help others in your team or organisation develop their audience focussed mindset. It’s time to find your First Follower and spread the digital age leadership mindset for public service!

Picture credit: Unsplash