tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post3463052233883004277..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: The need for a pause in an age of changeJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-77932154094361651822018-06-29T16:05:16.294+10:002018-06-29T16:05:16.294+10:00Laughs!Laughs!Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-88658047470143145522018-06-29T15:17:44.136+10:002018-06-29T15:17:44.136+10:00Dear Lord :) kvdDear Lord :) kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-29660135515819480992018-06-29T11:58:59.441+10:002018-06-29T11:58:59.441+10:00I would agree with your last remark, kvd!
I fear,...I would agree with your last remark, kvd!<br /><br />I fear, however, that you are not approaching this matter in the right and modern professional way. Clearly, we need a detailed stakeholder analysis. This must be associated with a proper risk assessment. You have forgotten the need for suitable power point presentations. And, come to think of it, obligatory questions and answers setting out the information stakeholders and perhaps even the broader community needs to know, to stop them becoming confused. <br /><br />And you haven't really discussed the report(s) - there will need to be a number - beyond a few points. I accept the importance of the cute photos. I believe that there is a boarding establishment that might provide same, although it is in the country. A bit far away from the real world, perhaps. Design consultants will need to be employed to select the right pastel colours, agonise over the photos and layout and thus extend the 1,000 words of content into the required twenty plus page document. You have also, I think, not properly dealt with the required flow charts and structural diagrams subdividing the desired outcome into broad groups with all the initiatives and measures cascading down from there. More work may be required to identify every conceivable things that might seem relevant for inclusion, thus adding to employment.<br /><br />To meet your known desire for evidence based public policy, it is important that the whole things include review dates and evaluation processes. Desirably, these should be set at an early enough date to preclude any meaningful positive result. It should be possible to build in some pilot programs desirably including private and not for profit input. These can be properly structured to ensure that no real agreement can be reached. This has two advantages. It means that no money needs to be actually spent beyond all the resources from participants required to prepare the proposals. Since this is off-budget it need not appear in the Government accounts, but will add to the employment effects. <br /><br />I would suggest, kvd, that while you comment did set out a possible path, it lacked professionalism in articulating the full story. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-81100827873060082312018-06-28T15:25:41.886+10:002018-06-28T15:25:41.886+10:00Nup. Evan is right: we need a new measure, or mayb...Nup. Evan is right: we need a new measure, or maybe several? Perhaps a formal inquiry, with several outreach initiatives (hearings, town halls, and such) so that 'all voices can be heard'.<br /><br />This will provide jobs to the otherwise unemployable (and if you wish to disprove, create perhaps a further inquiry into the efficacy of the collation and analysis of the new measure?) and not actually produce anything of value in the 'real world' - or, more importantly, disturb the status quo.<br /><br />And there must be meetings, and minutes thereof, and bullet point summaries encapsulated in the 'Executive Summary' with lots of meaningless graphs annotated in very small font, and a cute family+dog pic or two.<br /><br />So little time, so much to organise; can't see how I'll get it all done - how will the world cope upon my demise :)<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-72584409774218017432018-06-28T14:44:01.682+10:002018-06-28T14:44:01.682+10:00Just amplifying my response a little, Evan. There ...Just amplifying my response a little, Evan. There is so much static around, so many issues, that it becomes difficult to respond sensibly except, perhaps, by withdrawing from response to most! I would argue that we have lost sight of a basic reality, that Government's ability to do things is constrained. Because Governments feel the need to do things, to be seen to be relevant, they make changes in areas where they can be seen to take action even though the effects of those changes are uncertain or of limited value. That leads to instability that affects us all. It also means that policy lose focus, that the ability to concentrate on areas of real change value is reduced. <br /><br />Take the question of ecological sustainability. I have indicated that I do not think that ecological unsustainability is increasing so far as Australia is concerned. That can be argued. I would argue that the changes that have taken place improving sustainability have been more associated with individual and non-government actions that in aggregate have had very considerable effects. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-49442761292027950192018-06-28T13:48:32.255+10:002018-06-28T13:48:32.255+10:00I don't agree with you about increasing ecolog...I don't agree with you about increasing ecological unsustainability so far as Australia is concerned, Evan. I would agree about increasing social inequity. <br /><br />I think that we may need new measures, although the prevalence of measures is already part of the problem as is the constant search for improvement however measured. I just think that we need to stop, to pause and that includes environmental or social measures! Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-5552478517725763482018-06-28T10:13:04.612+10:002018-06-28T10:13:04.612+10:00There are stable patterns - increasing ecological ...There are stable patterns - increasing ecological unsustainability, increasing social inequity.<br /><br />I do agree with you about government as the source of instability.<br /><br />My guess is that we need a new measure in the public conversation - not just GDP or dopey NAPLAN. I'd like to see human flourishing become a common consideration. I guess in political terms 'a better future for your children - and your old age'.Evanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13355215688351759230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-19993105720388896212018-06-27T20:03:58.175+10:002018-06-27T20:03:58.175+10:00Crikey, Ruth. That's a while ago! Thank you fo...Crikey, Ruth. That's a while ago! Thank you for the compliment :) Speaking professionally, I think that there are two problems with the gain issue. One is the time question. The second one is the way in which gains are measured. So often, they are one dimensional, just so much in cost savings This was compounded by the rise in consultants whoe were on performance pay linked to things like cost savings. They were well gone with their cheques before the adverse consequences came though. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-83495799465934751832018-06-27T19:04:30.634+10:002018-06-27T19:04:30.634+10:00Well said, Jim, especially your remarks in relatio...Well said, Jim, especially your remarks in relation to education. As someone who has spent decades helping organisations/people adjust to change, and putting a positive spin on it, I agree that there is much pain before the gain - and not many of those who go through the pain actually get the gain. Uncertainty is the constant of our world, our kids' world, our grandkids' world. Jim, you still have that fearless and wide ranging intellect I remember well from History I at UNE!Ruth Cottonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08868262087684986677noreply@blogger.com