Advice from Silicon Valley: How tech-sector practices can promote innovation in government
Public-sector leaders recently met with leaders from the region’s most innovative companies to learn about their culture of innovation firsthand.
What government leaders took away from the established tech heavyweights and disruptors who participated in the meeting could transform the way the public sector functions. Tech executives encouraged government leaders to be bold in vision but iterative in delivery—to think big but start small. They encouraged these public-sector executives to become obsessed with their end users: citizens, yes, but also companies, organizations, and foreign visitors and investors. They recommended cultivating talent and practices with an eye to the future rather than anchoring them in the present. And they encouraged public-sector leaders to harness the insights of others: around the world, governments are tackling the same challenges, some with great success. What follows captures highlights of the group’s discussion on these themes.