don’t know how are we doing for sound can you hear me at the back do I need a
can you hear me at the back do I need a
can you hear me at the back do I need a hand mic okay I’ve been told I can’t
hand mic okay I’ve been told I can’t
hand mic okay I’ve been told I can’t wander around the stage but I am allowed
wander around the stage but I am allowed
wander around the stage but I am allowed to dance so I can’t guarantee that
to dance so I can’t guarantee that
to dance so I can’t guarantee that wouldn’t be doing that and I’m so
wouldn’t be doing that and I’m so
wouldn’t be doing that and I’m so excited to be here I’m here today to
excited to be here I’m here today to
excited to be here I’m here today to talk to you about empathy empathy is a
talk to you about empathy empathy is a
talk to you about empathy empathy is a longstanding obsession of mine and it’s
longstanding obsession of mine and it’s
longstanding obsession of mine and it’s absolutely caught of my own values I’m
absolutely caught of my own values I’m
absolutely caught of my own values I’m also a civil servant so I work for the
also a civil servant so I work for the
also a civil servant so I work for the government
government
government now empathy and government are two words
now empathy and government are two words
now empathy and government are two words that you rarely hear uttered in the same
that you rarely hear uttered in the same
that you rarely hear uttered in the same breath I can’t think why mmm
breath I can’t think why mmm
breath I can’t think why mmm and this next few minutes is me telling
and this next few minutes is me telling
and this next few minutes is me telling you about my adventures over the last
you about my adventures over the last
you about my adventures over the last few months trying to bridge the gap
few months trying to bridge the gap
few months trying to bridge the gap between these two disparate passions
between these two disparate passions
between these two disparate passions that I have so if you don’t know what
that I have so if you don’t know what
that I have so if you don’t know what the civil service does we exist to help
the civil service does we exist to help
the civil service does we exist to help politicians get stuff done so while
politicians get stuff done so while
politicians get stuff done so while stated aim is we help the government of
stated aim is we help the government of
stated aim is we help the government of the day to implement its policies and
the day to implement its policies and
the day to implement its policies and what a policy is it’s a really simple
what a policy is it’s a really simple
what a policy is it’s a really simple thing its government’s approach to a
thing its government’s approach to a
thing its government’s approach to a societal need and need we all have how
societal need and need we all have how
societal need and need we all have how do we design our health care system how
do we design our health care system how
do we design our health care system how do we treat people in prisons where do
do we treat people in prisons where do
do we treat people in prisons where do we build our road and rail network these
we build our road and rail network these
we build our road and rail network these are all policies and many of these
are all policies and many of these
are all policies and many of these policies become services that you
policies become services that you
policies become services that you interact with every single day so
interact with every single day so
interact with every single day so whether you’re registering to vote or
whether you’re registering to vote or
whether you’re registering to vote or you’re applying for a passport or you’re
you’re applying for a passport or you’re
you’re applying for a passport or you’re getting cancer treatment there are
getting cancer treatment there are
getting cancer treatment there are dozens if not hundreds of civil servants
dozens if not hundreds of civil servants
dozens if not hundreds of civil servants of public servants behind the decisions
of public servants behind the decisions
of public servants behind the decisions that make the interactions that you
that make the interactions that you
that make the interactions that you experience from the state every single
experience from the state every single
experience from the state every single day so as civil servants what do we need
day so as civil servants what do we need
day so as civil servants what do we need to do to make our ideas and our policies
to do to make our ideas and our policies
to do to make our ideas and our policies good well we need to make them a few
good well we need to make them a few
good well we need to make them a few really obvious things they need to be
really obvious things they need to be
really obvious things they need to be affordable because the state is big and
affordable because the state is big and
affordable because the state is big and gnarly and expensive we need to make
gnarly and expensive we need to make
gnarly and expensive we need to make them operationally viable so we are
them operationally viable so we are
them operationally viable so we are living in reality land because we like a
living in reality land because we like a
living in reality land because we like a bit of reality and we need to make them
bit of reality and we need to make them
bit of reality and we need to make them politically and culturally acceptable
politically and culturally acceptable
politically and culturally acceptable there is a whole separate talk about how
there is a whole separate talk about how
there is a whole separate talk about how you do that which I won’t focus on for
you do that which I won’t focus on for
you do that which I won’t focus on for now but over and above all of those
now but over and above all of those
now but over and above all of those things we need to make our ideas and our
things we need to make our ideas and our
things we need to make our ideas and our policies effective and by effective I
policies effective and by effective I
policies effective and by effective I mean to me extremely specific almost
mean to me extremely specific almost
mean to me extremely specific almost every government policy is designed to
every government policy is designed to
every government policy is designed to effect behavioral change so we make
effect behavioral change so we make
effect behavioral change so we make things
things
things to make you do stuff so we want you to
to make you do stuff so we want you to
to make you do stuff so we want you to put your taxes on time we might give you
put your taxes on time we might give you
put your taxes on time we might give you a tax break or maybe not and we run the
a tax break or maybe not and we run the
a tax break or maybe not and we run the population to get fitter we might tax
population to get fitter we might tax
population to get fitter we might tax sugary drinks or we might build bike
sugary drinks or we might build bike
sugary drinks or we might build bike lanes these are all policies that you
lanes these are all policies that you
lanes these are all policies that you might experience in order to do that
might experience in order to do that
might experience in order to do that well we have to accurately predict what
well we have to accurately predict what
well we have to accurately predict what you might do if we make these different
you might do if we make these different
you might do if we make these different changes so we have to understand human
changes so we have to understand human
changes so we have to understand human motivation we have to be able to walk in
motivation we have to be able to walk in
motivation we have to be able to walk in your shoes that’s empathy we need
your shoes that’s empathy we need
your shoes that’s empathy we need empathy to do our jobs every single day
empathy to do our jobs every single day
empathy to do our jobs every single day an empathy can make or break how how
an empathy can make or break how how
an empathy can make or break how how good public policy is and I’ll give you
good public policy is and I’ll give you
good public policy is and I’ll give you an example in 1920 a group of largely
an example in 1920 a group of largely
an example in 1920 a group of largely white Christian affluent teetotal policy
white Christian affluent teetotal policy
white Christian affluent teetotal policy makers wanted people to drink less
makers wanted people to drink less
makers wanted people to drink less now they had certain policy options
now they had certain policy options
now they had certain policy options about how they did this they could have
about how they did this they could have
about how they did this they could have taxed it very popular they could have
taxed it very popular they could have
taxed it very popular they could have made a moral case against it they
made a moral case against it they
made a moral case against it they decided to ban alcohol they gave us
decided to ban alcohol they gave us
decided to ban alcohol they gave us prohibition they thought in their
prohibition they thought in their
prohibition they thought in their homogeneous little policymaking bubble
homogeneous little policymaking bubble
homogeneous little policymaking bubble that banning alcohol would make people
that banning alcohol would make people
that banning alcohol would make people stop drinking alcohol oops
stop drinking alcohol oops
stop drinking alcohol oops they fail to act with empathy and what
they fail to act with empathy and what
they fail to act with empathy and what the US population realized was something
the US population realized was something
the US population realized was something which one of the great thinkers of our
which one of the great thinkers of our
which one of the great thinkers of our time
time
time Homer Simpson expressed very well
Homer Simpson expressed very well
Homer Simpson expressed very well seventy years later was this alcohol is
seventy years later was this alcohol is
seventy years later was this alcohol is the cause of and solution to all of
the cause of and solution to all of
the cause of and solution to all of humanity’s problems most was like a pint
humanity’s problems most was like a pint
humanity’s problems most was like a pint after work right nothing new there so in
after work right nothing new there so in
after work right nothing new there so in this policy went ahead with predictable
this policy went ahead with predictable
this policy went ahead with predictable outcomes and is another great thinker of
outcomes and is another great thinker of
outcomes and is another great thinker of our time Calvin not John Calvin but
our time Calvin not John Calvin but
our time Calvin not John Calvin but Calvin and Hobbes Calvin said how can
Calvin and Hobbes Calvin said how can
Calvin and Hobbes Calvin said how can something that seemed so plausible being
something that seemed so plausible being
something that seemed so plausible being retrospect so idiotic so this policy
retrospect so idiotic so this policy
retrospect so idiotic so this policy played out with predictable outcomes
played out with predictable outcomes
played out with predictable outcomes right there was a huge upsurge in
right there was a huge upsurge in
right there was a huge upsurge in organized crime there was a huge loss of
organized crime there was a huge loss of
organized crime there was a huge loss of tax revenue for the US government and a
tax revenue for the US government and a
tax revenue for the US government and a tiny drop in alcohol consumption no pun
tiny drop in alcohol consumption no pun
tiny drop in alcohol consumption no pun intended so here’s my idea I think
intended so here’s my idea I think
intended so here’s my idea I think public servants need to become experts
public servants need to become experts
public servants need to become experts in the practice of empathy if we don’t
in the practice of empathy if we don’t
in the practice of empathy if we don’t we waste money we waste time and we let
we waste money we waste time and we let
we waste money we waste time and we let you all down and we can’t afford to do
you all down and we can’t afford to do
you all down and we can’t afford to do that financially or morally
that financially or morally
that financially or morally so how do you create empathy in an
so how do you create empathy in an
so how do you create empathy in an organization like the Civil Service it’s
organization like the Civil Service it’s
organization like the Civil Service it’s very hierarchical and very highly
very hierarchical and very highly
very hierarchical and very highly structured well I don’t know the full
structured well I don’t know the full
structured well I don’t know the full answer to that but I think I’ve got
answer to that but I think I’ve got
answer to that but I think I’ve got three things which will get us towards
three things which will get us towards
three things which will get us towards it which will start to bridge that gap
it which will start to bridge that gap
it which will start to bridge that gap between us and you between government
between us and you between government
between us and you between government and people the first one’s an absolute
and people the first one’s an absolute
and people the first one’s an absolute no-brainer and Charlotte said it already
no-brainer and Charlotte said it already
no-brainer and Charlotte said it already shut up and listen is what we need to do
shut up and listen is what we need to do
shut up and listen is what we need to do so it should be an imperative of every
so it should be an imperative of every
so it should be an imperative of every civil servant and every public servant
civil servant and every public servant
civil servant and every public servant to talk to real people early on in our
to talk to real people early on in our
to talk to real people early on in our policy development cycle about how idea
policy development cycle about how idea
policy development cycle about how idea our ideas will impact them there’s a
our ideas will impact them there’s a
our ideas will impact them there’s a really simple philosophy of how you
really simple philosophy of how you
really simple philosophy of how you predict somebody’s behavior is by asking
predict somebody’s behavior is by asking
predict somebody’s behavior is by asking them how they’ll behave deceptive write
them how they’ll behave deceptive write
them how they’ll behave deceptive write it sell that it sell them we actually do
it sell that it sell them we actually do
it sell that it sell them we actually do that to meter garrets talk to people and
that to meter garrets talk to people and
that to meter garrets talk to people and we need the humility to listen when
we need the humility to listen when
we need the humility to listen when people say that our ideas are not good
people say that our ideas are not good
people say that our ideas are not good enough and the boldness to iterate ideas
enough and the boldness to iterate ideas
enough and the boldness to iterate ideas based on that secondly diversity
based on that secondly diversity
based on that secondly diversity inclusion is absolute at the heart of
inclusion is absolute at the heart of
inclusion is absolute at the heart of all this stuff now the civil service is
all this stuff now the civil service is
all this stuff now the civil service is getting more diverse and more inclusive
getting more diverse and more inclusive
getting more diverse and more inclusive and that’s brilliant but we need to
and that’s brilliant but we need to
and that’s brilliant but we need to focus more on recruitment from different
focus more on recruitment from different
focus more on recruitment from different socio-economic groups so diversity of
socio-economic groups so diversity of
socio-economic groups so diversity of viewpoint breadth of experience these
viewpoint breadth of experience these
viewpoint breadth of experience these are things that give us the collective
are things that give us the collective
are things that give us the collective empathy that we need to get better what
empathy that we need to get better what
empathy that we need to get better what we do and thirdly something I’m really
we do and thirdly something I’m really
we do and thirdly something I’m really passionate about is rewarding and role
passionate about is rewarding and role
passionate about is rewarding and role modeling empathetic behavior and that’s
modeling empathetic behavior and that’s
modeling empathetic behavior and that’s all about amplifying the many civil
all about amplifying the many civil
all about amplifying the many civil servants who already think in these ways
servants who already think in these ways
servants who already think in these ways normalizing the language of empathy
normalizing the language of empathy
normalizing the language of empathy which is the language of base human
which is the language of base human
which is the language of base human emotion love hope despair fear we need
emotion love hope despair fear we need
emotion love hope despair fear we need to be able to talk about these things
to be able to talk about these things
to be able to talk about these things and creating a space to have a different
and creating a space to have a different
and creating a space to have a different conversation now I have habits of
conversation now I have habits of
conversation now I have habits of creating spaces for different
creating spaces for different
creating spaces for different conversations compulsively and that’s
conversations compulsively and that’s
conversations compulsively and that’s what I’ve been doing these last few
what I’ve been doing these last few
what I’ve been doing these last few months so I wanted to create a space to
months so I wanted to create a space to
months so I wanted to create a space to have an empathy focused conversation
have an empathy focused conversation
have an empathy focused conversation with a lot of public servants and I did
with a lot of public servants and I did
with a lot of public servants and I did a little experiment
a little experiment
a little experiment so in June I got 200 public servants
so in June I got 200 public servants
so in June I got 200 public servants policymakers frontline staff designers
policymakers frontline staff designers
policymakers frontline staff designers developers charities different groups to
developers charities different groups to
developers charities different groups to come together to talk about empathy
come together to talk about empathy
come together to talk about empathy driven ways of making government better
driven ways of making government better
driven ways of making government better and what was heartening about that is it
and what was heartening about that is it
and what was heartening about that is it really resonated with people people like
really resonated with people people like
really resonated with people people like to get permission
to get permission
to get permission CAIR hard about human outcomes and I
CAIR hard about human outcomes and I
CAIR hard about human outcomes and I loved that what I learned from that
loved that what I learned from that
loved that what I learned from that experience was to bridge the gap between
experience was to bridge the gap between
experience was to bridge the gap between government and people we firstly need to
government and people we firstly need to
government and people we firstly need to bridge the gap between ourselves so we
bridge the gap between ourselves so we
bridge the gap between ourselves so we need high empathy between the different
need high empathy between the different
need high empathy between the different professions and government so event was
professions and government so event was
professions and government so event was really cool we had lots of fun and I
really cool we had lots of fun and I
really cool we had lots of fun and I wanted to carry on the conversation so I
wanted to carry on the conversation so I
wanted to carry on the conversation so I created an empathy driven reform
created an empathy driven reform
created an empathy driven reform movement for government and we called it
movement for government and we called it
movement for government and we called it one team government the idea of
one team government the idea of
one team government the idea of singularity and what I mean by a
singularity and what I mean by a
singularity and what I mean by a movement is we created more of these
movement is we created more of these
movement is we created more of these conversations so more events we’ve got
conversations so more events we’ve got
conversations so more events we’ve got meetups we have a breakfast meeting
meetups we have a breakfast meeting
meetups we have a breakfast meeting every Wednesday in the Treasury Building
every Wednesday in the Treasury Building
every Wednesday in the Treasury Building right in the heart of Whitehall which I
right in the heart of Whitehall which I
right in the heart of Whitehall which I just think is absolutely brilliant we
just think is absolutely brilliant we
just think is absolutely brilliant we created principles about what we do the
created principles about what we do the
created principles about what we do the first one it won’t surprise you is to
first one it won’t surprise you is to
first one it won’t surprise you is to care deeply about citizens and their
care deeply about citizens and their
care deeply about citizens and their their feelings and their outcomes and we
their feelings and their outcomes and we
their feelings and their outcomes and we put these words in will be distinguished
put these words in will be distinguished
put these words in will be distinguished by our empathy towards people and
by our empathy towards people and
by our empathy towards people and towards each other and we underpinned
towards each other and we underpinned
towards each other and we underpinned that with a bunch of other principles
that with a bunch of other principles
that with a bunch of other principles openness diversity and inclusion working
openness diversity and inclusion working
openness diversity and inclusion working across boundaries experimenting with
across boundaries experimenting with
across boundaries experimenting with ideas and this was my attempt to codify
ideas and this was my attempt to codify
ideas and this was my attempt to codify empathy for the public sector so we had
empathy for the public sector so we had
empathy for the public sector so we had these events we had these principles we
these events we had these principles we
these events we had these principles we start to amplify good practice started
start to amplify good practice started
start to amplify good practice started to turn up the dial on the people who
to turn up the dial on the people who
to turn up the dial on the people who are already doing this stuff and what
are already doing this stuff and what
are already doing this stuff and what we’ve seen a result of that is these
we’ve seen a result of that is these
we’ve seen a result of that is these principles are coming up they’re popping
principles are coming up they’re popping
principles are coming up they’re popping up in the normal machinery of government
up in the normal machinery of government
up in the normal machinery of government something which I think is really cool
something which I think is really cool
something which I think is really cool we see them in job ads now and
we see them in job ads now and
we see them in job ads now and procurement documents and corporate
procurement documents and corporate
procurement documents and corporate circulars people are really getting on
circulars people are really getting on
circulars people are really getting on board with their stuff empathy is going
board with their stuff empathy is going
board with their stuff empathy is going mainstream and it’s not just in the UK
mainstream and it’s not just in the UK
mainstream and it’s not just in the UK so we’ve been contacted by about a dozen
so we’ve been contacted by about a dozen
so we’ve been contacted by about a dozen foreign governments interested in the
foreign governments interested in the
foreign governments interested in the principles that we’re working to they
principles that we’re working to they
principles that we’re working to they want to come and talk to us about them
want to come and talk to us about them
want to come and talk to us about them and then take them back into their own
and then take them back into their own
and then take them back into their own domains and there are so many of them
domains and there are so many of them
domains and there are so many of them were going to hold a global event next
were going to hold a global event next
were going to hold a global event next summer called wanting government global
summer called wanting government global
summer called wanting government global to talk about how we use empathy driven
to talk about how we use empathy driven
to talk about how we use empathy driven reform right across the world to share
reform right across the world to share
reform right across the world to share common problems so this is super cool
common problems so this is super cool
common problems so this is super cool right what have I learned from this
right what have I learned from this
right what have I learned from this experience I’ve learned
experience I’ve learned
experience I’ve learned there’s value in daring to think
there’s value in daring to think
there’s value in daring to think differently there is value in changing
differently there is value in changing
differently there is value in changing our conversation and it’s amazing how
our conversation and it’s amazing how
our conversation and it’s amazing how many people agree with you when you
many people agree with you when you
many people agree with you when you start to do that and they wouldn’t have
start to do that and they wouldn’t have
start to do that and they wouldn’t have a chance to say it before I’ve learned
a chance to say it before I’ve learned
a chance to say it before I’ve learned that empathy is here already it already
that empathy is here already it already
that empathy is here already it already exists in the public sector in absolute
exists in the public sector in absolute
exists in the public sector in absolute spades you just need to give people
spades you just need to give people
spades you just need to give people something to coalesce around and to
something to coalesce around and to
something to coalesce around and to normalize the people who are already
normalize the people who are already
normalize the people who are already doing this stuff and lastly I learned
doing this stuff and lastly I learned
doing this stuff and lastly I learned something which I never ever experienced
something which I never ever experienced
something which I never ever experienced before in which I never anticipated and
before in which I never anticipated and
before in which I never anticipated and that’s that we’re harnessing a future
that’s that we’re harnessing a future
that’s that we’re harnessing a future style of leadership these people
style of leadership these people
style of leadership these people normalizing them legitimizing their
normalizing them legitimizing their
normalizing them legitimizing their language and their thoughts and bringing
language and their thoughts and bringing
language and their thoughts and bringing them together has given them the
them together has given them the
them together has given them the confidence to speak up people who are
confidence to speak up people who are
confidence to speak up people who are more open more porous more borderless
more open more porous more borderless
more open more porous more borderless high empathy people they tend to be
high empathy people they tend to be
high empathy people they tend to be younger and need a voice and I love the
younger and need a voice and I love the
younger and need a voice and I love the fact that we’ve done that so that’s it
fact that we’ve done that so that’s it
fact that we’ve done that so that’s it I’m gonna leave you with one thought in
I’m gonna leave you with one thought in
I’m gonna leave you with one thought in public service we need to be cool headed
public service we need to be cool headed
public service we need to be cool headed but we need to be warm-hearted too and
but we need to be warm-hearted too and
but we need to be warm-hearted too and empathy is at the heart of doing that
empathy is at the heart of doing that
empathy is at the heart of doing that thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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