bout de papier, Vol. 9, No. 2 (1992) — Spring 1992 // Printemps 1992, p. 2
The “Word” percolates to the masses in mysterious ways.
In his first message to the troops, disseminated by in-house video, the new Under-Secretary explained his mandate from the Prime Minister: the need for External Affairs to pursue “excellence”, and the requirement that employees perform their specific jobs. He outlined his expectations and responsibilities, and disclaimed what he portrayed as the notion by other bureaucrats that External Affairs is “venal and rapacious” He also denied the perception that his preferred style would be one of “management by fear”
While it may not be management by fear per se, the experience to date is that the style is clearly one of fiat, and failure to consult or to build internal consensus. Employees have a right to know what is being asked of them and where they are being led, if only to ensure that everyone is pulling in the same direction. Who knows, the masses might even have the odd bright idea, which would enable the open and unabashed pursuit of “excellence” — whatever that as yet undefined notion might be.
It is not that the concept of excellence is difficult to understand in broad general terms. Presumably it means to be superior to something or someone in terms of quality or quantity, or to be pre-eminent in doing a task or in performing an action. However, other than not being venal or rapacious and leadership through fear, employees have little on which to move ahead
Remember that this is the department that single-handedly destroyed the age-old democratic principle of ministerial responsibility. This is the department that repeatedly and publicly demonstrated its abysmal lack of leadership, personal integrity or individual loyalty at the highest level. Public administration theory is now being re-written to chronicle the slow but steady progress throughout the Public Service of the effects of a new made-in-Canada management principle of “Mashat-ing” one’s subordinates. The jury is not yet in, but it is clear that it will take years, if not decades, to get beyond this miasma.
Changing attitudes at the middle-management level may be a first step in the right direction to rid External Affairs of the noxious infection so blithely and thoughtlessly incurred. But this may prove to be too little and too late. Already the aid stream of the Foreign Service has disappeared, and the immigration stream seems headed for extinction. The trade stream hovers on the brink of partition, and the political stream awaits radical transformation into an administrative and consular sub-stratum. The Department drifts aimlessly in the cold spring-time winds and rains, half-in and half-out of its moulting skin. What will emerge — a glorious new future, or yet another throw-back to prehistoric times?
Now, as never before, a unique opportunity exists for employees to re-shape their organization. Remarkably, events of recent weeks have served to coalesce views in External Affairs across the great divides of support staff and officers, and rotational and non-rotational members. For the first time in the history of the Department, employees now seem to be united in concern for their future, and in their willingness to contemplate change for change’s sake rather than as a result of fiat. How will this change be effected and what will be the mechanism?
Individuals need to start thinking openly about their personal work objectives and, as divisions or employee groups, to discuss what kind of organization they wish to work for and what they are not willing to do. In an era of fundamental change throughout the public sector, we have an obligation to ourselves as individuals, our Department and Government, and the tax-payer, to re-define departmental goals and objectives; to concentrate on those things which collectively we do well; and to discard out-moded paradigms and out-dated ways. Only through broad and open discussion and consultation from the bottom up, can a revitalized External Affairs rise Phoenix-like from its current nadir. If we seize the present opportunity, we may succeed in creating a new and vigorous vision which will rally and unite us for the 21st century.
Some may question why employees should bother re-thinking the Department or their future in an organization which seems to care so little for its employees and in which no concrete mechanism is available for bottom-up input or decision-making.
There is a simple answer: the senior management of this Department needs and undoubtedly craves thoughtful and creative input from the rank and file. While secret cabals and cloak and dagger work may sometimes be fleetingly suitable in dire emergencies, they can not stay the course. To ensure our future and to achieve a meaningful vision together, our leaders must seek a channel for positive team effort to re-build External Affairs. The real challenge for the Department and its employees is to develop a system which enables regular, systematic and meaningful dialogue on the part of all employees, be they the managers or the managed.
If such a system of mutual dialogue and respect does not develop, and if management by fiat really is the medium, then External Affairs can count on being the 47th organization to disappear from the Public Service of Canada.
Ottawa, April 1992
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 9, No. 2 (1992) — Spring 1992 // Printemps 1992, p. 2. Read the rest of this issue →
