GovExec Daily: How Managers Can Avoid Self-Sabotage

Concerns about precise wording. Insisting on doing everything through proper “channels.” Referring to matters decided upon at the last meeting during a new meeting. Huge committees. These are probably familiar issues to modern public sector managers, but these problems were identified by the CIA’s precursor, the Office of Strategic Services, in its Simple Sabotage Field Manual, published in 1944.

In a new report titled “Mission Not Meetings: How government leaders could avoid self-sabotage,” McKinsey experts examine the management problems that can undermine the efficacy of government managers and hamstring mission delivery. 

J.R. Maxwell is a McKinsey partner and a leader in the firm’s practices focused on the public, social, and healthcare sectors. And Sarah Kleinman is a Partner in McKinsey's Public Sector practice, where she manages large-scale, end-to-end organizational transformations. They joined the podcast to talk about the report and how organizations can overcome these issues. 

To request a transcript of this episode email webmaster@govexec.com