Mission-driven approach to government | Article

Just weeks before the General Election, Ravi Gurumurthy, Group Chief Executive Officer at Nesta, shared insights during a WIG webinar on the concept of a mission-driven government. Embraced by the new UK government, this approach highlights the critical need for cross-sector collaboration.

Defining a Mission-Driven Approach

A mission-driven approach to government consists of setting goals and aligning the resources and strategies to achieve them.  It concentrates both willpower and financial capital into a few, select high-priority areas, rather than spreading resources thinly across numerous initiatives.  Deliberately focusing on cross-departmental and cross-sector collaboration helps mitigate challenges that arise from working in isolation to solve specific issues.

Key Components

Setting missions

When utilising a mission-based approach, organisations choose between setting aspirational or committed objectives. Committed goals define ambitious but realistic targets whereas aspirational goals, sometimes called moonshots, are inherently stretching in nature.  

Moonshot goals can inspire creative thinking and lead to extraordinary outcomes that might not have been achieved otherwise. However, they carry the risk of undermining confidence if not communicated effectively, particularly in a political context with numerous interdependencies.

Innovation

Many of the issues that are targeted in mission-driven approaches face a high-degree of uncertainty, often lacking a clear roadmap to the desired outcomes.  Innovation is essential in these cases. Admitting the presence of unknowns and planning accordingly is more effective than pretending to be omniscient.

Key drivers

Embracing agility and experimentation for continuous improvement

When aiming to achieve set objectives, adopting continuous improvement methodologies from the private sector can guide the public sector in implementing an iterative approach.

Technology companies utilise A/B testing, trial and error, and constant adjustments to continuously enhance outcomes. While the government often relies on pilot programs, it should consider adopting private sector practices by valuing the trial of new initiatives and working in an agile manner.

System shaping

There is now a greater emphasis on system-level goals that address a broader range of externalities, such as the effects on mental health or the environment. Previously, efforts to improve public sector services often relied on using traditional private sector models, like markets and reviews, in public sector contexts to drive efficiencies.  Now, the focus will shift towards shaping the system using tools such as regulations and incentives. The aim will be to align this with market changes, implementing it at the right time – too early and it may stifle innovation, too late and it may be hard to contain.

Collecting continuous intelligence

Continuous data collection throughout missions is crucial for ongoing success. Whether through quantitative surveys or qualitative reports, collecting data provides direct feedback on outcomes and progress toward goals. This data also identifies areas of positive deviation—instances where outcomes exceed expectations—allowing for the creation of replicable models that can be scaled elsewhere. Engaging citizens and frontline workers in co-creating solutions ensures that policies are grounded in real world needs.

Enablers and strategic implementation:

When implementing a mission-led approach effectively, enablers exist to make the policies delivery easier. This includes the following:

Having an outcome-orientated approach

The focus of an outcome-oriented culture is a mindset that encourages progress with a ‘do whatever it takes’ attitude, fostering a culture of innovation and autonomy to adapt to challenges as they arise.  This mindset must permeate every stage of the approach to steadily move closer to achieving that set measurable goal.

Creating cross-functional teams

Cross-functional teams bring together a diverse blend of skilled professionals who offer varied perspectives to enhance policy development.  Each team leverages its expertise to address issues from multiple angles, ensuring thorough scrutiny that can future-proof the mission. This collaborative approach also fosters a deeper understanding among involved departments about their roles in implementing the policy, thereby bridging the gap between policymakers and implementers.

Pooling resources

A fundamental aspect of the mission-led approach in government is the pooling together of financial resources to achieve policy objectives.  Establishing a dedicated taskforce around the policy to carry it ensures costs are tied to the mission and creates a single objective for the new taskforce to focus on. 

In adopting this approach, government aims to address complex issues by bringing together different departments and sectors from across society.  This collaborative effort seeks to implement policies that enhance public services and positively impact the lives of people throughout the UK.

More from WIG

Understanding what a mission-led government means in practice is key and understanding how to collaborate across the sectors is a necessity. WIG will be convening around all the key missions as identified by the government, enabling leaders to meaningfully engage. Join an upcoming WIG event to learn and be part of the strategic dialogue. 

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