New Rationale to Understand Public Organising

Abstract

This chapter discusses how public sector managers and leaders think about their work and their organisations and with what kind of mindset reformulation should be developed to adjust to the demands of a changing society. The ability to perceive our organisations will also define how we observe and develop them. These skills can be developed, but the process requires an ‘open-minded’ attitude, a realistic understanding of one’s personal strengths and weaknesses and the ability to see future possibilities from a new perspective. Broadening one’s mind-related diversity is essential for top-level public sector executives; how to do it, relates to leaders’ personal habits, preferences, and competencies. The contents of work, human resource management and competence building have changed markedly in recent decades. This relates to all types of organisations from business to public administration and further to the non-governmental sector. In the context of this chapter, cognitive ergonomics refers to the reorganisation of one’s mind and to putting aside current ways of learning and ways of looking to the future, embracing the diversities of future life by accepting the complexities of society as the cornerstone of our wellbeing and everyday life. This chapter addresses the questions which deal with the perceptual distortions leaders may experience in leading their organisations. Cognitive ergonomics is also a lens through which to understand how public sector leaders’ identity traits evolve. As a result, collective self-steering increases at all levels and sectors in public organisations.