Steering from the Centre of Government in Times of Complexity
Compendium of Practices
From steering decision-making in times of complexity to stewarding cross-cutting policies
and guiding good practices across the public administration, centres of government
(CoGs) play an important role in achieving government ambitions. CoGs have recently
found themselves under pressure to help navigate increasingly complex policy challenges
in an environment characterised by multiple crises, polarisation and declining trust
in public institutions. This compendium gathers and shares practices and experiences
of CoGs in undertaking their various roles and functions. It describes the mechanisms
CoGs use in roles such as bridging the political-administrative interface, stewarding
cross-cutting policies, guiding public administration reform, and engaging with citizens
and other stakeholders. Finally, it discusses the lessons learnt and key enablers
that emerge from the experiences. This compendium serves CoG leaders and government
officials who seek to better understand the role of the centre in contributing to
better outcomes for citizens and society.