TEXTO 2 A new generation of public servants

According to Professor Helen Sullivan, professor of government and society at The University of Birmingham, "It is ultimately unfair to look at reforming the system without empowering and training public servants to deliver these new services," Sullivan said that a crucial element in creating "a new kind of public servant" is firstly identifying everyone who delivers public services – whether in the public, private or third sectors – as public servants. Sullivan listed the attributes that 21st century public servants need, including interpersonal skills, specifically facilitation, empathy and political skills; synthesising skills, including sorting evidence from a range of sources, analysing, making judgements, offering critique and being creative; organising skills for group work, collaboration and peer review; and communication skills, making more and better use of new and multi-media resources. "We continue to assume that people's careers in public service will be 'linear, definite, specialised and predictable'," she said. "In practice they are likely to be anything but. To develop these new roles and skills 21st century public servants will need appropriate and adequate support. Foremost among these is a government that publicly values and supports public service and promotes careers in public services."