Learning, Failure, and Blame in the Public Sector

September 22, 2022 | Harvard Kennedy School

Speakers

Dan Honig, Associate Professor of Public Policy, University College London

Lant Pritchett, Research Director of the Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) Programme and Labor Mobility Partnerships (LaMP)

Salimah Samji, Director, Building State Capability (BSC)

Matt Andrews (Moderator), Faculty Director, Building State Capability & Edward S. Mason Senior Lecturer in International Development

Summary

Problems in the public sector are numerous. It is an arena where critique is constant, mistakes are magnified, success is taken for granted, and the risk of failure has public consequences. In this complex landscape, how do you pivot from finger-pointing positions of ‘winner-loser’ and ‘we-they’ to creating a learning environment of “us?” Is failure without blame possible? We explore these questions in this panel discussion on “Learning, Failure, and Blame in the Public Sector” with Lant Pritchett, Salimah Samji, Dan Honig, and Matt Andrews.