by Amanda Mullan

The American people report that government institutions are not serving them effectively.

Substantive improvements to government operations are required to achieve results that matter to people and to rebuild trust. If we seek to rebuild trust in the government, we must also communicate better about the impact that government programs have around the country.

We must demonstrate what good government looks like, and how effective, accountable civil servants are vitally important to building a trustworthy government at the local, state, and federal levels.

“The time is now for the field of public administration to come together, embrace the call for change, and to help transform our government institutions at all levels—ensuring they achieve optimized and enduring results for the American people,” said James-Christian Blockwood, President and CEO of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Making Government Work Better with Agile Principles

For decades, the public sector has been viewed as slow to adapt to major social, cultural, and technological changes. Government leaders can address this challenge by implementing reforms to make all levels of government more responsive and accountable. This will require a new mindset, new organizational models, and a focus on achieving results rather than just following processes.

Agile Government is a way of thinking and managing to achieve results. The Academy’s Agile Government Center has identified ten principles to help the government achieve its goals more effectively and efficiently. By implementing these principles, the government can build more trust by demonstrating competency and support for the values that matter to people.

Agile agencies can quickly become more innovative and responsive to emerging public needs. 

"The increased competence in providing services and responding to the needs of the public thoughtfully and rapidly while respecting public values can increase trust and further promote the ability of government to deliver on its mission." Said Ed DeSeve, coordinator of the Agile Government Center.

Making Organizations Healthier to Achieve Results

Creating healthy and high-performing organizations is essential to rebuilding trust in institutions. According to McKinsey's organizational health index, having a healthy organization is the best predictor of achieving long-term results. Healthy organizations have strong cultures, offer positive work experiences, and empower employees. They are resilient and can adapt to changing conditions and challenges.

Federal agencies can use these healthy traits to achieve meaningful results for the American people. In September 2024, the Academy launched a powerful playbook for government leaders. This guide provides actionable strategies and evidence-based practices to continually assess and adapt to changing work environments, enhancing organizational health and performance. It outlines six key strategies and numerous actions that leaders can implement to build healthy, high-performing agencies.

Creating high-performing agencies by strengthening organizational health requires:

1. A bold vision that is tied to the mission and promoted throughout the organization;
2. A supportive environment focused on psychological safety and inclusive leadership to achieve results;
3. Effective communication and engagement with employees;
4. An institutionalized culture of continuous learning;
5. Modernizing federal agency recruitment, retention, and development efforts; and
6. The support of the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel Management, and the General Services Administration, as the Central Management Agencies.

Strengthening Communications About Good Government

Government leaders should adapt their language to effectively communicate about "good government" in response to untruthful narratives that portray virtually all agency actions as unaccountable, irresponsible, inefficient, ineffective, and corrupt.

The most important way to counter such narratives is to produce positive results for the American people and then communicate effectively about the important work being accomplished every day on the American people’s behalf. Our research shows that government leaders can counter distrust by sharing stories and narratives that demonstrate results Americans care about, with a focus on transparency and accountability.

This requires a proactive approach to communication about the government’s positive impacts while addressing legitimate concerns. Agencies should use a wide variety of communication mechanisms, including pictures, videos, and stories that reach people through unconventional channels.

Five Principles for Communicating Effectively

• Be Specific, Simple, and Brief
  • Talk about specific examples at the agency and program level without using jargon or acronyms.
  • Focus on the people who work for government agencies and those responsible for implementing programs.
• Share Information with the Public
  • Engage proactively with media organizations and share success stories.
  • Provide context, evidence, and tell the truth. A trustworthy government comes before an effective government.
• Align Agency Activities with “Good Government” Language
  • Focus on meaningful, measurable results that you can prove.
  • Provide a clear vision of what you are trying to achieve and ask people to imagine it.
  • Align your program with providing the government that people want, need, and deserve.
• Tailor Information Based on Your Audience
  • Personalize success stories and showcase the people who have benefited from a particular program.
  • Use short videos and photos to communicate effectively.
  • Describe clearly how a program provided a meaningful, measurable difference to improve the quality of life for a person, family, or community.
• Demonstrate Efficient and Effective Spending of Taxpayer Dollars
  • Provide specific examples of how agencies and programs are accountable.
  • Avoid overwhelming the audience with statistics.

It is not impossible or too late to focus on rebuilding trust between Americans and their government but doing so will require a new mindset, new tools to improve performance, and new methods of communication.

“As thought leaders in the field of public administration, we must fundamentally rethink our purpose, values and impact. We must think outside traditional structures and theories, consider what the American people expect of public servants, and bring forth new and innovative approaches to solving complex problems,” Blockwood said.

Government leaders at all levels must take the lead, demonstrating through their words and actions a deep commitment to transparency, accountability, and achieving results for the American people.

This requires changing the way that leaders communicate about reforming government and implementing principles and practices of Agile government. It also requires institutional support through such mechanisms as the President’s Management Agenda, which can establish these new approaches as an expected way of running government and identify metrics to track progress. Most importantly, agencies must focus relentlessly on delivering results for all Americans and share information about the real world impact of public service across the nation.