Well gosh that was quite the week wasn’t it? Oh my.
The dissolution of DSIT didn’t come completely out of the blue – I’d seen some online speculation bandied around and then there were articles in the Sundays but it was still shock enough to widen the eyes – especially the move to DCMS – which I (or any of digital gov commentariat I follow online) never saw coming. Plus for the less terminally online of my team it was all a total surprise.
Ben has done a great job pulling together the commentary about what happened and added his own insights so you can go and read that if you want more details. I’ll just say two things;
- ‘Machinery of Government’ moves always take longer, are messier and have more operational fall-out than the ‘powers that be’ ever consider. Dave wrote about some of that here. Just one example is at GDS we currently have/need email addresses for Cabinet Office and DSIT to access all the platforms needed for the work…and that ‘MoG’ was almost two years ago. Now there will be a third ‘digital identity’ (ironic I know.)
- It is hard to claim to be the ‘digital centre of Government’ (which we do as GDS) and yet get shunted out to the farthest reaches of the Government galaxy. I’d say DCMS is the Neptune of digital gov – but honestly it is probably Pluto. Joking aside DCMS is the home of some of the policy areas I am most passionate about – just look at its list of agencies etc – including libraries, galleries, film and sport plus there are some people there I really admire but it is not exactly one of the “Great Offices of State”.
This happening while we are in the midst of a pretty fraught period with the Data Office reorganisation (where there were more announcements causing consternation this week) and ongoing angst about the new GDaD pay deal and the allowances means morale is a bit 😬.
I will be honest I’m a bit torn about my own status in all this. On the one hand I’m feeling like my decision to leave is now more justified than ever. On the other hand, I’m wondering whether I should hang around for a bit longer to help stick the landing on some of this for my team(s).
If I was going to do one of the old school word clouds about the theme of my conversations with people this week the big, bold word in the middle would be ‘unsettled’ and I fear my choices haven’t helped with that so maybe I could do something to help smooth things out (a little – my ego isn’t so big I think I’d make much of a difference in the circumstances.)
Anyway I have a couple of weeks off now – as I burn my leave before my notice period is up – so I have time to think.
Because I also have offers to consider. I’ve politely declined a couple already – one was extremely interesting but I suspect personality wise I’d have been a poor fit (but my gosh I was curious) and one was financially appealing but I’d have earned every penny and there were some geographic challenges.
I’ve got chats lined up about a little bit of agile comms & events work and some product coaching in a different corner of the internet of public service – which is exciting.
There is also another intriguing offer which if I go for could be an Alanis Morrisette lyric.
I wrote a couple of blogposts at the weekend –
How [Public Service Product] People Work
The news hidden in the first is that I think I am going to keep a version of my jobs newsletter going next year – with a less regular schedule and probably a slightly revamped format (just to freshen it up for me really!). If I’m going to try and write a book about hiring for hiring managers then it is too important a resource to retreat from.
Binged Will Ferrell’s new Netflix show ‘The Hawk’. It is not good. At all.
I love a sports comedy and despite zero affinity for golf I am particularly partial to a golf focused sports comedy. Caddyshack, Tin Cup, Happy Gilmore, Stick…heck I even quite enjoyed Happy Gilmore 2.
Unfortunately – and this is amazing given Ferrell’s pedigree – they forgot to make it funny. Or a good sports story. I kept watching as given everyone involved I was waiting for it to turn a corner. It did not.
The first couple of episodes of The Westies were good enough to have me sign up to MGM+ for a couple of months. I loved the Sean Penn/Gary Oldman movie State of Grace from back in the day – and this is travelling the same ground albeit without the stacked cast!
Speaking of stacked casts, Lucky on Apple TV is pretty decent so far. No real surprises but it is a really solid heist/con-person show and I’m enjoying the ride.
Oh and Power Ballad with Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas was better than it had any right to be.
My reading mojo has abandoned me again since this heat wave hit – Lou’s book is still unfinished on top of an ever growing stack of books to be read. I’m hoping it (a) cools down a bit and (b) I find a path to upping my attention levels in this upcoming fortnight off work to make a bit of a dent in the pile.
He says knowing he is off to purchase the new Colson Whitehead book today.
…and a load of comics.
Anyway lots to ponder. First though I am going to watch the new episode of Star Trek!
Laters gators.
Digital by Default 