Page 10 • Continued from previous page at the intersection of the future and the present, while mindful of the past. Strategic Resilience Building in the Public Sector Drawing on the literature on vulnerability and resilience from the discipline of economics (Thomas 2004 and Briguligio 2014) and the discourse on resilience from the field of Management and Organisational Behaviour (Barbera et al 2017 and Bracci and Tallaki 2021), I define Strategic Resilience Building (SRB) for the public sector as the art and science of anticipating shocks in the external environment and intentionally developing internal capabilities to withstand and bounce forward better from shocks. This is a comprehensive approach to public sector transformation that combines strategic scanning of the external environment with ongoing capacity-building within to promote a culture of nimbleness and tactical adaptability in the face of uncertainty. Some of the key elements of SRB include a paradigm shift in mindsets that strategically locates the future in the present. This futuristic focus (despite uncertainty) involves trade-offs between current demands and future imperatives. In this context resiliencebuilding is both a means to and an outcome of public sector transformation. Therefore, a starting point for SRB must be shifts in mindsets to operate SRB for the public sector is the art and SRB requires leadership at all levels. Leadership in crisis has become the new normal for the private and public sectors alike. The new environment requires strategic leadership as a norm. This means, the ability to see beyond the obvious with an instinct for adaptability and nimbleness. Given the demands of the new environment, leadership for enhanced public sector transformation is an imperative for developing countries as they seek to reset the button post COVID-19. CARICAD is wellplaced, as an institution of CARICOM, to continue to build public sector capacity for greater resilience. science of anticipating shocks in the external environment and intentionally developing internal capabilities to withstand and bounce forward better from shocks Strategic planning is another core dimension of SRB. There must be a clear vision, with core values and guiding principles buttressed by smart objectives. However, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation must twin adaptive and coping capabilities, supported by a culture of resilience. This refers to an instinct to withstand and rebound from adversity. But this rebounding must not necessarily go back to “normal” if “normal” was not steeped in resilience. SRB at its core must centre strategic planning which seeks to build transformative capacities as the public sector grows forward. • Continues on next page
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