FGX Goals — What does positively different really mean?
Recently, we launched our FGX Goals — five goals that describe the experience of working with FutureGov. They provide a clear target for us all to aim for, so together, we can deliver positive change and impact. Each week, we’re sharing more about each goal and what it means for working with us. Last week we explored ‘Energising’. This week we look at ‘Positively Different’.
Introducing Positively Different
At FutureGov, we work on important, complex and challenging issues. We know that to truly effect change, a different approach is needed. We absolutely need the best expertise and professionalism, and we know that “the best” comes from diverse people and places. From traditional schooling to the school of life, from across the world, we’re people with differing abilities and strengths, backgrounds, cultures, ideas and passions. We’re different and this is what makes us strong. Expert practitioners and creative thinkers are what’s needed to get to truly different answers to wicked problems.
“FG is very different from other traditional consultants. I like the approach and style. It can be hard for grey suited council people … but it gets results.” Client feedback
There’s no doubt about it, working with FutureGov feels different. Our clients tell us this all the time. And it’s why people want to work with us.
Part of the appeal for me when I joined FutureGov was the ambition for us to create a viable alternative to traditional management consultancy. One year on, and as we continue to add to our diverse capabilities through becoming part of The Panoply, I can say for certain that we’re offering a modern, expert, creative alternative.
What does positively different look like?
For us, professional does not equal traditional. Wearing a suit and formal, boardroom-style meetings are not indicators or qualifiers of our high standards and commitment to making change. Rather, we consider what’s appropriate for the context and the people we’re working with. When interviewing families, more informal clothing will help people feel more comfortable and open to sharing. We’re also more comfortable when given the freedom to express ourselves (creative skills often come with creative dressers). First and foremost, we’re trying to send a message about the change we want to see. It’s not uncommon in our world to rock up to C-suite meetings in high top trainers and a t-shirt, sending a clear message about new ways of working and a modern outlook.
Being positively different also shows itself through our use of modern tools. Platforms like Slack has become our second office, G Suite helps us collaborate as we travel across the country and world and Trello enables us to manage delivery as a team. These tools help us work together more effectively, enabling diverse skills and opinions to contribute. Kway, who recently joined FutureGov shared this tweet when he experienced the effectiveness of Google docs in contrast to the older tools and software he needed to use in his previous role.
We’re often informal. This doesn’t make us any less serious about the job in hand and what needs to get done. We just know that breaking down traditional working styles, moving from lengthy boardroom meetings to engaging, collaborative working sessions, brings a different (and more energising) type of contribution. And it’s way more fun.
“It’s the more informal approach, but still gets the job done!” Client feedback
Looking around the teams we’re working with, we can see examples of being positively different in all sorts of ways:
- constantly considering and developing a sense of what professional means in different circumstances
- building awareness and modelling an awareness of how we act, behave and dress for inclusion
- embracing collaborative communication tools to work together as one team
- bringing leading approaches and creativity to work
How are you positively different in your work?
