Local Government Utopia

Two hundred and fifty (or so) opinions, essays and observations

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  • Long reads
    • ‘What matters and what works’. Why feasibility is important in local government.
    • Classic paper – ‘Managing Government, Governing Management’. Henry Mintzberg.
    • Classic paper – ‘Managing the public service institution’. Peter F. Drucker.
    • Classic paper: ‘Forget your people – real leaders act on the system’. John Seddon.
    • Managers as designers in local government.
    • Three recent local government leadership pieces from ACELG, MCC and IBAC.
    • Understanding the customer experience in local government.
  • Most viewed posts in June 2025

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Email: lancingfarrell@gmail.com

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Recent Posts

  • 292 – Check–Plan–Do or Plan–Do–Hope?
  • 291 – Capability drift and the need to recognise and build sector capabilities
  • 290 – The Capability Trap: How Budget Cuts Damage Councils Long Before Anyone Notices.
  • 289 – Fire fighter or architect? It is your choice.
  • 288 – Want to improve performance? – ask your local footy club.

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Top posts – last 48hrs

  • 290 - The Capability Trap: How Budget Cuts Damage Councils Long Before Anyone Notices.
  • 130 - Another Giant for the Squire - David Maister.
  • 170 - 'The Utopia of Rules – On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy' by David Graeber.
  • 251 - Commotion Inaction
  • 15 - Interested in local government management? Four books you should read and why. Part 1

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