December 22, 2025
Public leaders across sectors navigated shifting mandates, rising expectations, and capacity constraints this year. Some initiatives made progress despite these pressures, while others struggled to maintain momentum once implementation began.
Three factors consistently supported progress: early alignment, structured learning, and shared ownership. These elements helped teams navigate uncertainty and maintain forward motion.
Align before acting. Shared purpose and priorities reduce unnecessary friction.
Build learning rhythms. Weekly or biweekly cycles prevent drift and create stability.
Distribute responsibility. Delivery accelerates when decision-making and information are shared.
Across our recent engagements, we have seen that teams with shared governance structures and regular learning cycles move with greater clarity and confidence. In collaboration tables supported by partners like the Future Skills Centre, groups with established rhythms surfaced issues earlier, resolved blockers faster, and sustained momentum more effectively. Similar findings appear in research from the Brookings Institution, where shared governance is linked to stronger delivery performance in workforce systems.
Delivery is a function of both structure and culture. These lessons will guide our work and our partnerships in 2026.
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
- Peter Drucker
