‘Being smart is not enough’ — instead of searching for the perfect all-rounder, build a diverse team

What skills do different policy shops look for in staff? A public management expert, a think tanker, and a consultant-turned-public servant weigh in.

Nailing down what makes for a successful policy team is difficult.

A lack of consistency in performance across government, both in terms of policy process and quality of advice, is a common gripe across jurisdictions, says Sally Washington, a public management consultant who has worked with the New Zealand government, the OECD and United Nations.

Policy is often treated as a game of “I’m smart so I’m right, so you just need smart people with good ideas and everything will be fine”, she told a Mandarin Live event on building policy infrastructure in Melbourne last month.