My weekly posts
Where political control really sits
I’ve regrouped the UK public-sector workforce by where ultimate political control really sits. The picture is strikingly centralised, and “local delivery” is not the same as local control. A place that cannot move money, authority, measures or rules has delivery responsibility, not control. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/antlerboy_relationalpublicservices-publicservices-systemschange-share-7493586434503929856-ITxo/
The walls come back: why relational public services fail after they work
Relational public services often work in pilots because trusted people temporarily carry risk, bend budgets and suspend old measures. When pressure returns, the walls come back. Sustainable relational practice must replace the useful functions of those boundaries: rights, equity, accountability, risk, authority, capability, measurement and learning. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/antlerboy_relationalpublicservices-publicservices-systemschange-share-7493233893693714433-UH3C/
Rewiring the state as a control problem
I’m treating “rewiring the state” as a control question: not where services are delivered, but who can change purpose, money, measures, rules and consequences. Real devolution means moving authority and capability to the point of knowledge, while letting local learning alter central policy. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/antlerboy_publicservices-devolution-systemschange-ugcPost-7492848069080809472-rh-w/
Courses and events
Commissioning and Innovation: playing on a bigger stage
A practical three-day programme for commissioners working in complexity that helps commissioners, transformation leaders, and partners work more effectively across complex systems. It combines practical tools, public service examples, peer learning, facilitated exercises, and direct application to participants’ own challenges. Open for enquiries. https://link.redquadrant.com/CommissioningAndInnovation
Next National Commissioning Academy
We’re building our cohort for the next national commissioning academy – our flagship commissioning programme from the PSTA. Register your interest now for our September 2026 cohort: https://link.redquadrant.com/nextacademy25
Leadership for systems change with LGR 2028!
Curious about how to lead transformation in the context of local government reorganisation and devolution? Responding to complexity: leading transformation in local government reorganisation and devolution is a five-month programme with the Open University and RedQuadrant, taking place September 2026-January 2027. We invite participants from organisations preparing for, going through, or having been through reorganisation, and who want to learn with and from others to build capacity for transformation in uncertainty.https://lnkd.in/gpX6ZG8h
smartCompass – our new AI-supported tool for AI for community-powered outcomes
Our new prototype smartCompass is a new, free tool to help commissioners, leaders, partners, and people working in public services see how their system is really working — and where to act next.Answer sixteen questions about a system you care about, and receive a personalised, AI-supported response by email. It helps you see strengths, blockers, patterns, and possible next moves. https://link.redquadrant.com/smartCompass
Compass v2 – comment on our new systems change tool
We’re now inviting comments on this beta new version of a systems change insight tool https://link.redquadrant.com/compassv2beta
Introducing the RedQuadrant Local Government Reorganisation hub
Local Government Reorganisation is coming fast. By April 2028, every new authority must be safe, legal, and fully operational. That means statutory officers secured, ICT cutovers rehearsed, services live, and residents experiencing seamless continuity. The RedQuadrant LGR Hub is the only model that guarantees readiness while embedding lasting capability. With a single accountable structure, governance at its core, and capability pillars across adults, children’s, SEND, ICT, finance, housing, and place, the Hub ensures no gaps, no surprises. Three outcomes, every time: Safe and legal on day one; Visible assurance and confidence in delivery; Future-ready capacity with transformation built in. Find out more now: https://www.redquadrant.com/lgrhub
Commissioning Compass: systems assessment for change
Our newly launched tool, the Commissioning Compass, helps you to assess your commissioning system and form an action plan for improvement. It’s available for free via our Teachable site – try it now! link.redquadrant.com/commissioningcompass
Things I shared on socials:
Information = Comprehension × Extension • Comment 5
Jon Awbrey. https://stream.syscoi.com/2026/08/12/information-comprehension-x-extension-comment-5/
Loops all the way up: Recurrency as an implementation-first primitive for consciousness
Zefan Zheng, Robert Chis-Ciure, Peter Thestrup Waade, Anna Eiserbeck, Jaan Aru, Thomas Andrillon, Bechir Jarraya, Lucia Melloni, Georg Northoff, Fernando E. Rosas and Abhilash Dwarakanath. https://stream.syscoi.com/2026/08/11/loops-all-the-way-up-recurrency-as-an-implementation-first-primitive-for-consciousness-sciencedirect/
Strategic Foresight for Viable Futures
Caroline Paulick-Thiel. https://stream.syscoi.com/2026/08/11/strategic-foresight-for-viable-futures/
Teaching with the wrong ends of the constructivist stick
Christian Moore-Anderson. https://stream.syscoi.com/2026/08/11/teaching-with-the-wrong-ends-of-the-constructivist-stick-christian-moore-anderson/
Announcing The Necessary Tangle – a living evidence atlas of systems | cybernetics | complexity
Benjamin P Taylor. https://stream.syscoi.com/2026/08/10/announcing-the-necessary-tangle-a-living-evidence-atlas-of-systems-cybernetics-complexity/
chosen path 