Discipline and fear as innovation aids?

For the last three months I have been working with groups of public sector managers in northern England on the people aspects of implementing change, or 'cuts' as most of them tell me it is more honest to call them. Most of their NHS, local authority and other employers are facing budget reductions of 20 to 30 per cent. The groups have been organised by a wonderful woman called Paula Grainger, who is herself now out of a job and about to head back to university to retrain.