## Notes from 28 April 2025 [[2025-04-27|← Previous note]] ┃ [[2025-04-29|Next note →]] Today I came across a really interesting piece, a report titled "[Puissance publique: Construisons un projet pour le XXIe siècle](https://www.jean-jaures.org/publication/puissance-publique-un-projet-pour-le-xxie-siecle/)" (Public Power: Let's build a project for the 21st century) by [Emilie Agnoux](https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-agnoux-3872005b/). It's supported by the [Fondation Jean-Jaurès](https://www.jean-jaures.org/), and Agnoux is also a co-founder of the think tank [Le Sens du Service public](https://www.sens-du-service-public.fr/). I try to keep an eye out for discussions on public action reform happening outside the usual Anglosphere sources. It’s the kind of thing that helps me understand what people are thinking and reading beyond the bubbles I typically have access to. So, finding this report was a nice discovery. It dives into rethinking the state and public services with an ambitious scope. Agnoux allows herself a real exercise in imagination, presenting not just concrete proposals but also speculative future scenarios. Some ideas might seem a bit "out there" (hehe), but that's part of the value, stretching the boundaries of how we think about these issues. While I don't agree with everything (who ever agrees with everything in a report like this?), several proposals really resonated with me and point in directions I find compelling: 1) **Public Agentivité** (Agentivity): This concept is crucial. We absolutely need more of this (!) empowering public servants, trusting their judgment, and giving them the autonomy to act effectively. The implied trade-off, of course, is linking this freedom to achieving results, which makes sense (_this reminds me of the broader debate around the idea of [[Executive Decisiveness]]_). 2) **Compagnonnage Public** (Public Companionship): This idea of a formal mentorship or companionship system within public service is fascinating. It's proposed as a way to transfer essential skills and know-how, especially with retirements looming, and also to diversify the workforce. It feels like a practical approach to knowledge continuity and workforce development. 3) **Profilage Public** (Public Profiling): I really like this idea. It suggests developing roles within public service (like "public hackers" and "public profilers") dedicated to understanding user needs more deeply, identifying barriers, and designing services more effectively from the user's perspective. 4) **Mécénat de Compétences** (Skills Sponsorship): The suggestion to foster mechanisms where public servants can share their expertise with other sectors (like non-profits) on projects of general interest is also quite interesting. Overall, it's just great to see someone tackling these fundamental questions about the state's role and how public services function, drawing on concepts that align with things like relational public services and co-production. The report mentions Agnoux is launching a participatory phase over several months, inviting contributions and discussion via a dedicated email address ([[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])), her [LinkedIn page](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7322188483211530240/), and in-person meetings. It will be interesting to see how that conversation unfolds. Definitely a project worth keeping an eye on for anyone interested in the future of public administration.