Why is it so difficult to reform government inefficiencies? And what can organizations and households learn from eliminating waste in large, public institutions?

In episode #240 of At The Table, Pat and Cody explore the concept of government efficiency through the lens of organizational health. Drawing comparisons between the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the federal government, and dysfunctional teams, they highlight the painful necessity of accountability and cutting waste.

Topics explored in this episode:

(01:04) Reframing DOGE

* The goal is to explore waste and accountability without partisan heat, looking instead at structure and culture.

(6:09) Government vs. Private Sector

* The federal government is not set up to be a team like private sector organizations.

(10:47) The Storage Unit Analogy

* Cody shares a story of trying to help a hoarder consolidate two storage units, which becomes a metaphor for government systems that resist change.

(15:24) Accountability

* Leadership requires doing what is right, even when it’s unpopular or emotionally difficult.

(20:44) Mistakes Will Happen

* Even a well-intentioned cleanup will result in some regrettable losses.

* Without a willingness to risk minor mistakes, the entire system remains unsustainable.

(25:31) DOGE in Your Organization

* The hosts discuss applying DOGE at the Table Group.

* Even healthy organizations benefit from periodically eliminating waste.

This episode of At The Table with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.

At The Table is a podcast that lives at the connection between work life, leadership, organizational health, and culture. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

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Connect with Cody Thompson on LinkedIn.

Be sure to check out our other podcast, The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

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This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/