Building a high-performance culture within the government sector comes with its share of challenges and complexities. Drawing on his experience working with dozens of ministries, authorities, and agencies across the Gulf Cooperation Council, Abdelrahman Arkawi of Palladium outlines key steps leaders can take to build a genuine culture of performance.

Culture is the invisible force that shapes how people think, act, and collaborate within an organization. In government entities, where systems and frameworks alone often fall short, it is culture that determines whether performance initiatives truly take root.

A strong performance culture fosters openness, learning, and accountability – making it safe for employees to share challenges, propose improvements, and celebrate both effort and results. When leaders prioritize culture, they unlock the collective potential of their teams, turning compliance-driven routines into opportunities for innovation and public impact.

In the dynamic context of the GCC, where transformation is a national priority, investing in culture is not just beneficial – it is essential for sustained success.

Recognizing the pivotal role of culture is only the beginning. The real challenge lies in translating this understanding into everyday practice – ensuring that values like openness, learning, and accountability are woven into the fabric of government organizations.

The following five steps are concrete actions leaders can take to strengthen the culture of their organizations:

1) Leadership Modeling and Vulnerability

Change starts at the top. Leaders must not only support performance management frameworks, but also model the desired behaviors:

• Ask tough, data-driven questions during reviews.
• Share personal stories of both success and failure.
• Publicly recognize effort and learning, not just results.

Example: A public works authority’s director general began each quarterly review by sharing a “failure of the quarter” from their own team, normalizing reflection and reducing stigma around missed targets. This simple act encouraged middle managers to become more open about their challenges as well.

2) Align Strategy to Daily Work

Strategies often fail to influence daily behavior because they are too distant from frontline realities. Bridging this gap is crucial.

• Conduct workshops that cascade strategy down to specific, actionable tasks for each department.
• Develop “line of sight” diagrams showing how every role supports organizational goals.
• Use visual management boards to make strategic priorities visible in offices and common areas.

Example: During a consultancy engagement, Palladium facilitated cross-department sessions where employees mapped their daily tasks against the agency’s digital transformation objectives. This exercise led to the identification of several redundant processes and empowered staff to propose improvements.

3) Make Performance Discussions Regular and Safe

Annual performance reviews are not enough. Regular, candid conversations – held in a safe environment – are necessary to drive learning and improvement.

• Establish monthly or bi-weekly performance huddles, focused on learning rather than blame.
• Encourage open sharing of obstacles and collective problem-solving.
• Ensure feedback is constructive, specific, and forward-looking.

Example: In one of Palladium’s engagements with an authority, we piloted “performance cafes” – informal, small-group sessions where staff discussed both successes and failures in projects. Participation was voluntary, and feedback was anonymous. Within six months, the initiative had doubled the number of employee-generated improvement suggestions.

4) Recognize Effort, Not Just Results

Not every improvement is immediately visible in the numbers, but effort and innovation must still be encouraged.

• Develop recognition programs that reward employees for proposing new ideas, volunteering for process pilots, or mentoring peers.
• Highlight “behind the scenes” contributions during all-hands meetings or in internal newsletters.

Example: A public authority launched a “Shukran” (“Thank you”) campaign to recognize not just high-performing teams, but also individuals who helped colleagues or suggested small, meaningful improvements. Over time, morale improved and informal collaboration increased.

5) Train Managers as Performance Coaches

Middle managers are the linchpin of cultural change. Rather than acting as enforcers, they should be equipped to serve as coaches and mentors.

• Provide coaching and feedback training for all managers.
• Encourage managers to hold regular one-on-one check-ins focused on development, not just results.
• Set clear expectations for managers to support staff learning and innovation.

Example: During a performance transformation project with an economic planning council, Palladium delivered a “manager as coach” training series. Within a year, the number of employees reporting monthly feedback from their manager rose from 22% to 81%, and employee engagement scores improved by around 30%.

Sustaining a Performance Mindset

Performance culture is not a one-time initiative or a box to tick. It is an ongoing journey that requires persistence, sponsorship, and adaptability.

Some key lessons for sustaining momentum:

• Refresh KPIs periodically to ensure ongoing relevance and alignment with evolving priorities.
• Solicit regular feedback from staff on what is working – and what isn’t – within the performance framework.
• Invest in ongoing learning and development, including data literacy, analytical skills, AI use, and change management.
• Benchmark against leading government and private sector organizations, both regionally and internationally.
• Celebrate milestones and small wins to maintain motivation and enthusiasm.

Example: Palladium supported a major healthcare system in GCC to embed a continuous improvement mindset. The organization established an internal “performance champions” network – staff volunteers tasked with sharing best practices and facilitating improvement workshops. Within two years, the organization saw a 25% reduction in process delays and a significant increase in patient satisfaction scores.

Culture as the Catalyst for Transformation

Performance frameworks are essential, but they are not a guarantee of success. The true driver of change in government entities is culture: a shared mindset where data is valued, learning is prioritized, and everyone sees themselves as a contributor to public value.

Moving from compliance to performance is not easy – but with committed leadership, aligned strategy, open dialogue, recognition of effort, and empowered managers, it is possible. The most successful government organizations in the GCC are already showing the way, creating a legacy not just of high KPI scores, but of real impact for their people and communities.

By investing in culture alongside systems, GCC governments can ensure that performance management is not just a reporting routine, but a source of innovation and pride for generations to come.