Episode
Lord Michael Barber: Tony Blair's Head of Delivery
- Podcast
- The Impact Equation
- Published
- Jun 21, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2569
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Summary
Lord Michael Barber is the founder of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit under Sir Tony Blair, author of How to Run a Government , and the global pioneer of deliverology. Over the past three decades he has advised governments around the world on one of leadership’s hardest questions: not what to do, but how to get it done. In this episode, Lord Barber reflects on the experiences that shaped his approach to leadership, from his Quaker upbringing and early years as a teacher to building a delivery system at the heart of government. The conversation explores why execution so often fails, how leaders can create focus in complex organisations, and what it takes to sustain progress when priorities compete for attention. Michael explains the origins of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, the importance of trajectories, data and accountability, and why effective delivery depends as much on relationships and culture as it does on process.He also shares lessons from applying delivery approaches internationally, including in Pakistan, discusses public value and the future of public services, and argues for stronger dialogue between government and innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.