The article presents a new approach to understanding and evaluating effectiveness of the public service, with it being considered as a reflexive system which can adequately respond to external and internal signals and change its conduct accordingly. As for effectiveness, it is the system’s ability to carry out its predestination. The conclusion is that the system can’t work effectively without sufficient reflexivity (it is very low in Russia), so it is necessary to increase reflexivity of the public service. This can be done by taking such measures that will cause the apparatus resistance which in its turn will stimulate internal reflection, or by cultivating self-reflection practices. Public service makes technological (not political) decisions and unlike political powers cannot make rules which they will have to comply with in their activity. This means that the only available expression of reflection on it is due to the reflective affect of a system selection of certain practices. Consequently, stimulating the system to select the most effective practices for it means the growth of its reflexivity, which in its turn will start the mechanisms of effectiveness working from inside. Along with that the incentives should be such that authorities could implement them by themselves without the active involvement of political leadership. It also means that the authorities should be aware of the current political course for increasing effectiveness of the public service.