Insight

A Time for Visionary and Authentic Leadership

Ben Cox and Roger Russell say co-creation, underpinned by shared leadership, purpose, and accountability are the keys to organisations thriving sustainably in this ever-changing landscape.

Every passing decade and change of government seems to usher in a period of "unprecedented change." It's easy to become cynical as ministers repeatedly use this phrase to describe the current state of the UK economy and the precarious financial situation, we all face. Yet, something feels different this time.

Although the UK faces a familiar outlook of constrained public spending, potential shifts toward greater public ownership and devolution may bring opportunities for more effective joint ventures between the public and private sectors and foster innovative thinking on how service organisations operate and collaborate. Importantly, they also provide a chance to rethink how these organisations are led — transitioning away from individual leadership toward models characterised by networked leadership teams that blend private and public sector expertise.

In this context, where boundaries between organisations operating in the public realm are increasingly blurred, co-creation of strategy and business planning will become essential. At its best, co-creation, underpinned by shared leadership, purpose, and accountability, will enable organisations to thrive sustainably.

However, leading in the public sector has become more challenging and relentless than ever, a trend that is likely to continue. Advances in technology and the rise of a generation "born digital" are constantly reinventing how we live, communicate, and work. This brings a range of challenges and opportunities for leadership teams — not only in how they provide services and communicate with users, but also in how they adapt to new working practices, maintain productivity, and recruit and retain the talent they need.

In an increasingly digital world, the public sector faces an uphill battle in the war for talent, but there is also an opportunity. Research shows that digital generations do not view work as the central focus of their lives. They demand a different way of working and gravitate towards organisations that make a positive impact on society. The public sector needs to capitalise on this.

Key to meeting these challenges successfully will be the ability of organisations to transition from a hierarchy of individual leaders to one characterised by highly networked leadership teams. These teams can steer the organisation to benefit all stakeholders through their diversity of thought and the creativity that collaboration brings. While individual accountability will remain vital, employees, stakeholders, and service users are more likely to be inspired by the visionary leadership of a diverse and committed team.

A critical success factor for leadership teams, especially in the current climate, will be their ability to be seen and trusted as authentic. To achieve this, they must move beyond their professional identities and embrace their roles as human beings. This will sometimes mean sharing their fears and aspirations, their values, sense of humour, and their need for support. Such a shift requires the courage to be fully seen and to accept the vulnerability it brings. However, moving from task-driven, transactional relationships to connections at a human level can bring tremendous benefits in terms of trust and confidence.

To succeed in this evolving landscape, leadership teams must go beyond incremental improvements to become visionaries. They need to act as catalysts, empowering teams, encouraging greater co-creation, and creating the conditions for meaningful collaboration across traditional boundaries.

However, for this mindset shift to take root, it is essential that this commitment is mirrored at the Board and political levels. Scrutiny and governance must broaden to embrace this new type of leadership, developing reporting mechanisms and engagement strategies that allow board members to genuinely connect with and understand an organisation’s culture and values without overstepping into operational matters.

There are, of course, exceptional organisations already exemplifying this kind of visionary and authentic leadership, but they are the exception. This must change if we are to meet the challenges ahead.

Ben Cox is Partner, Executive Search, Local Government & Roger Russell is Partner, Government, Commercial & Board Appointments at Faerfield.

Originally posted in the Municipal Journal on 5 September 2024.

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