PIF System Level Findings: Good leadership lifts capability

01/09/2020

The fourth quirk speaks to the critical importance of good leadership by public servants and how it lifts capability (which itself enables outcomes).

While this is impressionistic, the agencies that rate highly on this dimension value authentic leadership and have senior leadership teams and boards who create an organisational spirit that encourages staff to be of service (see below).

This dimension also includes leaders who can create alignment between role, purpose, and organisational culture.

As noted in the published PIF reviews, these leaders are the type who do not default to their sense of the mission but enable a culture where the right thing is done, even when no one is looking. One might say these are leaders who embody the spirit of service.

Notably, the better performing parts of the system have leaders who embed workforce analytics. These leaders are always considering the future of work and how to steward the profession they are responsible for in a way that meets the needs of Aotearoa now and in the future. Practically speaking, these leaders develop other leaders for their agency and the wider public service. They see people management as an ongoing dialogue characterised by regular high-quality feedback.

The higher scoring agencies in internal leadership also reach for higher staff engagement through diversity and inclusion. They seem to understand that they need diverse thinking and give these people the trust, discretion, and tools to perform.

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