Public Chairs’ Forum
‘Public leadership: navigating uncharted waters’

Public Chairs’ Forum The changing nature of public leadership

Research insights for public body leaders

In partnership with Association of Chief Executives, Public Chairs’ Forum and Windsor Leadership.  

   

 

Throughout 2023, the Association of Chief Executives, Public Chairs’ Forum and Windsor Leadership partnered to explore the changing nature of public body leadership through a research project. The culmination of this research is the insight report: ‘Public leadership: navigating uncharted waters,’ based on contributions from over 60 public service leaders.

Leaders considered how they are responding and rising to increasing demand and complex challenge, centred around the key question: “How might we release the true potential of public body leaders?”

‘Public leadership: navigating uncharted waters’ identifies several barriers to leadership success that are perceived to be systemic across public bodies, including:

    • Focus on bureaucracy, rather than culture and strategy.
    • Lack of investment in self.
    • The increasing complexity and scale of challenges and expectations of public leadership.

To overcome these barriers, public body leaders may want to adopt certain characteristics to equip them for the future. Our research identified key leadership attributes for success:

    • Being courageous in public purpose; acting on convictions.
    • Collaborating at scale.
    • Navigating complexity and uncertainty.
    • Embracing the Nolan Principles.

However, public body leaders cannot achieve their visions alone. Organisations can play a crucial role in enabling success by: 

    • Developing a common understanding and acceptance of the shift in culture and workplace expectations.
    • Embracing diversity in every way.
    • Agreeing on a shared approach to workplace change.
    • Allowing leaders to lead.

Download the insight report

“With working practice and understanding of effective modes of operation changing so rapidly, it has never been more important to ensure that, as leaders, we’re matching the pace of change.” 

Helen Pitcher OBE

PCF Chair

Project partners 

Representing the partners, the project sponsors include:  

Martin Jones CBE, CEO Parole Board, ACE Chair 
Jonathon Story, CEO Windsor  Leadership 
Helen Pitcher OBE, Chair Criminal Cases Review Commission, PCF Chair 

Core project team

  • Louisa Dale, former Secretary, ACE – PCF
  • Simon Whitbread, Leadership Development Director, Windsor Leadership
  • Ellie Copeland, former Membership Communications and Research Officer, ACE – PCF.