Developing transformative leadership and enhancing relevant competencies of public servants

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Abstract

Drawing on the experience of the Millennium Development Goals, the authors recall the pivotal role that will be played by public administration in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the need for effective leadership and competent public servants. Also recalling the notion of the “transformational leader”, the authors note that a simple appeal to rewards in exchange for service is unlikely to be sufficient. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, rather, requires an approach to leadership that emphasizes the needs, values and morals of the public servant, which in turn can inspire individuals to attain higher standards of institutional and personal performance. In practice, transformational leadership entails sharing a compelling vision, setting behavioural standards and leading by example, challenging the status quo, encouraging people to work collaboratively and raising morale by recognizing contributions and achievements. This leadership style is characterized by sound judgement based on objective understanding, interaction and exchange of knowledge, practical application and the appropriate exercise of political power. With regard to enhancing competencies, when reforms fall short, it is often owing to inadequate knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviours on the part of public servants. Given the intermediary role of the State and the integrated nature of the Sustainable Development Goals, relational capacity will be an important part of administrative reform and the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Relational capacity refers to the capacity of the State in its intermediary roles in its relations with other governance actors. The State is not insulated from its societal context, but embedded in a relationship, in which different kinds of involvement have the effects of facilitating and enforcing the roles of other governance actors to achieve certain desired policy goals. A number of specific technical competencies will need to be mastered, in particular relating to strategic foresight, evidenced-based policymaking, sociocultural literacy, outcome assessment and accountable discretion, which is discretion subjected to appropriate accountability mechanisms. The main mechanisms for doing so include training, integrated human resources management, the balancing of political and merit-based appointments in the civil service and embedded public ethics.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCommittee of Experts on Public Administration
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2016

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