Improvement Service

Case study of Lynne Sinclair, City of Edinburgh Council, who is the first MSc graduate of the Public Sector Leadership Programme.

Paper from the Hay Group which looks at what senior leaders in the private sector learned from the recession and how public sector leaders can learn from this. It summarises the situation the private sector was in, the impact of the recession on private sector organisations, the reactions of leaders and the tactics they employed. It also outlines ten key lessons for the public sector and identifies elements for organisations to succeed in the future.

This paper provides guidance for public sector leaders on how to respond to the new economic environment. It focuses in particular on the leadership responsibilities of those in very senior roles, whether executive or non-executive. It outlines seven key principles that should underlie the way public bodies and their leaders approach the challenges of the new environment: being proactive and starting early; getting people engaged; responding to local needs and priorities; recognising the complexity of the problem; being open to a range of skills and techniques; thinking creatively and acting innovatively; having a shared understanding of what efficiency means. It also sets out ten key actions that will enable public sector organisations to respond effectively to the challenges posed by the new economic climate

Report on the findings of a survey of Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) members working in the public sector about the pressure of budget cuts, recession and the future challenges they face. it explores how well prepared public sector managers are to meet the challenges they face, their attitudes to their jobs, experiences of working in both the public and private sectors, their satisfaction levels and their frustrations.

Report from Deloitte looking at the experience of building leadership in public sector organisations. It highlights the increasing financial pressures and demands on services and the leadership skills needed to manage this. It examines the strengths of public sector leadership and discusses the impact of organisational change and the importance of leaders' cognitive skills and emotional intelligence. It also lists actions for building leadership capacity and capabilities in public sector organisations.

Document outlining the aims and objectives of the five national modules that form part of the Public Service Leadership programme. The modules are: local government in context; partnership and joint working; workforce planning; managing your single outcome agreement; and efficient government in the new context.

This reports on research which examined whether performance influences the turnover of political and managerial leaders and whether new political and managerial leaders make a difference to subsequent organisational performance? It: provides an overview of the extent of managerial turnover across English local government; examines whether public service performance affects electoral support; examines whether new ruling political elites generally replace the senior managers that served the previous regime; and explores the relative influence of objective and subjective performance measures on managerial turnover.

During 2008 the Improvement Service carried out work with councils to establish what it could do to contribute to, assist, or promote management and leadership development within Scottish local government.  This report outlines the outcome of this work.  It also contains details of an MSc in Public Service Leadership, developed by Edinburgh Napier University and the IS.

Flyer for the 'Collaborating for outcomes in the public sector' programme. This development programme is designed to help emerging leaders from across the public sector gain a better understanding of the Scottish Government's purpose (in particular its five Strategic Objectives: wealthier and fairer; smarter; healthier; safer and stronger; and greener), the leadership challenges it presents, and their own organisations' roles in it.

In 2007, North Lanarkshire Council decided to overhaul its management development approach in response to organisational changes taking place in the Council to make sure that its managers had the skills required to help them meet future challenges. The result was an innovative collaboration with South Lanarkshire Council and Glasgow Caledonian University to offer qualifications up to Masters level. This case study outlines the background to the new management development programme, what the programme involves and its success so far.

A series of case studies on organisational development (OD) within local government. The report contains studies of five councils using OD mechanisms to drive forward change in their councils, each of them facing different issues and different contexts. The case studies look at what worked for them, the learning and insight they have gained along the way and the tips they would pass on.

This paper explains what Action Learning is and how it can help individuals, teams and whole organisations deal positively with change.

The paper considers how to achieve more visible, representative and responsive local leadership. It covers the role of the local authority and councillors and considers the implications for the future.

Study of leadership and management development in local government in Scotland. It contains specific emphasis on leadership development for 'top' managers and management development support for frontline managers.

Study of leadership and management development in local government in Scotland. It contains specific emphasis on leadership development for 'top' managers and management development support for frontline managers.