Collective and Strategic Leadership in the Public Sector, Essay Example

This article delves into the differing levels of leadership that is required at different levels within the organizational structure. Throughout these levels there are different development needs to be addressed to fully build a strategic leadership plan.  The levels of leadership are built in relation to the amount of impact or ability to change an organization.  At the lowest levels of leadership leaders pull their authority and power from the managed accountability of their employees and at the higher level there is a change in leadership style in which the leader is performing actions that build the company and push them toward their strategic goals.  This macro-level of leadership is a true essence of leadership as opposed to the referent managerial style of leadership at the lower end of the spectrum.

The article describes theoretically that strategic leadership requires a different subset of skillsets as opposed to those of the managerial level of the organizations. The theory behind the strategic leadership is described in the example regarding the complimentary relationships in the public sector since those leaders in the public sector have limited spans of control.  The strategic vision of leadership relies upon the interconnectedness of different levels of leadership throughout the organization.  The methodology behind the strategic leadership in the article is how the leadership is developed across the lifecycle of those leaders in the organization.  In this article the methodology is established based upon four levels of leadership practice in the public sector.  Each of the four sections of leadership in the public sector complements each other and contributes to the overall effectiveness they have as a group. These levels follow the methodology of the leadership development in the public sector.

The research provides a basis on how development and coordination between leadership styles and roles plays into the strategic leadership of the public sector. The public sector’s performance is dependent on the performance of many crucial areas. One of those areas that are of vital importance is the strategic leadership of the public sector. This article shows how strategic leadership in the public sector is developed and implemented through the methodology of the development of the four different levels of leadership practice.  The methodology flows from a transactional band to a transformational band.  The levels of practice move from technical to organizational upward to a more transformational leadership agenda which encompasses political and institutional levels.  As each level of leadership progresses up the chain, the purposes moves from a micro-level to a macro view of the society.  This article shows a transformation between managerial leadership qualities and traits to those needed in a strategic leadership role.  These strengths of this article demonstrate how different levels of the organization require different tactical and strategic leadership focuses.  The article needed more emphasis on the comparable differences between the private sector and other sectors of business.

References

Lemay, L., (2009). The practice of collective and strategic leadership in the public sector. The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal 14(1), 2.