Pub Date : 2021-11-10DOI: 10.1108/ijpl-11-2021-117
Fron Nahzi
PurposeThis essay draws on my experience in the democratic development of Albania and Kosovo. These leadership insights are shared in the contemporary context of the changes in the past ten years to the international development landscape in the Western Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe. My professional reflections on leading efforts to establish democratic institutions form the basis of these case studies on Albania and Kosovo. Drawing on these reflections (Schon, 1982) can generate a deeper understanding of the leadership practices that facilitated a successful transition, as well as make explicit the implicit practices in leadership that resulted in less than successful efforts.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis of the democratic development challenges in Albania and Kosovo are based on my experience in managing multi-million dollar nation building programs in both countries.FindingsThe democratic development of Kosovo and Albania illustrate the challenges that most leaders in governments and civil society face working in transitional societies. It should come as no surprise that their respective roles and goals will come into conflict as local leaders fight to hold onto power, while many Western good governance programs promote sharing of power. This conflict is complicated by the question of to whom the NGOs and international organizations are accountable – their donor or the community they are working in?Originality/valueThe analysis is based on personal experience in developing and implementing nation-building programs in Albania and Kosovo.
{"title":"Viewpoint Leadership lessons for institutional development in Albania and Kosovo: handout versus giving a hand","authors":"Fron Nahzi","doi":"10.1108/ijpl-11-2021-117","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijpl-11-2021-117","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis essay draws on my experience in the democratic development of Albania and Kosovo. These leadership insights are shared in the contemporary context of the changes in the past ten years to the international development landscape in the Western Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe. My professional reflections on leading efforts to establish democratic institutions form the basis of these case studies on Albania and Kosovo. Drawing on these reflections (Schon, 1982) can generate a deeper understanding of the leadership practices that facilitated a successful transition, as well as make explicit the implicit practices in leadership that resulted in less than successful efforts.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis of the democratic development challenges in Albania and Kosovo are based on my experience in managing multi-million dollar nation building programs in both countries.FindingsThe democratic development of Kosovo and Albania illustrate the challenges that most leaders in governments and civil society face working in transitional societies. It should come as no surprise that their respective roles and goals will come into conflict as local leaders fight to hold onto power, while many Western good governance programs promote sharing of power. This conflict is complicated by the question of to whom the NGOs and international organizations are accountable – their donor or the community they are working in?Originality/valueThe analysis is based on personal experience in developing and implementing nation-building programs in Albania and Kosovo.","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44982910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-14DOI: 10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-0006
Kees Klompenhouwer, Nikol Hopman
PurposeIt matters who leads. Answering the research question will help to achieve early recognition of revanchist leadership and its harmful effects and help to determine why it emerges and how it works and spreads. This article is to encourage further study of its widening presence and of the remedies.Design/methodology/approachThrough two contemporary case studies, this article seeks a better understanding of “revanchist leadership” and identify its distinct and permanent properties (DNA) and the way it works (modus operandi). Thus, it will simultaneously demonstrate that revanchist leadership is not a uniquely historic but a recurring and contemporary phenomenon. Based on an analysis of both public leadership theory and leadership practice, the authors conceive of leadership as a multi-faceted concept, made of the following four components. First is leadership as a person, i.e. the personal characteristics, traits, style and skills of the individual leader. Second is leadership as the position, i.e. the work of leading people, with a focus on the formal role and responsibilities. Third is leadership as a process, i.e. the work of enabling leadership, with a focus on coordinating, facilitating and directing internal and external parties. And fourth is leadership as embodiment of a common purpose, i.e. the work of leadership serving the greater good, both as an individual and the collective. In addition to this so called “4-P model” (Hopman and van den Berg, 2015; Grint, 2010) of public leadership, it is important that in order to understand leadership, the psychological, political, institutional, historical and geographical contexts determine to a large extent the impact of leadership, but the authors assume that – ultimately – there remains an element of personal choice of options and opportunities available [1]. To answer the research question, the authors follow a case-based approach. The descriptions and analyses of the cases are not only based on literature but also informed by personal experience in diplomatic work in the area's mentioned. It is important to focus not only on the persons of the leaders but also on their followers, as well as the political, institutional and international context. As part of this analysis, (ab)use of institutions and the leading political-historical narratives that underpin revanchist policies are taken into account [2].FindingsThe case-based analysis shows a similarity of the two cases, although the two cases developed largely independently, with a time difference of about 20 years and under quite different historic and geographic conditions. This support the research hypothesis that revanchist leadership might be considered a distinct style of political leadership, with specific defining elements, a so called “DNA” and modus operandi of its own that emerges and grows gradually, when enabling historical and mass psychological contexts are present. The presence of such an enabling context might also serve
目的谁来领导很重要。回答这一研究问题将有助于尽早认识到复仇主义领导及其有害影响,并有助于确定其出现的原因以及如何运作和传播。本文旨在鼓励进一步研究其日益扩大的存在和补救措施。设计/方法论/方法通过两个当代案例研究,本文试图更好地理解“复仇主义领导”,并确定其独特和永久的特性(DNA)及其工作方式(工作方式)。因此,它将同时表明,复仇主义领导并不是一种独特的历史现象,而是一种反复出现的当代现象。在分析公共领导力理论和领导力实践的基础上,作者将领导力视为一个多方面的概念,由以下四个组成部分组成。首先是作为一个人的领导力,即个人领导者的个人特征、特质、风格和技能。二是领导作为岗位,即领导人的工作,注重形式上的作用和职责。第三,领导力是一个过程,即赋予领导力的工作,重点是协调、促进和指导内部和外部各方。第四,领导是共同目标的体现,即领导工作为个人和集体的更大利益服务。除了这种所谓的公共领导力的“4-P模型”(Hopman和van den Berg,2015;Grint,2010)之外,重要的是,为了理解领导力,心理、政治、制度、历史和地理背景在很大程度上决定了领导力的影响,但作者认为,最终,仍然存在个人选择选项和机会的因素[1]。为了回答研究问题,作者采用了基于案例的方法。对这些案件的描述和分析不仅基于文献,而且还基于个人在上述地区外交工作的经验。重要的是,不仅要关注领导人的个人,还要关注他们的追随者,以及政治、体制和国际背景。作为该分析的一部分,(ab)考虑了制度的使用和支撑复仇主义政策的主要政治历史叙事[2]。结果基于案例的分析显示了这两个案例的相似性,尽管这两个案件在很大程度上是独立发展的,时间差约为20年,在完全不同的历史和地理条件下。这支持了一种研究假设,即复仇主义领导可能被视为一种独特的政治领导风格,具有特定的定义元素、所谓的“DNA”和自己的运作方式,当存在有利的历史和大众心理背景时,这种运作方式会逐渐出现和发展。这种有利环境的存在也可能成为风险的警告指标(类似于反复出现的政治病毒很诱人)。Kellerman关于“糟糕的领导力”,Lipman Blumen关于“有毒的领导力”的工作,在两个实证案例中为更好地理解、分析和认识复仇主义领导力提供了一个有用的概念框架。在第四部分中,作者描述了复仇主义领导的定义要素(所谓的“DNA”),以及复仇主义领导像“政治病毒”一样传播的风险。作者最后建议,对复仇主义领导及其定义特征(“DNA”)进行进一步研究,以便在早期阶段更好地认识到复仇主义领导,并有助于对当今存在的这种类型的领导的程度进行结构化评估,这意味着对其他国家的和平与安全构成威胁。这是相关的,因为当前时代的特点是国家之间的不确定性、焦虑加剧和紧张局势加剧,有时民众也感到恐惧,这为复仇主义领导层的成长提供了肥沃的土壤,正如历史告诉我们的那样。研究的局限性/含义作者最后建议进一步研究复仇主义领导及其定义特征(“DNA”),以便能够在早期更好地认识到复仇主义领导,并促进对其程度的结构化评估,这种类型的领导人今天存在,这意味着对其他国家的和平与安全构成威胁。作为对比,引入了“领导伙伴关系”的概念,作为一种值得进一步关注的补救方法。实际含义它首先表明,尽管付出了高昂的人力成本,但从复仇主义领导人的意图来看,这种特定类型的领导虽然不道德且有害,但在短期内是有效的。
{"title":"They sowed wind and reaped a whirlwind: an inquiry into the origin and nature of “revanchist leadership”","authors":"Kees Klompenhouwer, Nikol Hopman","doi":"10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-0006","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeIt matters who leads. Answering the research question will help to achieve early recognition of revanchist leadership and its harmful effects and help to determine why it emerges and how it works and spreads. This article is to encourage further study of its widening presence and of the remedies.Design/methodology/approachThrough two contemporary case studies, this article seeks a better understanding of “revanchist leadership” and identify its distinct and permanent properties (DNA) and the way it works (modus operandi). Thus, it will simultaneously demonstrate that revanchist leadership is not a uniquely historic but a recurring and contemporary phenomenon. Based on an analysis of both public leadership theory and leadership practice, the authors conceive of leadership as a multi-faceted concept, made of the following four components. First is leadership as a person, i.e. the personal characteristics, traits, style and skills of the individual leader. Second is leadership as the position, i.e. the work of leading people, with a focus on the formal role and responsibilities. Third is leadership as a process, i.e. the work of enabling leadership, with a focus on coordinating, facilitating and directing internal and external parties. And fourth is leadership as embodiment of a common purpose, i.e. the work of leadership serving the greater good, both as an individual and the collective. In addition to this so called “4-P model” (Hopman and van den Berg, 2015; Grint, 2010) of public leadership, it is important that in order to understand leadership, the psychological, political, institutional, historical and geographical contexts determine to a large extent the impact of leadership, but the authors assume that – ultimately – there remains an element of personal choice of options and opportunities available [1]. To answer the research question, the authors follow a case-based approach. The descriptions and analyses of the cases are not only based on literature but also informed by personal experience in diplomatic work in the area's mentioned. It is important to focus not only on the persons of the leaders but also on their followers, as well as the political, institutional and international context. As part of this analysis, (ab)use of institutions and the leading political-historical narratives that underpin revanchist policies are taken into account [2].FindingsThe case-based analysis shows a similarity of the two cases, although the two cases developed largely independently, with a time difference of about 20 years and under quite different historic and geographic conditions. This support the research hypothesis that revanchist leadership might be considered a distinct style of political leadership, with specific defining elements, a so called “DNA” and modus operandi of its own that emerges and grows gradually, when enabling historical and mass psychological contexts are present. The presence of such an enabling context might also serve ","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49045635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-08-20DOI: 10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-0015
M. Dzordzormenyoh
PurposeThis paper utilizes Svara's facilitative leadership model to examine local government council/board effectiveness in Michigan, United States.Design/methodology/approachThis study performs a binary logistic regression to assess the influence of four independent variables–consensus building, cooperative relationship, clarity of responsibility and existence of factions/partisanship on five measures of council/board effectiveness (long-term goal setting, administrative, financial, addressing citizen expectations and overall performance), while controlling for other variables.FindingsOverall, the findings of this study have serious theoretical and practical implications. Specifically, the findings revealed that cooperative relationships, clarity of responsibility, discussion of public issues and partnership influence council/board effectiveness. The findings further support Svara's (2003) model on facilitative leadership and the model's usefulness in understanding local government leadership, i.e. council/board leadership effectiveness.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, survey data contains desirability bias which can affect the results presented in this study. Second, the data does not include socio-demographic variables of the respondents.Originality/valueThe study is original because it utilizes a data set that is not commonly used in understanding local government council/board effectiveness. Furthermore, the study also shows the usefulness of Svara's facilitative leadership in local government.
{"title":"Effective local government council leadership: reassessing the facilitative model of leadership","authors":"M. Dzordzormenyoh","doi":"10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-0015","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis paper utilizes Svara's facilitative leadership model to examine local government council/board effectiveness in Michigan, United States.Design/methodology/approachThis study performs a binary logistic regression to assess the influence of four independent variables–consensus building, cooperative relationship, clarity of responsibility and existence of factions/partisanship on five measures of council/board effectiveness (long-term goal setting, administrative, financial, addressing citizen expectations and overall performance), while controlling for other variables.FindingsOverall, the findings of this study have serious theoretical and practical implications. Specifically, the findings revealed that cooperative relationships, clarity of responsibility, discussion of public issues and partnership influence council/board effectiveness. The findings further support Svara's (2003) model on facilitative leadership and the model's usefulness in understanding local government leadership, i.e. council/board leadership effectiveness.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, survey data contains desirability bias which can affect the results presented in this study. Second, the data does not include socio-demographic variables of the respondents.Originality/valueThe study is original because it utilizes a data set that is not commonly used in understanding local government council/board effectiveness. Furthermore, the study also shows the usefulness of Svara's facilitative leadership in local government.","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43231389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-08-13DOI: 10.1108/IJPL-03-2021-0018
S. Kutor, Emmanuel Kyeremeh, B. Owusu, Daniel Amoak, Temitope Oluwaseyi Ishola
PurposeThis paper examines how one group of frontline health workers (nurses) amid coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic perceive the Government of Ghana (GOG)'s decision to ease the lockdown restrictions when cases were increasing. This paper contributes to the literature on Igor Grossman's concept of wise reasoning and its applicability to COVID-19 management decision-making by political leaders.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employed an exploratory qualitative design. The decision to adopt qualitative method is linked to the paucity of research on wise reasoning, political leadership and COVID-19. The paper draws on qualitative online survey with 42 nurses located in Accra Metropolis, Ghana.FindingsThe paper demonstrates that a confluence of research participants perceived the government's act of easing the lockdown restrictions to be in bad faith on account of (1) nonrecognition of different perspectives and viewpoints from stakeholders and interest groups; (2) rising number of cases which naturally make the decision to lift the restriction unwise; (3) concerns about the prioritization of peripheral issues over citizens' health and (4) concerns about limited and robust health facilities and their implications.Research limitations/implicationsThe key claims must be assessed against the limitations of the study. First, the study is an exploratory study and, therefore, not intended for a generalization purpose. Second, the research participants are highly educated, and the responses in this study are skewed toward them.Originality/valueThe paper is novel in seeking to explore wise reasoning and political leadership during a global pandemic such as COVID-19. This exploratory study demonstrates that COVID-19, though devastating and causing havoc, presents an opportunity to test Igor Grossmann's wise reasoning framework about decision-making by political leaders. This extends the literature on wise reasoning beyond the discipline of psychology (the fact that all the authors are geographers) and Global North to Global South since the data for this study are gathered in Ghana.
{"title":"Wise reasoning and political leadership amid COVID-19 pandemic: an exploratory study on Ghana","authors":"S. Kutor, Emmanuel Kyeremeh, B. Owusu, Daniel Amoak, Temitope Oluwaseyi Ishola","doi":"10.1108/IJPL-03-2021-0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPL-03-2021-0018","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis paper examines how one group of frontline health workers (nurses) amid coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic perceive the Government of Ghana (GOG)'s decision to ease the lockdown restrictions when cases were increasing. This paper contributes to the literature on Igor Grossman's concept of wise reasoning and its applicability to COVID-19 management decision-making by political leaders.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employed an exploratory qualitative design. The decision to adopt qualitative method is linked to the paucity of research on wise reasoning, political leadership and COVID-19. The paper draws on qualitative online survey with 42 nurses located in Accra Metropolis, Ghana.FindingsThe paper demonstrates that a confluence of research participants perceived the government's act of easing the lockdown restrictions to be in bad faith on account of (1) nonrecognition of different perspectives and viewpoints from stakeholders and interest groups; (2) rising number of cases which naturally make the decision to lift the restriction unwise; (3) concerns about the prioritization of peripheral issues over citizens' health and (4) concerns about limited and robust health facilities and their implications.Research limitations/implicationsThe key claims must be assessed against the limitations of the study. First, the study is an exploratory study and, therefore, not intended for a generalization purpose. Second, the research participants are highly educated, and the responses in this study are skewed toward them.Originality/valueThe paper is novel in seeking to explore wise reasoning and political leadership during a global pandemic such as COVID-19. This exploratory study demonstrates that COVID-19, though devastating and causing havoc, presents an opportunity to test Igor Grossmann's wise reasoning framework about decision-making by political leaders. This extends the literature on wise reasoning beyond the discipline of psychology (the fact that all the authors are geographers) and Global North to Global South since the data for this study are gathered in Ghana.","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47180790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-07-28DOI: 10.1108/ijpl-03-2021-0026
Bunyamin Han, Rasim Tösten, Zakir Elçiçek
PurposeThe aim of this research is to examine the public leadership (PL) behaviors of principals working in public schools and its effect on teacher motivation (M) and job satisfaction (JS). Moreover, the mediating role of JS in the relationship between PL and M is also explored.Design/methodology/approachThis research is quantitative and designed in relational survey model conducted with 327 teachers working in Siirt/Turkey in 2020. In the research, Public Leadership Scale, Teacher Motivation Scale and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire were used. Descriptive analyses were used in data analysis. Moreover, mediating role of job satisfaction between public leadership and teacher motivation was tested.FindingsAccording to the results, the public leadership behaviors of school principals, motivation and job satisfaction of teachers are high according to teacher opinions. Additionally, public leadership behaviors of school principals have an effect on teacher motivation and job satisfaction. On the other hand, this study found a negative effect between public leadership and motivation when the effect of job satisfaction is controlled. The possible reasons for this situation were discussed in term of cultural differences.Practical implicationsThe results of this study imply that the leadership behaviors of school principals have cultural elements. Future research should be careful in measuring the political loyalty dimension of the public leadership and should take cultural element into consideration.Originality/valueAlthough there are many types of leadership, the type of leadership differs depending on the purpose of the organization, environmental conditions and culture. The lifestyle of the society, current developments and the structure of the organization are effective in interpreting the leadership needed in the organization. When looking at the models created about leadership in organizations, the effect of this type of leadership on organizational behavior is generally tried to be explained. This is also the case for motivation or job satisfaction. Therefore, this study also focuses on the effect of public leadership in explaining the job satisfaction and motivation of employees in educational organizations. However, another distinctive aspect of this research is that the cultural structure of the society is emphasized in the model to be created.
{"title":"Public leadership behaviors of school principals: does it affect teacher motivation and job satisfaction in Turkish culture?","authors":"Bunyamin Han, Rasim Tösten, Zakir Elçiçek","doi":"10.1108/ijpl-03-2021-0026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijpl-03-2021-0026","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe aim of this research is to examine the public leadership (PL) behaviors of principals working in public schools and its effect on teacher motivation (M) and job satisfaction (JS). Moreover, the mediating role of JS in the relationship between PL and M is also explored.Design/methodology/approachThis research is quantitative and designed in relational survey model conducted with 327 teachers working in Siirt/Turkey in 2020. In the research, Public Leadership Scale, Teacher Motivation Scale and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire were used. Descriptive analyses were used in data analysis. Moreover, mediating role of job satisfaction between public leadership and teacher motivation was tested.FindingsAccording to the results, the public leadership behaviors of school principals, motivation and job satisfaction of teachers are high according to teacher opinions. Additionally, public leadership behaviors of school principals have an effect on teacher motivation and job satisfaction. On the other hand, this study found a negative effect between public leadership and motivation when the effect of job satisfaction is controlled. The possible reasons for this situation were discussed in term of cultural differences.Practical implicationsThe results of this study imply that the leadership behaviors of school principals have cultural elements. Future research should be careful in measuring the political loyalty dimension of the public leadership and should take cultural element into consideration.Originality/valueAlthough there are many types of leadership, the type of leadership differs depending on the purpose of the organization, environmental conditions and culture. The lifestyle of the society, current developments and the structure of the organization are effective in interpreting the leadership needed in the organization. When looking at the models created about leadership in organizations, the effect of this type of leadership on organizational behavior is generally tried to be explained. This is also the case for motivation or job satisfaction. Therefore, this study also focuses on the effect of public leadership in explaining the job satisfaction and motivation of employees in educational organizations. However, another distinctive aspect of this research is that the cultural structure of the society is emphasized in the model to be created.","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49214012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-07-12DOI: 10.1108/IJPL-08-2021-114
K. Orr, S. Ayres, M. Bevir
This article sets out a new research agenda for decentered public leadership. Nested in the concept of decentered theory, it examines the messy and contested nature of public leadership practices in different contexts. Drawing on recent empirical studies that have adopted a decentered approach to examining public leadership, it sets out a future research agenda that places individuals, history and context at the heart of explanations for public leadership in action.
{"title":"Editorial A new research agenda for decentering public leadership","authors":"K. Orr, S. Ayres, M. Bevir","doi":"10.1108/IJPL-08-2021-114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPL-08-2021-114","url":null,"abstract":"This article sets out a new research agenda for decentered public leadership. Nested in the concept of decentered theory, it examines the messy and contested nature of public leadership practices in different contexts. Drawing on recent empirical studies that have adopted a decentered approach to examining public leadership, it sets out a future research agenda that places individuals, history and context at the heart of explanations for public leadership in action.","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43882775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-02-05DOI: 10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-093
Tim A. Mau, Richard F. Callahan, Frank Ohemeng
{"title":"Guest editorial","authors":"Tim A. Mau, Richard F. Callahan, Frank Ohemeng","doi":"10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-093","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-093","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2021-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46010260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-12-28DOI: 10.1108/ijpl-06-2020-0053
J. G. Pors
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to argue and explore how local meaning-making processes of leaders also occur in embodied and affective registers. The paper aims to introduce the theoretical concept of affect to studies of local public leadership.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reports from an ethnographic study of local leaders managing educational institutions in Denmark. The paper takes a constructivist or interpretive approach where it is acknowledged that data is not just out-there ready to be collected and reported but is constructed and interpreted in particular manners as part of the complex encounter between researcher and field.FindingsThe paper zooms in one particular instance where a leader breaks down in tears and where the tears seem to evoke a particular affective atmosphere. Thus, the paper shows how, just below the elite narrative of a need for stronger, individual and more evidence-based management, we find a myriad of meaning-making processes that transgress distinctions between the corporeal, affective and discursive.Research limitations/implicationsAs an ethnography conducted in a local setting, the paper avoids broad generalisations. The findings reflect the theoretical ambition of discussing the role of embodiment and affect in local leadership as much as the studied setting.Practical implicationsThe study testify to how policy implementation can take many unexpected turns as local leaders interpret and make sense of policy ambitions in many different ways. Moreover, it testifies to how leaders are informed by embodied experiences and affective atmospheres in their sense-making processes.Originality/valueThe paper is one of the first attempts in public leadership to discuss the role of embodiment and affect in local public leadership.
{"title":"Local meaning-making in discursive, embodied and affective registers","authors":"J. G. Pors","doi":"10.1108/ijpl-06-2020-0053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijpl-06-2020-0053","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to argue and explore how local meaning-making processes of leaders also occur in embodied and affective registers. The paper aims to introduce the theoretical concept of affect to studies of local public leadership.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reports from an ethnographic study of local leaders managing educational institutions in Denmark. The paper takes a constructivist or interpretive approach where it is acknowledged that data is not just out-there ready to be collected and reported but is constructed and interpreted in particular manners as part of the complex encounter between researcher and field.FindingsThe paper zooms in one particular instance where a leader breaks down in tears and where the tears seem to evoke a particular affective atmosphere. Thus, the paper shows how, just below the elite narrative of a need for stronger, individual and more evidence-based management, we find a myriad of meaning-making processes that transgress distinctions between the corporeal, affective and discursive.Research limitations/implicationsAs an ethnography conducted in a local setting, the paper avoids broad generalisations. The findings reflect the theoretical ambition of discussing the role of embodiment and affect in local leadership as much as the studied setting.Practical implicationsThe study testify to how policy implementation can take many unexpected turns as local leaders interpret and make sense of policy ambitions in many different ways. Moreover, it testifies to how leaders are informed by embodied experiences and affective atmospheres in their sense-making processes.Originality/valueThe paper is one of the first attempts in public leadership to discuss the role of embodiment and affect in local public leadership.","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44823698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-12-15DOI: 10.1108/ijpl-09-2020-0091
Ken Weidner, Lisa A. T. Nelson
PurposeGiven the substantial resources of the United States, the failure of the American federal response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been both tragic and avoidable. The authors frame this response as an artifact of power-addiction among administration officials and examine the US federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of maladaptive denial by government officials, including President Trump.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use qualitative research methods for this study by analyzing key events, public statements by administration officials from multiple credible media reports and US federal government websites. The authors analyzed these data using Weidner and Purohit's (2009) model describing maladaptive denial in organizations and power-addiction among leaders.FindingsThe authors' analysis identifies maladaptive denial – and the concomitant power-addiction – as significantly contributing to the Trump administration's failed response to COVID-19. Maladaptive denial and power-addiction characterized Trump as a candidate and for the three years of his presidency preceding the COVID-19 crisis. Whatever normative “guardrails” or checks and balances existed in the American system to restrict the administration's behavior before the crisis were ill-equipped to significantly prevent or alter the failed federal response to the pandemic.Originality/valueThe article applies the model of maladaptive denial in organizations (Weidner and Purohit, 2009) to the public sector, and explores the lengths to which power-addicted leaders and regimes can violate the public's trust in institutions in a crisis, even in the US, a liberal democracy characterized by freedom of political expression. While organizations and change initiatives may fail for a variety of reasons, this case revealed the extent to which maladaptive denial can permeate a government – or any organization – and its response to a crisis.
{"title":"The role of power-addiction and maladaptive denial in the US federal COVID-19 response","authors":"Ken Weidner, Lisa A. T. Nelson","doi":"10.1108/ijpl-09-2020-0091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijpl-09-2020-0091","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeGiven the substantial resources of the United States, the failure of the American federal response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been both tragic and avoidable. The authors frame this response as an artifact of power-addiction among administration officials and examine the US federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of maladaptive denial by government officials, including President Trump.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use qualitative research methods for this study by analyzing key events, public statements by administration officials from multiple credible media reports and US federal government websites. The authors analyzed these data using Weidner and Purohit's (2009) model describing maladaptive denial in organizations and power-addiction among leaders.FindingsThe authors' analysis identifies maladaptive denial – and the concomitant power-addiction – as significantly contributing to the Trump administration's failed response to COVID-19. Maladaptive denial and power-addiction characterized Trump as a candidate and for the three years of his presidency preceding the COVID-19 crisis. Whatever normative “guardrails” or checks and balances existed in the American system to restrict the administration's behavior before the crisis were ill-equipped to significantly prevent or alter the failed federal response to the pandemic.Originality/valueThe article applies the model of maladaptive denial in organizations (Weidner and Purohit, 2009) to the public sector, and explores the lengths to which power-addicted leaders and regimes can violate the public's trust in institutions in a crisis, even in the US, a liberal democracy characterized by freedom of political expression. While organizations and change initiatives may fail for a variety of reasons, this case revealed the extent to which maladaptive denial can permeate a government – or any organization – and its response to a crisis.","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42916538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-11-28DOI: 10.1108/ijpl-07-2020-0062
J. Ford, Nancy Harding
PurposeThis paper tracks how a policy recommended by management consultants becomes embedded as an integral part of leadership practice. It explores the launch of the concept of “talent management” by McKinsey & Company and how it becomes adopted as part of expected leadership practices in the English National Health Service. The use of Management Consultants globally has increased exponentially, and the paper considers this phenomenon and the ways in which management consultant advice influences public sector leadership and practice at local level.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach is adopted, focussing on the introduction of the concept of talent management into the English NHS, following the wider emergence of the concept through influential reports published by McKinsey & Company in the late 1990s. An analysis of the emergence of the concept is conducted drawing on this series of reports and the adoption of talent management policies and practices by the English government's Department of Health.FindingsThese influential reports by the management consultancy firm, McKinsey & Company, constituted an urgent need for this newly identified concept of talent management and the secrecy surrounding its reception. It is this mystery surrounding the decisions about a talent management strategy in the NHS and the concealment of decisions behind closed doors, which leads us to offer a theory of management consultants' influence on leaders as one of performative seduction.Originality/valueManagement consultancy is a vast business whose influence reaches deeply into public and private sector organisations around the world. Understanding of the variegated policies and practices that constitute contemporary modes of governance therefore requires comprehension of management consultants' role within those policies and practices. This paper argues that management consultants influence public sector leadership through insertion of their products into definitions of, and performative constitution of, local level leadership.
{"title":"Performative seduction: how management consultants influence practices of leadership","authors":"J. Ford, Nancy Harding","doi":"10.1108/ijpl-07-2020-0062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ijpl-07-2020-0062","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis paper tracks how a policy recommended by management consultants becomes embedded as an integral part of leadership practice. It explores the launch of the concept of “talent management” by McKinsey & Company and how it becomes adopted as part of expected leadership practices in the English National Health Service. The use of Management Consultants globally has increased exponentially, and the paper considers this phenomenon and the ways in which management consultant advice influences public sector leadership and practice at local level.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach is adopted, focussing on the introduction of the concept of talent management into the English NHS, following the wider emergence of the concept through influential reports published by McKinsey & Company in the late 1990s. An analysis of the emergence of the concept is conducted drawing on this series of reports and the adoption of talent management policies and practices by the English government's Department of Health.FindingsThese influential reports by the management consultancy firm, McKinsey & Company, constituted an urgent need for this newly identified concept of talent management and the secrecy surrounding its reception. It is this mystery surrounding the decisions about a talent management strategy in the NHS and the concealment of decisions behind closed doors, which leads us to offer a theory of management consultants' influence on leaders as one of performative seduction.Originality/valueManagement consultancy is a vast business whose influence reaches deeply into public and private sector organisations around the world. Understanding of the variegated policies and practices that constitute contemporary modes of governance therefore requires comprehension of management consultants' role within those policies and practices. This paper argues that management consultants influence public sector leadership through insertion of their products into definitions of, and performative constitution of, local level leadership.","PeriodicalId":43080,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Public Leadership","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2020-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42050214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}