In conjunction with Manchester Business School, we have carried out a research project into the characteristics of transformational public leaders, or trailblazers, across the UK public sector.
The research has revealed some vital lessons for public sector organisations and last week 50 senior executives and board members from across the sector took part in a seminar to explore how to apply these findings in their own bodies.
The study was based on analysis of the characteristics, career history and ambitions of 30 public sector leaders, selected for their ability to drive transformation in public services. These trailblazers are imbued with a powerful sense of vocation, and have capitalised on early experiences by taking on significant challenges early in their careers and overcoming setbacks.
The research shows that trailblazers characteristically work harder than their counterparts, keep true to their values and place high levels of trust in colleagues. Showing a clear vision of where they want to get to, they explain the big picture and empower others to fill in the details. A creative dissatisfaction leads them to be innovative and take calculated risks, pushing for progress towards a vision for their area of service or local communities. They also show a sense of humility and attribute their success to luck and the quality of those around them.
Organisations seeking to recruit trailblazers should not look for any particular career history, but rather for a burning sense of vocation, a resolve to act in line with deeply held values and a willingness to back themselves.
Mark Batey, co-director of Manchester Business Schools's research group into psychometrics at work, highlighted the role of creativity and innovation in leadership.
The role of the leader is to identify and encourage trailblazers
He explained how creative people are more difficult to manage and explored the issues of diversity and potential for conflict in creative teams. It is necessary for traditional boundaries in organisations to become more 'porous', so that different perspectives can be embraced. The role of the leader is to identify and encourage trailblazers, helping them to cope with natural resistance to their more maverick tendencies.
Once viewed as frivolous, creativity should be welcomed as integral to progress.
Other issues raised during the seminar included:
• the importance of identifying individuals' aspirations and potential; if latent trailblazers are to be identified and nurtured, people need to be given the opportunity to open up in a safe context. This requires a culture of openness, honesty and procedural fairness
• the need to help people manage failure and demonstrate the resilience to 'bounce back'
• the urgent need to identify those with the capacity to lead positive change. This is creating the opportunity for more innovative partnership working, breaking down classic demarcations; it is likely that the next few months will see the emergence of new networks and unexpected alliances
Opinion was divided about whether trailblazers should be involved in compliance; while they need to be aware of rules and boundaries, if given responsibility for upholding these, their capacity to deliver outstanding outcomes could be compromised
They can also emerge at any stage of their career; several examples were given of people seizing opportunities later in life and rising to positions of responsibility.
Confidence and support were crucial factors. But trailblazers are not just individuals: It is potentially possible for a team to demonstrate trailblazer characteristics and achieve significant results.
References were made to highly successful duos with complementary characteristics (eg Lennon and McCartney).
Above all, leaders need to create space for trailblazers in their organisation.
Laurence Jackson is head of public sector practice at Wickland Westcott
