Managerial leadership

The 'managerial leadership' element of the local government chief executive role involves leadership, direction, culture, risk, control and safeguarding, teamwork and collaboration.

  • Leadership: accountable for overall service delivery and managerial effectiveness
  • Direction: clarity of direction, and continuous improvement of functions
  • Culture: building an open, inclusive, learning and public service focus
  • Risk, control and safeguarding: effective internal control systems and (where appropriate) oversight of children’s and adults’ safeguarding
  • Teamwork: effective working in teams, across the organisation and its partners
  • Collaboration: co-design and delivery with service users, communities and partners

The structure of knowledge, experience and judgement across managerial leadership practices

 

Acquiring knowledge Gaining experience Sharpening judgement
  • The form and the day-to-day practice of internal management accountabilities

     
  • Assure effective teamwork and corporate working

     
  • Accountable for what, and accountable to whom?

     
  • Formal rules of employment and discipline for all staff

     
  • Service plans, council plans, and improvement planning

     
  • Create a positive culture of learning and improvement

     
  • Management grip and empowerment commensurate with risk and its mitigation through internal controls
  • Develop clarity about the added value of management layers, and the specific contribution of top team management

     
  • Ensure that all staff can find ways of connecting with the council’s overall purposes

     
  • Invest and value in staff training and development

     
  • Foster a positive managerial climate that supports and challenges staff performance and supplier delivery

     
  • Ensure that the roots of any dysfunctional management and toxic staff conduct are identified and eliminated
  • Actively listen to staff at all levels: their concerns, their successes and their frustrations

     
  • Attend to the mood, the climate of the organisation – especially the extent of psychological safety for staff

     
  • Help managers and staff to be more relational and transformative in their connection with service users and with one another

     
  • Find ways to foster life-long learning and skill developments among all staff

     
  • Encourage the heart, foster hope, and apply individual consideration to all staff

Highlighted pages

Resource management

The 'resource management' element of the local government chief executive role involves budgeting, savings, investment, asset management, financial risk and prudence.

Continuous improvement

The 'continuous improvement' element of the local government chief executive role involves learning and curiosity, innovation, service re-design, digital and artifiical intelligence, performance, impact and results.