Visions on Governance for the 21st Visions on Governance for the 21st Century : The Role of Public Century : The Role of Public LeadershipLeadershipProf Erwin Schwella (erwin.schwella@sopmp.sun.ac.za)

CPL The Netherlands

and

School of Public Management and Planning

University of Stellenbosch

OrientationOrientation

Orientation to topic◦Discourse approach◦Subtopics

Linking up with visions on governance

New management paradigms

OrientationOrientationImplications for public leadership

and management◦The changing context◦Change and its implications◦Leadership and management

challenges◦Leadership approaches and

competenciesSome South African examples

◦Paradigms, people and prospects

Linking up with Visions on Linking up with Visions on GovernanceGovernanceVisions, dreams or mirages, or What is this all about?

Linking up with Visions of Linking up with Visions of GovernanceGovernanceThe nature of vision and The nature of this vision

◦Globalisation and paradigm mobility◦The dream of good governance

Whose dream is it anyway? International institutions

World Bank

Linking up with Visions of Linking up with Visions of GovernanceGovernance

◦World Bank Governance first used 1989 1992 :Lewis Preston World Bank “ Good

governance essential complement to sound economic policies”

Good governance for equitable and sustainable development

Linking up with Visions of Linking up with Visions of GovernanceGovernance

◦1990 United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries Conclusion : good governance is basic to

the economic and social progress of all countries

◦Historic development in unison NPM in developed countries Perhaps linked to developed/developing

divide?

◦Recently also in developed countries Perhaps antithesis to NPM?

Linking up with Visions of Linking up with Visions of GovernanceGovernance

◦Elements of good governance : Open, transparent, accountable,

equitable and responsive to citizen’s needs

Coherent and integrated governance to reach policy goals and objectives effectively and efficiently

Requires strong civil society, solid institutions, including rule of law, transparency and accountability

Sensible economic management for growth and development

New Management New Management ParadigmsParadigms

Something old, something new, something blue, or Is there really anything new?

New Management New Management ParadigmsParadigms

Influenced by : Debates on role of the state Global paradigm mobility

From policy/administration dichotomy and bureaucratic scientific management through new public administration to new public management to good governance

The dialectic and context determined nature of management paradigm development

Is there really anything new under the sun?

Implications for Public Implications for Public Leadership and Leadership and ManagementManagementAbout context, change, challenges and competencies, or Is there a way out of this confusion?

Implications for Public Implications for Public Leadership and ManagementLeadership and ManagementContext, change and challenges

◦Globalisation : mobility of ideas and issues The challenge : global governance deficit

◦National public management issues Withering away of national state

authority Transfer of sovereignty Increasing lack of trust in institutions

Public and private

Transformation fatigue

Implications for Public Implications for Public Leadership and ManagementLeadership and ManagementThe challenge : reclaiming moral

leadership to facilitate legitimate and effective public service and service delivery

New governance philosophies◦ Perhaps good governance combined with

new public administration/new public management hybrid

New leadership approaches◦ Leading without authority

Implications for Public Implications for Public Leadership and ManagementLeadership and ManagementNew leadership approaches

◦ Transformational◦ Social learning

Facilitating the competency to deal with adaptive problems through processes of capacity building by means of learning

From command and control to co-conceptualisation and co-ordination of competency achievements

◦ New leadership competencies The study of Bhatta (2001)

Leadership Competencies Leadership Competencies for Public Managementfor Public Management

Comparative study of competencies for managers in the public sector

USA, Australia, Netherlands,UK◦Understanding and managing the context◦Governance sensitivity and coherent

governance◦Strategic leadership

Leadership Competencies Leadership Competencies for Public Managementfor Public Management

◦Persuasive, influential communication◦People and relationships management◦Commitment to achievement and

performance◦Managerial expertise◦Intellectual capability◦Honesty and integrity

PUBLIC LEADERSHIP : PUBLIC LEADERSHIP : REDEFINEDREDEFINED

Democratic and effective public leadership is a dynamic process.

This process involves the leader with relevant others in the inclusive setting and effective realisation of legitimate and useful goals and objectives.

The process requires the using of continuous learning in democratic and organisational contexts to improve effectiveness and efficiency in policy and service delivery

The process has to contribute to improving the quality of life of all citizens.

Selected South African Selected South African ExamplesExamplesA Rainbow Nation at the Crossroads, or How do you implement a negotiated revolution?

Selected South African Selected South African ExamplesExamplesSouth Africa : Celebrate, the

Beloved Country◦The miracle (or was it hard work) of

the rainbow nation◦Constitutional changes

The Bill of Rights The Constitutional Court Independent Oversight Institutions

Selected South African Selected South African ExamplesExamples

◦ Policy changes Towards open and transparent government

Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 Protected Disclosures Act, 2000

◦ Institutional changes Government by fora

Nedlac, Community Police Forums Creation of Senior Management Service

Professionalisation and competency based

◦ Leadership changes Composition changed dramatically but the jury is

out

Summary and ConclusionsSummary and Conclusions“It was the best of times, it was the worst of

times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going to heaven, we were all going the other way—in short the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.” Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”, 1859