The capacities needed by local authority chief executives

Abstract

Research was commissioned to identify the competences that are required by local authority chief executives in the UK. It emerged that the “competence approach” was inappropriate for their needs. Instead, “capacity” – a concept originating in psychoanalytic theory – was adopted as one which reflected better the reality of the chief executive’s role. Through a qualitative research approach with a sample of chief executives, five capacities were identified. These were seen as central to the effective performance of the chief executive’s role. The research suggests that policies concerned with the development of chief executives should not be based on an orthodox competence approach. It recommends the use of “capacity” as a better way of conveying chief executives’ capabilities to “hold” many interconnected, dynamic and paradoxical dimensions in their work.

Recruiting CEOs in Local Government: A ‘Game of Musical Chairs’?

“…The third area for the CEO is the ‘political edge’, which is all of the elected officials and politicians both on the council and in other tiers of government. Broussine (), building on Mintzberg's model, highlights that while each of the three dimensions requires certain technical competencies, the important CEO attributes are ‘capabilities’ that allow for working between the three dimensions to ensure a balance of between the concerns of different stakeholder interests and political perspectives (Broussine, : 502).…”

“…This article draws on findings from a recent study that aims to understand more about the conceptualisation of leadership in local government by recognising what qualities, experiences and attributes elected officials value in the CEO, and what policies and strategies they apply to identify and recruit suitable candidates. The article is organised to first review the relevant literature about the role of the CEO within the context of contemporary Australian local government and draws on literature both international and Australian that covers a range of issues related to leadership in local government including the changing nature of the sector (Aulich and Artist 2015;Fox and Leach 1999;Jones 2011), roles of, and relationships between CEOs and Mayors (Jones 2011;Martin and Aulich 2012), leadership styles (Martin and Simons 2002;Svara 2001Svara , 2003, leadership capabilities and capacities (Broussine 2000;Mintzberg 1998), and diversity (Diamond 2008;Hutchinson et al 2014). Second, the research method is described, followed by a summary and analysis of the data gathered from a series of interviews with Western Australian CEOs and Mayors/Shire Presidents.…”

Leading and Managing at the Boundary: Perspectives Created by Joined Up Working

“…The earlier research for SOLACE identified the capacity for maintaining personal perspective and self-knowledge as one of the five capacities which were thought central to the chief executive's effectiveness (Broussine, 2000). To repeat an earlier point, a person who can work effectively at the boundary is trying continuously to make sense of what is going on there in a situation of flux.…”

“…The capacity 'to develop effective external relationships' was one of the five key capacities uncovered in the earlier research for SOLACE (Broussine, 2000). That capacity included a number of descriptors which included 'Being a champion of the local authority, local government and local democracy' and 'Working with communities and other agencies'.…”

“…They are already leading to fundamental questions about the nature and purpose of the chief executive's position. The questions that were raised by a sample of leading elected members during earlier research for SOLACE (Broussine, 2000) -'Do we need a chief executive or a different animal?' and 'Will they [chief executives] be required in the future?'…”