Future challenges for ‘social sector’ managers and leaders – its not just about lack of money!

It’s great to see the realisation at long last as to how critical effective leadership and efficient management is going to be in successfully transforming our public services over the coming years. Whilst blindingly obvious that budget cuts will be the key challenge, there are going to be other ‘soft’ issues that could ultimately prove to be more challenging to the leaders involved.

Having been a ‘leader’ in the late 80′s and early 90′s in British manufacturing and then a facilitator of managerial development across all sectors since, what are my first thoughts on what other issues could arise?

Firstly is the issue of finding leaders to start with. Middle and senior managers may well be the obvious casualties of cuts for years to come.  Might it be deemed safer to stay below the radar amongst the troops where there is a real need for bodies to deliver the service required? If you believe (rightly) that if you know what to do then it’s management, if not it’s leadership, then who wants to admit in the current climate that they don’t know?

Second – how do we define what needs to be delivered?  Without ‘targets’ to drive outcomes, how do leaders agree what is to be delivered and what defines excellence? Due to the huge number of interested and powerful stakeholders involved, this will be a complex process and involve skilled guidance, negotiation and conflict resolution. The fact that there will be great uncertainty on what to do and little agreement on how to do it will put leaders at ‘the edge of chaos’, according to Ralph Stacey.

Third – how to overcome entrenched attitudes and a culture where outcomes are often seen as secondary and that the process and the needs of the provider are of primary concern. Without competition, and money being only an input and not a measurable output, my second point becomes even more critical. What rewards need to be in place to change this?

Finally, for the moment anyway, will the leaders tasked with initial delivery, have the philosophical conviction, the moral courage and the resolution required to deliver what’s necessary. It’s a massive cultural step change and will unfortunately claim many victims. Support will be required – but will it be provided?