Wickland Westcott

Fired Up For a Leadership Challenge

We've just conducted interviews with senior figures within major police forces, local government, regional and central government, education, the fire service and the NHS that identifies their characteristics and what makes them public sector 'Trailblazers'.

All 30 were people with a demonstrable track record of leading public service reforms that actually made a difference.

We used psychometrics and face-to-face interviews and were surprised by the consistency of the picture that emerged.

Trailblazers have distinctive career histories. Often they have had a challenging early life, for example, experiencing childhood illness, parental death or poverty. This seems to have triggered an enduring energy, self-sufficiency and a sense of mission. Mentors also feature strongly in the early careers of many trailblazers, providing belief and inspiration. Where early role-models were negative, for example incompetent or overbearing bosses, trailblazers still learnt from these experiences. The executives we studied had a clear appetite for responsibility, and had demonstrated this in their first few roles. They were willing to put themselves in harm's way, back their own judgment, and stick to their guns.

Career paths were diffuse and sometimes erratic, characterised by opportunism and courage, these people seize chances when they arise rather than engaging in extensive career planning. They also have a powerful vision for what they want to achieve. They mobilise resources behind overarching objectives, and refuse to be diverted or demoralised by opposition or bureaucracy. In this way, there may be a new leadership model emerging, where success in public service demands the ability to grapple with complexity, prioritise ruthlessly, and innovate constantly in order to cut a path through the jungle of inertia created by the need for accountability.

Recruiters often talk of candidates having a classic marketing background, or a classic retail background. There is no classic background for a public sector trailblazer.

When faced with tough decisions they will have acted in line with their values, even when it might have been easier (or more personally beneficial) to do otherwise. They will be hard workers, who put in the hours to overcome adversity.

Essentially, trailblazers have been the underdog, and that spirit has stayed with them. It seems, from this research at least, that in these difficult times, organisations should be making every effort to identify and develop these rare talents.

 Top Trailblazer Tips

1. Be optimistic: keep a smile on your face
2. Drive yourself: high-performers work harder
3. Push the boundaries: know which rules need to be kept
4. Delegate and trust: you will only achieve audacious goals through leveraging the talents of others
5. Seek to understand people
6. Can you see the big picture?
7. Innovate: look for a better or quicker way of doing things
8. Take charge: consult when you need, but only up to a point
9. Act in line with your values,
10. Can you attribute success to those around you?

Share This Thought Leadership Article

Recipient Name

Recipient Email Address

Your Name

Message

Verification Code

Enter the letters as they are shown in the image