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Leading in the public interest
The importance of principles
In responding to the question set by the subtitle, the overall aim of this paper is to consider whether selfless leadership is a viable principle for leading in the public interest. The paper will put forward a proposal for a principle-based leadership framework, which draws its motivation from the notion of "selflessness". In this sense, it serves as an initial conceptual paper although it is supported by a literature review focused on the themes of values and virtues, and brief references to field research across a range of public services in England (Brookes, 2010). The main purpose is to generate a debate based on the conceptual conclusions that selfless leadership is a principle worth striving for and in providing a firm foundation for further more empirically based research.
A key argument of this paper is that public leadership can be described simply as that of leading in the public interest. Public interest is defined as "the benefit or advantage of the community as a whole; the public good" (OED). There is a dearth of literature in relation to the impact of leading in the public interest. Etter recognises this in an Australian context: "little appears to have been written on the concept of broader public sector leadership in 'the public interest'". The author continues:
All public sector leaders need to operate in the public interest in a transparent and accountable way. Following on from this, the concept or value of the "public interest", as opposed to self-interest or the furtherance of other interests, should be a key driver for decision-making and the exercise of power and discretion within public administration (Etter, 2011, p. 1).
Public interest concerns values. The literature review illustrates how this has evolved from the ancient classicists, who focused on virtues, through to contemporary work and practice that emphasises values. The implications for public leaders will be explored in seeking to answer the opening question through a principle-based framework.
The review highlights the apparent importance of the 1950s as a potential paradigm shift in moving from "virtues" to "values". The paper draws on the work of Philip Selznick who spoke of the need for creative leaders to fashion an organisation that "embodies...