Leadership In The Public Policy Making Process

Leadership in the Public Policy-Making Process

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of the Institution]

Leadership in the Public Policy-Making Process

Working in the public sector is not an easy task, it is quite complex. The public administrators are supposed to be accountable to every citizen. Therefore, people engaged in the public sector need leaders who have a broader understanding of the concepts regarding this sector, and at the same time, they could function as prerequisites for the execution of the policies properly (Muhammad, 2014). Public policies aim to organize the social resources in such a way that everyone in the country can get the benefits. Moreover, the public policies also address the public problems and come up with some robust solutions. Therefore, it requires strong leaders in the policymaking process to design implementable policies. Without effective leadership in policymaking, it is difficult to follow the developmental plan and achieve the progressive goals for the society. Similarly, it involves some strong leaders with some influential leadership traits in order to produce successful policies. A strong Public Policymaking leader is the one who is competent, collaborative, interactive and goal-oriented.

The very first quality any leader needs to be influential and change maker is competency. The leadership competency includes all the skills and manners required for a specific field or profession. There is evidence that competencies of the policymakers, employers, and consultants have improved the organizational performance (Bolden & Gosling, 2006). At the same time, education helps to enhance the competency of an individual. A person with a strong educational background will have a grip in that field. Therefore, he or she will be able to perform well. For instance, in the policy-making process a person needs to know about the background of the problem in order to come up with the solutions. Likewise, a person with an army background better knows the opportunities and challenges in armed forces. In case, he is hired as a policymaker for armed forces, he/she can come up with efficient and effective policies.

Secondly, the collaborative nature of a leader will assist in the progress of the recommended policies. Policies are designed as a team, and it takes a long process for a policy to be effective. The policy-making process goes through several stages and in the end its approved for implementation. Therefore, a policy leader needs to integrate the efforts of all the members of different parties in order to assist and keep focus and interaction to effectively implement the policies (Mothae & Sindane, 2008). At the same time, taking the political leaders in confidence will avoid any political hindrances in the way of policies.

Moreover, interactive and goal-oriented skills are imperative in policy implementation in order to yield the desired outcomes. It is essential for the leaders of policy-making institutes to interact regularly with the stakeholders who are involved in execution process by giving a helpful work environment, precise and attainable opportunities with the aim of improving the performance. There are many examples from the history that how leaders used their skills to make policies successful. One of the big names is Franklin Roosevelt, who used his interactive and organizational skills to structure the activities effectively and gave a definite vision of public policy (Greenstein, 2000). Likewise, the influential leaders of history have used their excellent communication skills to inform the ideas and get the support of the people.

In conclusion, Policymaking is a challenging task. It requires excellent leadership skills in order to overcome the challenges in the way of policy processes and development projects. Therefore, the leaders of public policy need some influential leadership skills like competency, collaborative, interactive and goal-oriented. As a result, they will be able to implement the policies effectively.

References

Bolden, R., & Gosling, J. (2006). Leadership competencies: time to change the tune?. Leadership, 2(2), 147-163.

Greenstein, F. I. (2000). The qualities of effective presidents: An overview from FDR to Bill Clinton. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 30(1), 178-185.

Mothae, L.,& Sindane A.M. (2008). The strategic and shared leadership between municipal officials and political office bearers in local government: A recipe for good governance and enhanced service delivery. IASIA Annual Conference in Uganda Kampala.

Muhammad, F. (2014). Leadership, Governance and Public Policy Implementation Competencies in the Broader Public Sector. Eur J Bus Manag, 6, 66-73.