Jill Hadley

1. Jill Hadley University of South Australia Leadership development in the public service: A tale of intersecting demands

2. Why set up an Enterprise RTO? Research by Smith et al. (2005, 2009, 2015) noted credibility, a structured approach to training & a validation of work experiences contribute to an organisation’s culture and competitive edge. By providing and paying for a national qualification in staff time an organisation becomes known as an employer of choice who inspires loyalty.

3. Public Value Theory Attracting growing interest among public policy makers since the financial crisis of 2009. Successful engagement with the public demands politicians and public leaders have high level communication skills. Training in leadership skills is paramount in developing competent leaders who can garner credibility within the community. Well-lead and efficient teams who interact directly at the front-line with the public create public value.

4. Key research issue Was a nationally accredited approach to leadership development, founded on competency-based training, the best option for this public service organisation and for individuals and their teams?

5. Leadership training options Non-accredited training Accredited training No qualification Can be assembled with flexibility in a variety of ways Can be customised to meet local outcomes Leads to national qualification Has to meet national standards Can only be offered by an RTO Units of competency are chosen from a National Training Package to make up a qualification Any customised content must still meet assessment criteria

6. Devising the Diploma Framework #1 SAES (South Australian Executive Services) Competency framework based on national core competencies for public sector leaders at mid-management level. Framework #2 Workforce leadership skills relevant to this department, identified by HR analysis and workforce plan. Framework #3 Units of competency from the National Public-Sector Training package clustered into three sections by RTO executives.

7. Structure of Diploma of Public Service (management) Diploma = Part A + Part B OR Part A + Part C A [Section One] • working and thinking together to achieve the organisation’s initiatives B [Section Two] • the art of managing others C [Section Three] • the art of managing self and influencing others

8. Research approach Qualitative - case study design Application of methods include: • observation of 24 participants over eight work-shop sessions of three hours followed by questionnaires • semi-structured interviews with four facilitators/developers • informal conversation with learners, facilitators • focus group discussion with three facilitators • 11 in-depth interviews with eight graduates of 17 (47%) & three ongoing learners • Examination of archived documents

9. What did I find? Leadership skills are best acquired through formal contextualised training, on-the-job experiences and coaching that considered the local workplace environment. The training was highly valued by participants as well as departmental executives.

10. Learners’ feedback A high level of satisfaction was expressed in workshop questionnaires: common comments (n = 24): Gave a broader perspective of the bigger picture Developed political and strategic thinking Found issues in common across the department New skills applied to find workplace solutions

11. Graduates’ feedback Most significant outcomes for graduates (n = 8/17) were stated as: Helped with strategic thinking (37.5%) Helped with team culture and workplace issues (25%) Significant personal development (25%) No significant difference (12.5%) – had left management position

12. Graduates’ discussion Accredited qualifications: General opinion was that the qualification was not the reason for undertaking the course (63% had graduate or post graduate qualifications; n = 5/8) Diploma was a bonus and recognition of the learning If it had been self-funded, and studied in their own time, all said they would not have done it

13. Key finding from this research Competency-based training (CBT) did not suit enterprise leadership training needs, nor did this type of training with its constraints and generic standards support the development of leadership expertise in this public service environment.

14. My conclusion In meeting the strategic business outcomes of the organisation, leadership training went far above and beyond nationally prescribed skills and knowledge described in units of competency.

15. Research impact Contributes to contemporary debate about the value of CBT. Government and industry in Australia must focus on skills matching job requirements and building workforce capacity to ensure enterprises have the skills to maximise value for the economy.

16. A question of flexibility Research by Atkinson and Stanwick (2016), Guthrie (2009), Hodge (2011, 2014), Wheelahan and Carter (2001) and Wheelahan (2008, 2016) claim the intention of training packages to promote flexibility and contextualisation has not been realised.

17. What next? A flexible framework is in demand to meet changing workforce skills relevant to twenty-first century. It is hoped a comprehensive review of training packages allows users to more aptly meet the needs of industry, employers and learners.