In
this series, we consider the role of government officials
in providing leadership in service of communities. What
does it mean to be a facilitative or collaborative leader?
What challenges do government officials face in playing
such a role? How can these challenges be met?
Facilitative or collaborative leaders address issues in
ways that take into account the ideas and interests of
many people. They listen deeply to the concerns of others,
encourage prospective partners to focus on their shared
vision and help identify the contributions that all involved
can make to accomplishing mutually desired goals.
However, such leaders within government often encounter
formidable institutional constraints. More often than
not there are pressures to focus on the siloed interest
of their immediate organization at the expense of a broader
agenda. Likewise, top-down versus bottom-up decision-making
makes it difficult to align the efforts of government
with those of community. Such tensions pose a fundamental
choice for individual officials: Do I focus on the immediate
objectives of my organization or do I widen my view of
interest to really listen and consider what communities
have to say about their needs and priorities?
For government to provide leadership in service of communities,
both institutional and personal commitment is needed to
listen, learn, see and respond to what communities have
to say.
On this page you'll find:
The Vibrant Communities Government Learning
Circle is open to learners from all levels and portfolios
of government interested in the local efforts of Vibrant
Communities.
The GLC offers government participants opportunities to:
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The “Serving the Communities Agenda”
series is designed to support government learners to:
-
Explore the concept of ‘government
leadership in service of communities’, and why
this topic is timely and relevant
-
Examine the some of the challenges
faced by government officials in providing leadership
in service of communities, and
-
Increase participants’ understanding
of the Government Learning Circle (GLC), and engage
their interest in future learning events
 Susan
Scotti, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Social Development
Sectors Branch of Human Resources and Social Development
Canada, is the host and chair of the ongoing Vibrant Communities
Government Learning Circle Speakers Series. As a long-time
“champion” for place-based, social development
initiatives, Susan invites all government learners interested
in Vibrant Communities, to talk openly about issues, and
to learn from leaders, experts and each other’s experiences,
in order to grow the impact of these collaborative, multi-sectoral,
community-based efforts.
 In
this session, Susan provides the context for forming a Government
Learning Circle, with a particular focus on the benefits
it might have for members. Susan, Jenny Kain from the City
of Edmonton’s Innovative Services Division and Joe-Ann
Priel from the City of Hamilton’s Department of Community
Services discuss the concept of government in service of
communities and why they believe this topic to be timely
and relevant.
Resources for the Seminar:
Related Links & Resources:
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 Retired
civil servant Arthur Kroeger, sometimes referred to as the
‘dean of deputy ministers,’ discusses the challenges
faced by government workers as they attempt to function
in support of communities. He addresses the key question
that all of us face – “Why is it so hard for
government to serve the communities agenda?”
Resources for the Seminar:
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 In
this session, Sherri Torjman, Vice-President of the Caledon
Institute of Social Policy, discusses her current research
on how government can partner with communities to develop
a shared leadership structure that is truly in service of
the communities agenda.
Resources for the Seminar:
 Related
Links and Resources:
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Managing
Complexity – This paper reviews best practices
in horizontal policy development processes from provincial
governments in Canada to determine to what degree the challenges
and solutions are common across governments and to assess
what factors are critical to the success or failure of these
endeavours. Download the paper here.
Capacity
Building – This resource is designed to help people in the
public sector and in the community to understand how to
link community experience to the policy-making process,
specifically considering how public policy processes can
build the capacity of all sectors to work together for more
credible and inclusive policy making and governance. Download
the resource here.
What
Works! – This paper profiles eight policy projects sponsored
by the Public Health Fund, a program of Health Canada’s
Population and Health Branch Atlantic Regional Office with
the mission, “Communities and governments working
collaboratively to develop healthy public policy.”
Access the paper here.
Servant-Leader: From Hero to Host – This
interview with organizational consultant Margaret Wheatley
explores what the ideas and practice of servant-leadership
have to offer to today’s world. Read the interview here.
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