A Working model towards effective leadership development programmes in the public sector: a case of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development

Abstract

The public sector is in need of effective leadership to address the complex challenges it faces in the 21st century such as a lack of effective training programmes and limited opportunities for growth and advancement. Leadership development programmes in the public sector present a critical opportunity to foster effective governance, drive organisational innovation, and promote sustainable development. The research was guided by the interpretivist philosophy whereby according to the study, perceptions of how leadership development programmes are changing, subjective and not shared by all. A qualitative research method was used to gain insight and understanding of the public sector employee’s perceptions, experiences and concerns when it comes to the leadership development programmes being offered. The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprise Development was the focus of the study. In depth interviews, open ended questionnaire and documentary search were used in the research whilst ethical principles and techniques were used to enhance the validity of the study. From the first objective, the study participants were able to identify a number of best practices such as investing in training and development programmes. The second objective of the study was to examine the existing leadership development programmes implemented in the public sector by the PSC targeting middle and senior managers in the public sector. The third objective of the study was to identify the key challenges faced in leadership development programs in the public sector such as political interference, bureaucratic constraints, resource limitations, lack of leadership training and lack of alignment with strategic goals. Political interference was identified by the study participants as a key challenge faced in leadership development programmes in the public sector. The last objective of the study was to develop a framework for a working model towards effective leadership development programmes that align with the unique need of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprise Development. It was recommended that the Ministry must regularly monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its leadership development programmes to ensure that they are meeting their intended objectives and to make continuous improvements to the programmes and ensure alignment with changing needs and priorities in the public sector. It was also noted that the Ministry should consider adopting international best practices for leadership development in the public sector and should also design and implement a comprehensive leadership training curriculum tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by the Ministry.