Archives for July 2nd, 2003

THE NATURE OF ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Book News, PublicNet: 2 July, 2003

By Stephen J. Zaccaro and Richard J. KlimoskiThe quality of an organization’s top leaders is a critical influence on its overall effectiveness and continuing adaptability. This book represents a significant contribution to the literature of leadership, combining a contextual approach to organizational leadership with an in-depth treatment of the cognitive, social, and affective dynamics underlying that leadership. The Nature of Organizational Leadership, using an interdisciplinary approach that draws from the work of scholars in both management and psychology, provides a much-need organizational perspective on the problems confronted by top executive leaders and the requisite behaviors, attributes, and outcomes necessary to lead organizations effectively.

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CALL TO STOP MARGINALIZATION OF LOCAL COUNCILS

Headlines, PublicNet: 2 July, 2003

Sir Jeremy Beecham, chair of the LGA, called on the Association’s annual conference to fight proposals to fragment local services by creating directly elected local bodies. He urged conference members to: “Go back to your town halls and prepare to fight”. He said that this midway stage of the parliamentary term is a critical time because national political parties are turning their thoughts to policies for the next election. He urged local councillors, as representatives and leaders of their communities, to stake their claim to shape policy.New localism with direct election is emerging as a trend with proposals from a number of Ministers. The separate bodies proposed include Foundation Hospital Trusts, Primary Care Trusts, Police Authorities, and possibly School Boards or Housing Trusts. Sir Jeremy said the danger in creating separate bodies with separate mandates would be a deepening of the silo mentality obstructing effective joint working over the complex cross cutting issues. Additionally, the capacity of local councils to mediate conflict and weigh priorities across a range of services would be diminished.

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MODERNIZATION BROUGHT TO COURT

Headlines, PublicNet: 2 July, 2003

The Government’s quest for modernized public services has reached the courts. The usual mix of targets, league tables and direct accountability is to be applied with rigour. Announcing the new programme to make the Criminal Justice System more efficient, Lord Falconer, Secretary of State at the Department for Constitutional Affairs, said he was appalled that some 30% of trials do not go ahead on the day they are planned and witnesses have a 50% chance of not giving evidence on the day they should. He was also concerned that the taxpayer pays 350 pounds every time a police constable sits in court all day waiting for a hearing that does not take place.The target is to reduce the proportion of ineffective trials across all courts by 27 per cent by 2005/06. League tables will be produced in October to show how each of the 42 criminal justice areas are performing in terms of ineffective trials and timeliness. There are no proposals to grade performance from excellent to poor as in local government and the health service. Accountability will be sharpened and a named individual will be responsible for the progress of every case.

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