Public leadership is differentiated from other forms of leadership in that its principal focus is promoting the common good and pursuing the public interest. In brief, it is leadership that does not seek to preference or prejudice the needs or desires of any group at the expense of others or to advance personal or private aspirations and objectives to the detriment of the collective wellbeing of the entire citizenry. Public leadership is indifferent to polemical agendas and partisan goals, and transcends the practical preoccupations of administration and management. This course begins with interpretations of competing and contrasting definitions of the ‘public’; provides a basis for identifying and then differentiating ‘leadership’ from oversight, supervision and management; canvasses the elements and imperatives of reliable and responsible leadership; and, offers students a template for describing the possible objectives and outcomes of ‘public leadership’ in a range of professional settings. While the focus will be on research into general principles, the student will be encouraged to consider these principles within the circumstances of their own organization and in the context of Australia’s evolving public life. The course provides a theoretical foundation for the exercise of effective public leadership.
