ABSTRACT
This chapter explores leadership theories with an eye to their importance in helping us understand what kinds of leadership competencies are needed in different contextual circumstances. We begin our discussion by reviewing the major theories of leadership (trait, group, contingency, organization, and institution-centered). We conclude from this review that these theories are inadequate in addressing new challenges that are wicked, emergent, and require a power-sharing approach with partners across organizational jurisdictional and sectoral boundaries. We characterize these new leadership competencies as “conciliatory practices.” The chapter describes what these practices are and explains the conditions under which they can be successful. We end the chapter with the conclusion that, going into the future, public service leaders at all levels of our public organizations need the heightened ability to “size up” what is going on and to “take appropriate action.” We call this competency prudential judgment. It enables leaders to move back and forth between the leadership competencies appropriate in hierarchical settings and those required when functioning in a network of horizontal relationships. It enables leaders to know the right thing to do, in the right moment, for the right reasons, and in the right proportion. Drawing from neuroscience of the brain, we describe how prudential judgment is acquired, stored, and retrieved.
