Public leaders today operate in a VUCA world characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. They are answerable to multiple stakeholders with their own distinct agendas and interests, ranging from their own organisations and affiliated agencies, to private companies, citizens, and civil society groups, both domestic and international. Aside from having to manage these stakeholders, public leaders are also often confronted with policy conundrums with no easy answers.
On the other hand, if they able to leverage the expertise offered by stakeholders and harness the benefits of technologies, public managers may be able to create more value at lower cost, thus turning challenges into opportunities.
To be able to effect this transformation, public leaders must develop new competencies and skills to complement their existing expertise across strategic planning, operational control, and financial forecasting. But which competencies are most important, and how can managers acquire and nurture these?
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy’s four-day programme on 7 Skills for Public Leaders prepares you for a VUCA world by providing cutting-edge insights on complexity, diversity, and resilience. Guided by the lead instructor’s book, The 21st Century Public Manager, and using tools, cases and best practices, the programme inculcates seven key skills to help public managers become more effective within their operating environments