Strategic leadership and public marketing

Strategic leadership involves selectivity – NOT doing some things – and focus – prioritising the activities and target groups which matter most. Only if your organisation is prepared to weather the flak which selectivity and focus normally bring can it hope to manage strategically…

Strategic leadership is more than making and implementing strategic plans. While strategic plans are important, strategic thinking is essential. Moreover, effective strategy needs input from multiple stakeholders, not just ‘people with strategy in their job description’ – politicians, top managers, senior professionals, frontline staff, users, partners. So inclusive and challenging processes of strategy making, strategy testing and strategy implementation are intrinsic to strategic success in public services.

Strategic leadership needs to be responsive to needs of the different ‘publics’ and different markets which public services have to satisfy. It also requires effective public marketing of the key strategic decisions which emerge from the strategic thinking process.

Governance International can help you to:

• Develop a strategic vision for your area, based on the outcomes which are important to the citizens in your area

• Develop a set of strategic priorities for your activities, outputs and outcomes, together with your partners, service users and the citizens in your area

• Design a public marketing process which involves all key stakeholders and delivers appropriate and effective messages to all the groups in the community who need to understand the strategic decisions of your organisation and partnerships