OVERVIEW

In order to drive the cultural change demanded by the twin challenges of myriad reforms and the pressure to make the public sector more efficient, more productive, more business-like, effective leadership from the top is essential. Strong and resourceful leadership is required to realise the change needed in the public sector, truly addressing the problem of fragmented services and the legacy of paternalistic approaches. The Major Projects Leadership Academy, aiming to produce top leaders for central and local government, is just one very current example demonstrating the importance of this subject to the public sector.

According to a recent survey of the members of the Guardian's Public Leaders Network, coping with spending cuts remains the biggest challenge for managers of public services and, against that background, leaders are struggling to drive through radical change. Financial management and commercial competence are not yet at the level where they are really influencing the whole of the leaderships' thought about how to take decisions, and this must change – directors and managers must develop a strong understanding of financial issues.

Good leaders shape the environment around them, regardless of context, to deliver outcomes effectively. They provide direction, they motivate and inspire individuals to create, deliver and go that extra mile. In the future, leadership in the public sector is likely to present ever greater challenges: public sector leaders need to be more adaptable, more credible, more collaborative than ever before. How leaders engage, motivate, inspire and support their colleagues will be instrumental in defining their success and, ultimately, shaping how effectively they impact on the people and communities around them.

This event is relevant for all public sector leaders, including HR directors and those leading on strategy and transformation. It will offer a range of excellent speakers sharing their own experience of building leadership in public sector organisations. With sessions including: financial planning and commercial competence; assessing and managing behaviour change; lean, agile and other project management techniques; staff engagement and skill development; and many more, Public Sector Leadership: driving cultural change is a must-attend event for directors and managers from across the public sector and beyond.