3.4 Leadership & Relational Values

Leadership and relational values describe how public officials, organizations, and communities work together to achieve shared goals. These values focus less on internal operations and more on relationships that sustain legitimacy and trust.

Relational values reinforce one another. Trust grows when government is responsive, inclusive, and empathetic. Vision helps people see a shared direction, but it becomes more credible when communities are engaged in shaping it. Citizen engagement and inclusiveness give people meaningful roles in decision-making, while responsiveness shows that their voices matter. Flexible leadership and empathy allow public servants to adapt to changing needs and understand the lived experiences of those they serve. Together, these values strengthen the bonds between institutions and the public.

Trust Means Confidence in Government Actions

Definition: A core element in public service relationships that is necessary for cooperation and for achieving shared public goals.

Description: Trust is often the starting point for effective leadership and public value management. It helps institutions work together and include a broad range of voices. Trust does not require personal closeness but grows when people believe their goals align and see consistent follow-through. Building trust means demonstrating results rather than only making promises and, when possible, earning recognition from credible outside sources.

Examples:

• A city public works department gaining community trust by completing promised road repairs ahead of schedule.
• A school district building trust with parents by acting on feedback.
• A public health agency increasing trust during a vaccination campaign by partnering with respected local organizations.
• A nonprofit winning trust from funders after independent auditors confirm it uses donations effectively.

Vision Means Having a Clear Picture of Where to Go

Definition: A clear and inspiring idea of the public values a community or organization seeks to achieve. It should be easy to understand, go beyond the interests of any one person, and be supported through collective input.

Description: Vision is especially important in the early stages of a public values–focused effort. Because public values can be broad and sometimes vague, a strong vision helps turn them into specific goals. It shows possible paths from the problem to the solution and motivates ongoing cooperation among people and groups with different perspectives or interests.

Examples:

• A regional transit agency working toward a system where all residents live within a ten-minute walk of reliable public transportation.
• A state government aiming to reduce regulations on small businesses to encourage local economic growth and entrepreneurship.

Citizen Engagement Means Involving the Public in Decisions

Definition: The process of involving and working with the public to define problems, develop alternatives, implement solutions, and shape shared goals. It is an “active, bidirectional act of participation, involvement, and unification of forces between two (or more) parties” (Vigoda 2002, p. 527).

Description: Citizen engagement reflects democratic norms and the belief that the public should help shape the policies and services that affect their lives. Public managers may relate to the public in different ways depending on the situation.

Sometimes residents act as customers, seeking services for personal benefit. In these cases, managers must ensure quality service, timely responses, and respectful treatment. For example, a city clerk’s office that helps residents obtain permits or licenses can improve service by offering clear instructions online and providing prompt follow-up.

In other situations, the public becomes a partner in delivering services or meeting community goals. Their active participation is necessary for success. A neighborhood watch program, for instance, depends on residents sharing information with local police to deter crime.

Finally, residents take on the role of citizens when they help set policy direction and shape government decisions. This can include town hall meetings where residents and city officials work together on plans for new parks or infrastructure. In these settings, collaboration can lead to better-informed decisions, broader community support, and stronger trust between the public and government.

Inclusiveness Means Making Sure All Voices Are Heard

Definition: Actively involving participants from a wide range of cultural, economic, regional, and political backgrounds, and making sure minority viewpoints are heard and considered.

Description: Inclusiveness is closely linked to pluralism. It emphasizes that public value belongs to all citizens, not just those in the majority or with the most influence. In a democracy, this means creating space for diverse perspectives and giving them a genuine role in decision-making. While this can make the process slower or more complex, it helps decisions hold up over time because they reflect a broader range of experiences and interests.

Examples:

• A city council holding listening sessions in multiple neighborhoods, including those with historically low voter turnout.
• A state agency inviting advocacy groups from across the political spectrum to help shape environmental policy.
• A regional planning body translating meeting materials into several languages to include non-English-speaking residents.

Responsiveness Means Acting Quickly and Accurately

Definition: The timeliness and accuracy with which a public agency or service provider responds to a request for action or information from the public.

Description: Responsiveness refers to how quickly and accurately public agencies address requests from the public. It is closely tied to public trust and is often viewed as a measure of effective service. Timely, accurate responses can improve confidence in government and strengthen performance.

Examples:

• Addressing pothole repair requests within 48 hours while ensuring that all neighborhoods receive equal attention.
• Tracking performance through measures of response time, accuracy, and public satisfaction surveys.
• Using online service request systems that provide real-time updates to residents about the status of their inquiry.

Flexible Leadership Means Adapting to the Situation

Definition: A leadership approach that recognizes different situations call for different skills, talents, and even leaders. Roles or styles may shift as circumstances change.

Description: This approach challenges the idea that one “heroic” leader can succeed in every context. Instead, it focuses on adapting leadership styles to meet the needs of the moment and relying on the strengths of a team. It values planning for leadership transitions and drawing on the experience of past leaders. Examples of leadership roles in this model include visionaries, coalition builders, negotiators, peacemakers, implementation leaders, conservers, and innovators who replace outdated practices (Bozeman and Crow 2021).

Examples:

• A mayor acting as a coalition builder to bring business leaders, nonprofits, and residents together on a neighborhood revitalization plan.
• A school superintendent becoming a creative destroyer by replacing outdated curricula with modern, evidence-based teaching methods.

Empathy Means Understanding Other People’s Experiences

Definition: The capacity to understand and share the feelings, experiences, and perspectives of others, especially during direct interactions.

Description: Empathy plays a key role in advancing social equity. It means noticing emotional cues, understanding another person’s situation from their point of view, and expressing that understanding in a meaningful way (Norman-Major 2022).

Examples:

• A housing caseworker listens carefully to a tenant describing unsafe living conditions, acknowledges the stress this causes, and works with the tenant to connect them to immediate resources while pursuing a long-term solution.
• A city transit supervisor speaks with a bus driver who is struggling after a recent assault by a passenger. The supervisor listens without interruption, validates the driver’s concerns, and arranges both counseling services and schedule adjustments to support recovery.

References

Bozeman, Barry, and Michael M Crow. 2021. Public Values Leadership: Striving to Achieve Democratic Ideals. John Hopkins University Press.

Denhardt, Janet V, and Robert B Denhardt. 2015. The New Public Service: Serving, Not Steering. Routledge.

Norman-Major, Kristen. 2022. “How Many Es? What Must Public Administrators Consider in Providing for the Public Good?” Public Integrity 24 (3):342-352. doi: 10.1080/10999922.2021.1967010.

Thomas, John Clayton. 2012. Citizen, Customer, Partner: Engaging the Public in Public Management. M.E. Sharpe.

Vigoda, Eran. 2002. “From Responsiveness to Collaboration: Governance, Citizens, and the Next Generation of Public Administration.” Public Administration Review 62 (5):527-540. doi: doi:10.1111/1540-6210.00235.