What Does It Mean to Be a Public Leader?
In the contemporary era of political turbulence, public scrutiny, and democratic uncertainty, the question, What does it mean to be a public leader? Demands more than a rhetorical response. Public leadership is not merely holding office or executing governmental functions, it is a civic commitment, an ethical endeavor, and a moral responsibility rooted in the pursuit of the common good. Particularly in the United States, amid ongoing elections, polarizing political discourse, and widening institutional distrust, public leadership must be redefined as the collective stewardship of democratic ideals, not merely as bureaucratic management.
Public leaders serve as stewards of democratic values and institutional integrity. In their capacity to shape legislation, allocate resources, and respond to collective concerns, they influence both the lived experiences of citizens and the long-term legitimacy of governing institutions (Van Wart, 2013). Leadership within the public domain must therefore transcend personal ambition or partisanship; it must reflect the foundational ideals of the U.S. Constitution, especially the mandate to "form a more perfect union."
According to Morse et al. (2014), public leadership is most impactful when it is collaborative, adaptive, and grounded in service rather than self-interest. The complexity of modern governance, exacerbated by technological disruption, economic inequality, and global instability, requires that leaders engage in continual learning, inter-agency cooperation, and open dialogue with constituents. In this way, fairness and equity are not just aspirational; they are strategic necessities to ensure that democratic governance is sustainable and just.
The principle of fairness refers to impartiality in decision-making processes, where no individual or group is unjustly disadvantaged (Rawls, 1971). Equity, on the other hand, recognizes that not all communities begin from the same starting point, and thus, policy solutions must account for historical and structural disparities (Frederickson, 1990). Public leaders who fail to incorporate these concepts into their governance risk deepening public cynicism, reducing civic participation, and eroding institutional trust.
Moreover, public leadership today demands narrative competence, the ability to understand, interpret, and respond to the stories of diverse populations. Drawing from phenomenological research traditions, leaders must attend to the lived experiences of their constituents, particularly those marginalized by systems of power or policy (van Manen, 2016). Doing so ensures that public leadership remains human-centered and grounded in ethical praxis.
As I conclude, to be a public leader is to serve at the intersection of justice, democracy, and humanity. It is to rise above the clamor of partisanship and affirm the collective aspirations of the people. Especially in times of legislative conflict and ideological division, public leaders must embody equity, listen actively, and govern with humility. Only then can they advance the national project of forming a more perfect union
Author’s Note:
This article is part of the “Public Agenda” Substack series curated by Dr. Shellie M. Bowman, Sr., MBRM, ACC, a leadership scholar, public administration strategist, and founder of eLEADt Coaching & Consulting LLC. It is intended to equip and inspire current and aspiring public leaders in their service to mission-driven institutions and the American people.
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References
Bryson, J. M., Crosby, B. C., & Bloomberg, L. (2014). Public value governance: Moving beyond traditional public administration and the new public management. Public Administration Review, 74(4), 445–456. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12238
Frederickson, H. G. (1990). Public administration and social equity. Public Administration Review, 50(2), 228–237. https://doi.org/10.2307/976928
Morse, R. S., Buss, T. F., & Kinghorn, C. M. (Eds.). (2014). Transforming public leadership for the 21st century. M.E. Sharpe.
Rawls, J. (1971). A theory of justice. Harvard University Press.
Van Manen, M. (2016). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Van Wart, M. (2013). Lessons from leadership theory and the contemporary challenges of leaders. Public Administration Review, 73(4), 553–565. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12069