‘It’s every breath we take here’: Political astuteness and ethics in civil service leadership development

ABSTRACT

This paper uses survey and interview research with senior civil servants to argue that leadership with political astuteness is a specific contextual requirement for public servants who work closely with politicians. Also important are technical skills, judgement and a sharp sense of ethics and integrity. The fine balance of political astuteness and other capabilities is shown in a framework about leading in an ethical way. Implications for the development of civil servants are considered.

IMPACT

Leadership with political astuteness deserves serious attention from civil servants and from learning professionals as it is mainly practised for socially constructive and democratic purposes and is not inevitably manipulative or Machiavellian. Political astuteness is concerned with understanding and working with diverse interests across a range of stakeholders. For the UK civil service, politicians are at the heart of this. Setting out what ethical political astuteness is; its connection to other skills required by senior civil servants; and how these can be developed should be helpful to all who work with politicians and for those who aspire to such roles.

KEYWORDS:

• Civil service
• ethics
• judgement
• leadership
• political astuteness
• technical expertise

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).