New development: System diplomacy—an alternative to system leadership

Senior leaders in public services are increasingly likely to be sent on system leadership training courses. While it is helpful to think systemically, there is a danger that system leadership sets people up to fail in systems that can’t be led. The authors look at the problems of systems leadership approaches and explore stewardship and diplomacy as alternatives. While stewardship assumes that a leader can sit outside the messiness of the system as a benign overseer, the authors explain why they see diplomacy as a more realistic aspiration. A diplomatic lens pays attention to micro-politics and soft power. It does not assume shared values or goals but recognizes the need for collective change strategies of alliance building, bargaining and compromise. System diplomats are able to understand the interests of others, and to articulate ‘what’s in it for me/us’ and ‘what’s in it for them’? These are vital skills in complex public service systems.