Senior Leadership Research Articles

You Can’t Climb a Broken Ladder: Examining Underrepresentation of Multiply-Disadvantaged Groups in Secure and Senior Roles in UK Geochemistry

Geochemistry provides useful research tools related to fundamental processes in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences. It has a distinct identity among the academic communities in these subjects, yet there is no specific data on workforce diversity among geochemists. We present the first demographic data of UK geochemists from a voluntary anonymous survey. We scrutinise the data with respect to protected characteristics (e.g., age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability) and seniority of those within the community. We furthermore use this UK data to compare the career progression of geochemists who belong to multiply-privileged identities with those who belong to multiply-disadvantaged identities, to assess their representations with increased seniority on the academic career. This UK based case study on diversity and inclusion suggests that the career paths of geochemists belonging to multiple disadvantaged groups are restricted, including overrepresentation among those on fixed-term contracts or in service roles for laboratory support. Our data highlight that there is a decrease in diversity with an increase in seniority; specifically, UK geochemists from sexual and gender minorities, neurodiverse, and women from ethnic minority groups were not represented among the participants of our survey at the top of the academic ladder. There are many reasons for the loss of diversity in the UK geochemistry community with increased seniority. In order to address this and the underrepresentation of particular groups in senior leadership roles, our findings suggest that the career progression of geochemists requires an intersectional lens to examine the complexity of identity data. Such an approach would enable a better understanding of the impact of multiple and compounded disadvantages, biases, negative experiences and discrimination faced by multiply-disadvantaged identities.

Cultivating a research culture in Tanzanian higher education

ABSTRACT Higher education institutions (HEIs) are primarily responsible for producing high-quality research and training the next generation of researchers to achieve socio-economic development. However, empirical evidence suggests that a significant number of HEIs in Tanzania and sub-Saharan Africa generally have limited involvement in research. This situation requires an in-depth analysis of how this challenge is addressed. This paper 1 reports the findings of a study that examined how Tanzanian HEIs cultivate a research culture. Data were generated through interviews with senior leaders, academic staff and postgraduate students from four public and private Tanzanian HEIs. The study found that research culture is cultivated by creating research governance tools; reinforcing desired research behaviours; building research capacity; supporting research dissemination; and promoting research collaboration and networking. Overall, these approaches to research development were found to be less rigorous in fostering a robust research culture because many structural constraints remain that need to be addressed by key stakeholders in the higher education sector. Universities committed to cultivating a research culture should prioritise strategies that promote an equitable, transparent and inclusive research environment that recognises and supports academics as critical thinkers, researchers, educators and learners rather than simply as producers of measurable research outputs.

Using Soft System Methodology to Align Digitalization Strategies with Processes/Business Strategies: Towards A Qualitative Approach

This qualitative study investigated the alignment between digital strategy and business and process strategies, focusing on its impact on competitive advantage and operational effectiveness. Through interviews, case studies, focus group, and document analysis, the research highlighted the significance of strategic alignment in the digital era, identifying key themes such as leadership commitment, cross-functional collaboration, innovation culture, continuous learning, and data-driven decision-making. Key Findings: - Leadership Commitment: Effective digital strategy alignment is strongly influenced by the active support and vision of senior leadership; - Cross-Functional Collaboration. This study contributes valuable insights into the practices and challenges of strategic alignment, offering guidance for organizations navigating the complexities of digital transformation.

The well-being and work-related stress of senior school leaders in Wales and Northern Ireland during COVID-19 "educational leadership crisis": A cross-sectional descriptive study.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused far-reaching societal changes, including significant educational impacts affecting over 1.6 billion pupils and 100 million education practitioners globally. Senior school leaders were at the forefront and were exposed to particularly high demands during a period of "crisis leadership". This occupation were already reporting high work-related stress and large numbers leaving the profession preceding COVID-19. This cross-sectional descriptive study through the international COVID-Health Literacy network aimed to examine the well-being and work-related stress of senior school leaders (n = 323) in Wales (n = 172) and Northern Ireland (n = 151) during COVID-19 (2021-2022). Findings suggest that senior school leaders reported high workloads (54.22±11.30 hours/week), low well-being (65.2% n = 202, mean WHO-5 40.85±21.57), depressive symptoms (WHO-5 34.8% n = 108) and high work-related stress (PSS-10: 29.91±4.92). High exhaustion (BAT: high/very high 89.0% n = 285) and specific psychosomatic complaints (experiencing muscle pain 48.2% n = 151) were also reported, and females had statistically higher outcomes in these areas. School leaders were engaging in self-endangering working behaviours; 74.7% (n = 239) gave up leisure activities in favour of work and 63.4% (n = 202) sacrificed sufficient sleep, which was statistically higher for females. These findings are concerning given that the UK is currently experiencing a "crisis" in educational leadership against a backdrop of pandemic-related pressures. Senior leaders' high attrition rates further exacerbate this, proving costly to educational systems and placing additional financial and other pressures on educational settings and policy response. This has implications for senior leaders and pupil-level outcomes including health, well-being and educational attainment, requiring urgent tailored and targeted support from the education and health sectors. This is particularly pertinent for Wales and Northern Ireland as devolved nations in the UK, who are both implementing or contemplating major education system level reforms, including new statutory national curricula, requiring significant leadership, engagement and ownership from the education profession.

Occupying liminal spaces: The figured worlds of student affairs senior leaders in the United States.

Student Affairs Senior Leaders (SASLs) in the United States lead offices responsible for academic advising, administrative documentation, scheduling, student health, financial aid, and transition to residency, yet they infrequently draw attention in the field's literature. We explore the role of SASLs and how they describe the social space of medical education. Using a constructivist approach informed by Figured Worlds theory, we conducted a sequential narrative and thematic analysis of the stories SASLs tell about their roles and experiences in the world of medical education. SASLs inhabit complex roles centred on advocating for medical students' academic, personal and social well-being. Their unique position within the medical school allows them to see the harm to vulnerable students made possible by misalignments inherent within medical education. Yet even with the challenges inherent in the environment, SASLs find reasons for hope. SASLs' identities are full of potential contradictions, but they have a unique view into the often-chaotic world of medical education.

Thwarted belongingness and empathy's relation with organizational culture change.

In response to several high-profile cases of senior leaders in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) being accused of various forms of sexual and professional misconduct, the organization has committed to culture change. Drawing on the group engagement model and empirical evidence, we propose that CAF members' experience of thwarted belongingness reduces their capacity to show empathy, which in turn affects their support for culture change. Participants were 139 Naval and Officer Cadets from the Royal Military College of Canada who were predominantly male (61%), between 18 and 21 years old (80%), and not members of a visible minority group (68%). Data was collected via an online self-report survey assessing thwarted belongingness, empathy, and attitudes toward culture change. Whether participants experienced thwarted belongingness was not directly related to their level of support for culture change. Individuals' thwarted belongingness was indirectly and negatively associated with support for culture change, through its impact on empathy. Taken together, the results demonstrate that cadets' experience of belongingness contributed to their level of empathy, which together predicted their support for culture change initiatives. Efforts to change the culture of the CAF may need to consider improving members' levels of belongingness and, by extension, their levels of empathy. Implications for inclusion efforts are discussed.

Leading under pressure: a contextualised development approach

PurposeThe study’s aim was to design and test a leadership development approach using blended learning, to equip leaders for strengthening their own resilience and that of their teams.Design/methodology/approachA contextualised leadership development intervention was produced and evaluated following the principles of design-based research. Participants were from three organisations that work internationally to address the impact of economic disadvantage. Initial research used the behavioural event interview technique. Online assessment incorporated measures of situational judgement, emotion recognition and attributional style. Validity measures were multi-rater feedback (criterion), and NEO-PI 3 (construct). Individual feedback and a simulation-based peer workshop were followed by a four-to-six month period of experience-driven development and a final peer workshop for consolidating and evaluating learning outcomes.FindingsThe online assessment was a valid measure of leaders’ personal resilience resources and their resilience-building capability. Overall, the intervention improved participants’ understanding of, and engagement with, the processes of strengthening individual and collective (team) resilience.Research limitations/implicationsThe target sample size for the study was relatively small, to ensure it would be practical to replicate the approach when designing similar interventions for a senior leadership population in other contexts. Significant results provided robust evidence for the validity of the assessment approach. Findings for the workshops and experience-driven development phase were more tentative, but the value of the design iterations was clearly demonstrated.Practical implicationsThe leadership development approach is suitable for application in other organisations, if similar principles are followed to produce and evaluate materials relevant to each broad sector context. Roll-out is cost-effective, with relatively few hours of blended or virtual delivery supporting experience-driven learning.Social implicationsThe impact leaders have on the wellbeing of those who report to them is well established, but less has been done to develop and formally evaluate practical, cost-effective interventions to improve this impact. The approach validated in this study can be applied more widely to benefit employee wellbeing as well as performance.Originality/valueThe study developed and evaluated a new approach to preparing leaders for the challenge of building team resilience, an aspect of leadership capability that has been given relatively little attention to date.

Level 7 degree apprenticeships – a story of challenge, resilience and success

ABSTRACT This study explores the lived experience of both in-service and pre-service apprentices studying Level 7 apprenticeship programmes. Using qualitative questionnaires, this article facilitates a thematic analysis exploring how aspects such as: rationale for enrolment; study habits; prioritisation of workload; resilience and wellbeing are experienced by educators studying either an Academic Professional Apprenticeship or a Senior Leaders Apprenticeship programme. Results demonstrate a mixed landscape is apparent for Level 7 apprentices, with tangible differences, both within and between groups, exhibited regarding reason for enrolment and study habits. The challenge around balancing work-life priorities and the encroachment of work commitments on study time (and vice versa) are a common theme for both cohorts, with those who have better established working patterns and relationships more resilient to the challenges of Level 7 apprenticeship study.

Understanding responsibility for health inequalities in children’s hospitals in England: a qualitative study with hospital staff

ObjectivesThis study aimed to understand how staff in children’s hospitals view their responsibility to reduce health inequalities for the children and young people who access their services.DesignWe conducted an exploratory...

Solving poverty or tackling healthcare inequalities? Qualitative study exploring local interpretations of national policy on health inequalities under new NHS reforms in England

ObjectivesMajor reforms to the organisation of the National Health Service (NHS) in England established 42 integrated care systems (ICSs) to plan and coordinate local services. The changes are based on...

Uncover your inner power: Breaking leadership biases in global healthcare.

Women currently represent approximately 70% of the global healthcare workforce, 60.9% of the global dental workforce, 77.6% of the US healthcare workforce, and 36.7% of the US dental workforce. The American Dental Association states that the number of practicing women dentists in the United States has increased by 2.25 times since 2001, with a projected trajectory to level off by 2040. Despite having a major impact on the healthcare sector globally, women earn 24% less than men and only serve in 25% of senior leadership positions. In the US dental schools, only 14% of faculty serve in administrative roles, and as of April 2022, 28.6% of the US dental school deans were women, indicating gender underrepresentation in the highest roles of academic leadership. This corresponds to the data on gender parity still not being the norm in many societies and workplaces and can be attributed to public policies, stereotypical perceptions, and individual factors. Five key factors have been identified to be crucial for women's entry or advancement in global health leadership: a) public policy, b) community, c) institutional, d) interpersonal, and e) individual. Individual self-improvement and institutional practices may be used to overcome these barriers to women's leadership in healthcare and shift the power dynamics toward reinforcing gender equality. These transformative changes are measured through women's collective capacities and skills, relationship dynamics, community perceptions, and environmental practices. This article recognizes the present obstacles to women in healthcare leadership and proposes strategies to achieve gender equality both through individual and institutional practices.

Defense Industrial Base: Acquisition Program Case History

This Defense Industrial Base case history encourages critical analysis of a DoD project manager responding to typical management oversight questions regarding industrial base planning within defense acquisition. The analysis centers on the capability and capacity of the defense industrial base to develop and produce body armor for Warfighters. The case incorporates the perspectives from key stakeholders to include commercial industry companies, congressional committees, DoD senior leadership, and the program management/acquisition chain of command. Considerations include the balancing of limited resources against competing priorities, sustaining inventory for wartime readiness, managing the demand for increased capability, and balancing surge requirements with industry capacity. The case history reinforces critical thinking in uncertain environments, documents lessons learned for sound project management, and provides exposure to the complexities of public sector acquisition and manufacture of critical warfighting products.

Strategies to implement evidence-informed decision making at the organizational level: a rapid systematic review

BackgroundAchievement of evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) requires the integration of evidence into all practice decisions by identifying and synthesizing evidence, then developing and executing plans to implement and evaluate changes to practice. This rapid systematic review synthesizes evidence for strategies for the implementation of EIDM across organizations, mapping facilitators and barriers to the COM-B (capability, opportunity, motivation, behaviour) model for behaviour change. The review was conducted to support leadership at organizations delivering public health services (health promotion, communicable disease prevention) to drive change toward evidence-informed public health.MethodsA systematic search was conducted in multiple databases and by reviewing publications of key authors. Articles that describe interventions to drive EIDM within teams, departments, or organizations were eligible for inclusion. For each included article, quality was assessed, and details of the intervention, setting, outcomes, facilitators and barriers were extracted. A convergent integrated approach was undertaken to analyze both quantitative and qualitative findings.ResultsThirty-seven articles are included. Studies were conducted in primary care, public health, social services, and occupational health settings. Strategies to implement EIDM included the establishment of Knowledge Broker-type roles, building the EIDM capacity of staff, and research or academic partnerships. Facilitators and barriers align with the COM-B model for behaviour change. Facilitators for capability include the development of staff knowledge and skill, establishing specialized roles, and knowledge sharing across the organization, though staff turnover and subsequent knowledge loss was a barrier to capability. For opportunity, facilitators include the development of processes or mechanisms to support new practices, forums for learning and skill development, and protected time, and barriers include competing priorities. Facilitators identified for motivation include supportive organizational culture, expectations for new practices to occur, recognition and positive reinforcement, and strong leadership support. Barriers include negative attitudes toward new practices, and lack of understanding and support from management.ConclusionThis review provides a comprehensive analysis of facilitators and barriers for the implementation of EIDM in organizations for public health, mapped to the COM-B model for behaviour change. The existing literature for strategies to support EIDM in public health illustrates several facilitators and barriers linked to realizing EIDM. Knowledge of these factors will help senior leadership develop and implement EIDM strategies tailored to their organization, leading to increased likelihood of implementation success.Review registrationPROSPERO CRD42022318994.

Entrepreneurial Orientation and Transformational Leadership for the Development of Innovation Capabilities

Purpose: This paper aims to analyse the impact of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) through the relationship of transformational leadership (TL) for the development of dynamic capabilities (DC) for organisational innovation. Methodology/Approach: Under a qualitative method, and a single case study strategy, data were obtained from interviews with 15 senior managers and leaders of innovation activities; the document review and data triangulation method was used to analyse causality relations proposed in the theoretical framework. Findings: The empirical results confirm that the EO and TL have a positive relationship with the development of innovation capabilities. Findings indicate that risk-taking, proactiveness, assimilation, and exploitation of internal and external knowledge remain the main difficulties in improving innovation capabilities and adaptability in the technological environment. Research Limitation/implication: The present paper gathered data from a specific organisation in the field of EO. The research allowed us to better understand the incidence of EO, TL, and DC regarding the relationship between variables, and it should be considered a potential source for enhancing innovation management capabilities. Originality/Value of paper: This work is the first that integrates the concepts of EO with other related disciplines into a single case strategy, within a specific entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem context in a large automotive industry.

Information sharing across institutions: Practices and barriers during public health emergencies in Ethiopia

BackgroundRapid, integrated information exchange between stakeholders is critical for effective emergency preparedness and response. However, many low- and middle-income countries face barriers to seamless data sharing. While information accessibility is recognized as important for evidence-based decision-making and resource allocation in Ethiopia, factors influencing current health information sharing practices among stakeholders involved in public health emergency management programs are unclear. This study aims to examine multi-sectoral stakeholders' perspectives and experiences with health data sharing during emergencies in Ethiopia, to identify opportunities and challenges influencing practices to strengthen the national public health emergency response system. MethodsA mixed-methods study was conducted between June and August 2023, involving a survey of 169 stakeholders actively involved in PHEM programs in Ethiopia as well as 23 in-depth interviews with key informants in senior leadership or advisory roles. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS and thematic analysis of qualitative transcripts. ResultsDuring emergencies, it was observed that data sharing between different entities occurred. Quantitative findings showed the predominant types of health data shared between stakeholders during emergencies included hospital data (109, 64.5 %), clinical case information, and laboratory results. Challenges limiting effective coordination included issues like limited functionality of digital health systems (75, 44 %), incompatible data formats (13, 34 %), and financial constraints (83, 49 %) and and socio-cultural barriers constrain current practices in Ethiopia. Qualitative interviews identified five themes around risk communication and inclusive alert systems. Experts emphasized tailored, multichannel outreach but noted infrastructure gaps and digital divides currently limit poorer communities' engagement. ConclusionWhile collaborative health information exchange during emergencies is recognized as important, systemic, financial, and socio-cultural barriers constrain current practices in Ethiopia. Targeted strategies including capacity building, investment in integrated data infrastructure, economic optimization through innovative financing models, trust-based relationship development, and locally relevant communication channels informed by stakeholder perspectives can optimize information accessibility, coordination, quality, and equity of healthcare services during public health emergencies.

Piloting Eyes on the Baby: A Multiagency Training and Implementation Intervention Linking Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Prevention and Safeguarding

We describe the coproduction, pilot implementation, and user evaluation of an evidence-based training intervention addressing prevention of Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (SUDI) for the multiagency workforce supporting vulnerable families with babies in a northern English county. We aimed in this pilot study to improve knowledge, skills, and engagement of professionals and support staff providing services for vulnerable families with increased risk of SUDI. The training intervention was co-produced by the academic team and the project Steering Committee which comprised senior leaders from the local authority, health and care sectors, and third-sector organisations, and rolled out to multiagency teams between November 2022 and March 2023. Evaluation data were collected using a post-training questionnaire, followed up by the Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) NoMAD survey issued at two time-points post-training, and interviews with stakeholders. The evaluation, conducted from January to May 2023, aimed to assess how well the multiagency workforce accepted SUDI prevention as part of their remit and incorporated SUDI prevention activities into their everyday work. Most multiagency professionals and support staff were enthusiastic about the training and their role in SUDI prevention. Fewer health professionals completed the training than expected. Forty percent (397/993) of invited staff completed the training. Our results revealed initial lack of knowledge and confidence around SUDI prevention and targeted provision for vulnerable families which improved following the Eyes on the Baby training. The proportion of nonhealth professionals rating their knowledge of SUDI prevention as good or excellent increased significantly from 28% before training to 57% afterwards. Self-rated confidence in discussing SUDI prevention with families increased significantly from 71% to 97%. Health professionals’ ratings increased significantly for knowledge from 62% to 96%, and confidence from 85% to 100%. Use of NPT allowed us to identify that by the time of evaluation, the earliest adopters were cognitively involved with the programme and engaged in collective action, while later adopters had not yet reached this stage. We conclude that effective implementation of multiagency working for SUDI prevention can be accomplished by providing clear training and guidance for all staff who have regular or opportunistic contact with vulnerable families. Our next step is to evaluate the sustainability of MAW SUDI prevention over the medium to long term and assess the responses of recipient families to this approach.

Using a Digital Internal Communication Strategy for Digital Capability Development

ABSTRACT This study aims to illustrate the multidimensional perspective of digital internal communication defined and applied in the context of strategic communication, and how digital capability development and training are embedded. We use a conceptual approach to integrate literature from the fields of digital transformation, digital internal communication, and digital human resource capability development. The findings reveal that an organisational system’s technical (channels and platforms, and policy) and social (leadership, culture, and collaboration) digital elements are interrelated across all communication levels, contributing to digital capability development. Furthermore, digital trust is required for and enforced by effective learning in the digital space. This study proposes a holistic digital internal communication strategy focusing on developing digital human resource capabilities as a strategic training initiative in organisational settings to promote strategic communication. Hence, a strategic map for digital capability development and training offers senior leadership a practical and adaptable tool. It allows them to create their own organisation-specific digital human resource initiatives, contributing to organisational learning and trust-building as the bedrock of organisational sustainability and success.

Advancing gender parity in educational leadership: Insights from selected secondary schools in Shinyanga Municipality

This study had two objectives: firstly, it examined the factors contributing to women's underrepresentation in senior leadership positions in selected secondary schools in Shinyanga Municipality. Secondly, it explores strategies to ensure gender parity in schools’ leadership positions. While previous studies have investigated factors contributing to women’s underrepresentation, there is still little information on strategies to ensure gender equality in schools’ leadership positions. To ensure equality in school leadership positions, it is significant to determine factors contributing to women’s underrepresentation and to identify strategies to promote gender equality. To attain the study objectives, data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. A total of 137 respondents participated in filling in the questionnaires, while 6 participants were involved in the semi-structured interviews. The quantitative part of the data was analysed using a logistic regression model, while the qualitative data underwent analysis using thematic methods. The findings revealed several factors impeding women from accessing leadership positions. These were: lack of confidence, low educational qualification, work-life interface, lack of mentorship, inaccessibility to leadership opportunities, women’s disengagement in decision-making, societal expectations, inflexible work plans, unsupportive networks, and individual unwillingness. The findings also revealed several strategies to ensure gender equality in school leadership positions such as adequate implementation of policy advocating for fair appointment, training on leadership skills, formation of platforms and forums for women’s participation in educational leadership, and shaping societal views and expectations. This study recommends the formation of concrete policies that will guide the relevant educational authority in appointing teachers into managerial positions in secondary schools. The presence of such policies will help to minimise the gender gap in school management.

The Frailty Reduction via Implementation of Exercise, Nutrition, and Deprescribing (FRIEND) Trial: Study Protocol and Recruitment Results.

Virtually all adults in aged care facilities are frail, a condition which contributes to falls, cognitive decline, hospitalisation, and mortality. Polypharmacy, malnutrition, sedentariness, and sarcopenia are risk factors amenable to intervention. The Asia-Pacific Frailty Management Guidelines recommend anabolic exercise and the optimisation of medications and nutrition. However, no study has evaluated this best practice intervention triad in aged care. The Frailty Reduction via the Implementation of Exercise, Nutrition, and Deprescribing (FRIEND) Trial (ANZCTR No.ACTRN12622000926730p) is a staged 6-month translational trial evaluating resident outcomes, staff/caregiver knowledge, and institutional implementation in a Townsville aged care facility. Residents received high-intensity resistance exercise and balance training and medication and nutrition optimisation co-implemented by investigators (exercise physiologist, geriatrician, pharmacist, and nutritionist) and facility staff. Staff and caregivers completed comprehensive education modules and training. We report the trial protocol and recruitment results. 29 residents (21 female, age: 88.6 ± 6.3 years) were recruited. At baseline, the residents were frail (frailty scale nursing home (FRAIL-NH); 6.3 ± 2.4/14), cognitively impaired (Montreal Cognitive Assessment; 13.8 ± 6.8/30), functionally impaired (Short Physical Performance Battery; 4.9 ± 3.1/12, 6 min walk distance; 222.2 ± 104.4 m), and were prescribed numerous medications (15.5 ± 5.9). Two residents died and one withdrew before the intervention's commencement. Thirty family members and 19 staff (carers, allied health assistants, nurse managers, registered nurses, lifestyle-leisure officers, kitchen/hospitality staff, and senior leadership) were recruited to receive frailty education modules. The FRIEND trial is currently being implemented with results expected in mid-2024. This is the first trial to evaluate the implementation of the best practice frailty guidelines including anabolic exercise and medication/nutritional optimisation in residential aged care.

Re-Imagining Leadership Roles beyond the Shadow of Bureaucracy

The aim of this conceptual paper is to revisit the relationship between leadership and bureaucracy. The dominant and unquestioned way of thinking about leadership is to equate it as an undertaking exercised by leaders, those officers who occupy hierarchical positions in organizations. For example, senior leadership and middle leadership in schools are often associated with formal hierarchical roles played by senior and middle leaders. However, it can be argued that this perspective is problematic, not only because it is leader-centric but also due to its limitations in explaining the phenomenon of leadership. In order to understand the relationship between leadership and bureaucracy and leadership outside of bureaucracy, the paper reviews some of the extant literature in the field, including a brief history of bureaucracy, its pervasiveness in educational institutions, and current neo-liberal policies and reforms that function effectively within bureaucratic structures. An important contribution of the paper is a synoptic conceptual model that brings together three worldviews or archetypes pertaining to bureaucracy. These are a hard-edged view (system first, people second), a soft-edged view (people first, system second) and a third worldview (issue first, people second, system third). The third worldview signals a departure from the first two archetypes as it is an illustration of leadership outside the confines of bureaucracy.