Leadership Development
The NTPS recognises the need to grow its own leaders and is committed to building internal leadership capability.
The new stewards
In 2004, OCPE released the workforce discussion paper The New Stewards - Imperatives for Leadership Development in the NTPS. This discussion paper examines the motivations and inhibitors that influence people’s aspirations for senior management positions in the Northern Territory Public Sector.
The NTPS is facing unprecedented challenges in regard to workforce planning and succession management. The prospect of declining labour supplies and shifting generational values has provided the catalyst to undertake a systematic evidence based survey to examine workforce ambitions.
The results parallel research in other spheres, that leadership development, work-life balance, access to greater mobility, reward and recognition, performance feedback and development and mentoring are critical factors in motivating staff to apply for senior positions. Whilst this research is not perfect, it is grounded in solid evidence collected from wide and diverse groups in the NTPS.
To be responsive to the changing needs and expectations of the workforce, an integrated sector-wide approach that addresses these issues is offered that will inform future Northern Territory Public Sector workforce development policies.
No organisations are immune to the effects of declining labour markets, global marketplaces and shifting generational values. Although many of the challenges to the NTPS are complex, the sector is well positioned to progress these policy responses in the short to medium term. As other organisations around the globe look to define their succession management strategies, perhaps the NTPS can be viewed as a better practice example of evidenced based approach to research and policy development.