Leading with purpose: Shaping the council workforce of the future

This think piece from Kath O’Dwyer, Solace Chair, explores the evolving needs of local government’s workforce and emphasises the importance of culture, leadership, and investment in people. She argues for a shift towards values-based leadership and distributed responsibility to build a resilient and inclusive sector fit for the future.

As I step away from the day-to-day of local government leadership, I’ve been thinking a lot about what the next generation needs — not just in terms of skills, but culture, confidence, and purpose. The workforce that will carry councils into the future faces a very different landscape than the one I entered over 40 years ago. And they’ll need different things from us — from leaders, mentors, institutions like Solace, and the wider local government system.

Some of these things are practical, but many are cultural. But nearly all point toward the same conclusion: that if we’re to build a truly resilient, responsive, and inclusive council workforce, we must invest in people, not just processes and systems; and we must lead with values that match the complexity of the world we’re operating in.

Navigating a new era of uncertainty

We remain in turbulent times. Local government worldwide has always worked in flux, but the current combination of challenges is particularly acute. Longstanding financial pressures, globalisation and dissemination of information, waves of local government reorganisation, widening political instability, and shifting central-local dynamics all shape how we recruit, retain, and lead our people.

Adding to this are the broader system change agendas for us in England currently: for example, the winding down of NHS England, deep cuts to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), and the shifting responsibilities around place-based health and care. These changes are not just structural — they can profoundly affect workforce morale, collaboration, the very identity of public service and, crucially, the communities we serve. England is certainly not the only place with unique challenges mounting on the ones that unite us all.

Future council leaders at all levels of the organisation must operate in this context: politically complex, financially stretched, and often emotionally charged. Technical know-how alone won’t cut it for the future.

Culture first: the foundation for resilience and change

If I could leave behind one key lesson from my time as a Chief Executive, it would be this:

Get your organisational culture right, and the rest has a chance. Get it wrong, and even the best strategies will flounder.

Culture is not about slogans or values on a wall. It’s about what people feel safe doing. Do they feel trusted? Heard? Empowered to lead in their own right? Or are they second-guessing, ducking difficult conversations, and afraid to speak truth to power?

The councils that weathered the last decade best — and will weather the next one — are those where leaders have deliberately built a culture of trust, curiosity, and accountability. That takes real time and effort and a real belief and commitment. It means modelling vulnerability, being visible and more importantly being accessible; It means listening, hearing and acting on what you hear. It means doing it with, not doing it to and being willing to flex on the journey, as it’s never a straight path. And it means backing people — especially when they fail, learn and try again.

Rethinking leadership: it’s about how, not just who

When I started out, most local authority Chief Executives looked the same — and came from similar corporate or finance backgrounds. Thankfully, that’s changed. There’s still a way to go, but today’s leadership is more diverse in background, perspective, and professional journey.

That matters. Because leading councils today isn’t just about financial stewardship or statutory compliance, although both remain fundamental to the role. It is, however, also about brokering partnerships across fractured systems, building trust in polarised communities, and delivering with and through others. That takes a different kind of skillset and mindset.

It means leading through ambiguity. Motivating people when you don’t have all the answers. Holding fast to your values when the political winds shift. And critically, it means knowing that your job as a leader isn’t to be the hero — it’s to create the conditions for others to grow and shine.

There’s a growing consensus on the qualities that leaders need to thrive in today’s local government landscape, and I’ve seen these come to the fore time and again throughout my career.

What it takes to be a leader for the future

• Resilience is crucial. Not just the ability to bounce back from adversity, but to steady and guide others through it.
• Authenticity matters just as much. Trust isn’t built on having all the answers, but on being consistent, honest, and human in the way we lead.
• A deep-rooted passion for public service remains essential, especially when the work gets messy, political, or thankless.
• And because we can’t do it all alone, the ability to work in genuine partnership — with other parts of government, the private sector, and our communities — is vital.
• Alongside that, a more commercial mindset has become increasingly important: thinking creatively about revenue, risk, and long-term value is no longer a specialist skill but a leadership necessity.
• Energy and drive are key, not just to keep things moving but to inspire and motivate others in the face of fatigue or uncertainty.
• Innovation and creativity, particularly in the context of shrinking resources, are what enable councils to continue delivering impact in new and more effective ways.
• And political acumen is more important than ever — the ability to understand and navigate complex dynamics while still making progress for residents.
• Above all, we need leaders who are willing and able to lead through constant change — with compassion, clarity, and a deep sense of purpose.

These aren’t just nice-to-have skills and qualities. They are essential in a sector where the pace of change is relentless, where expectations outstrip resources, and where success increasingly depends on our ability to influence rather than control.

Leadership as a shared responsibility

One of the myths I’ve always tried to challenge is that leadership sits at the top. It doesn’t. The future of local government depends on unlocking leadership everywhere — in frontline staff, in the next generation of officers coming through, and in communities themselves.

The challenges we face – some of which I mentioned earlier – are too big for any one organisation, let alone any one of us, to manage single-handedly. That’s why distributed leadership matters. It’s why organisational culture matters. And it’s why we have to challenge the hierarchies and norms that have historically limited who gets to lead — and how.

We must actively nurture leadership from underrepresented groups, value diverse routes into senior roles, and reject the idea that ‘good leaders’ all look, sound, or think the same. Because they don’t. And we need diverse and representative leadership more than ever.

Solace’s role: supporting leaders at every level

Solace has played a big role in my own leadership journey, and I’m proud to have been part of its evolution. What began over 50 years ago as a network for Chief Executives is now a growing, inclusive organisation supporting public service professionals at all levels – from graduates to chief executives – right across the UK.

Our development programmes reflect this diversity. Our award-winning AMPLIFY programme supports future leaders from underrepresented backgrounds. Our Springboard and Aspiring Leaders initiatives help build confidence and capability in early- to mid-career professionals. The new Chief Executive Development Programme is tailored to the real challenges of modern-day leadership, with a focus on systems thinking, personal resilience, and political navigation.

Through our coaching offer, our NGDP mentoring, and our strong partnership with local authorities and sector bodies, Solace is backing leaders, not just with words, but with real development, community, and advocacy. But we also know development isn’t enough if the system doesn’t value or invest in its people.

That’s why Solace continues to push nationally for better workforce and leadership development funding, reforms to recruitment pathways, and smarter policy that recognises the realities of modern council work. If the government is serious about local empowerment, prevention, and delivering meaningful change to communities, then it has to be serious about investing in the people who make those things happen.

Final reflections: leadership as legacy

I’ve had the privilege of working with and learning from some incredible leaders across my 42-year career. The ones who stayed with me weren’t always the most senior. They were the ones who showed courage, were generous with their time, and led with purpose.

As I look ahead, I feel hopeful — not because the challenges are diminishing (because they really are not), but because I know how much talent, care and commitment exist within local government. The future workforce is already among us – what they need is investment to give them the necessary space to grow, to question, to connect, and to lead in ways that make sense for the world they’re inheriting.

To those still leading in the thick of it: take care of yourself and your people. Build a culture worth staying for. And never stop learning. Because in the end, our greatest legacy as leaders won’t be the projects we delivered — it will be the people we empowered.

This essay is part of the Future Local Lab’s Building the workforce of tomorrow essay collection. You can find the entire collection, plus more LGIU-exclusive workforce resources, here.

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This think piece is part of LGIU’s Future Local Lab – a holistic programme of resources aimed at helping you to prepare for and respond to the emerging challenges facing local government everywhere.