In 2020, COVID-19 created a strong focus on leadership, placing increasing pressure on leaders to make decisions for the public interest, particularly at federal and state government level.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic worsened in Australia in March, public perceptions of the federal and state governments were consistently poor. Political leaders were seen to be serving themselves and other vested interests, rather than the public interest. However, since the start of the pandemic and the establishment of the National Cabinet in March, this has begun to change.
The Index Breakdown page presents information about overall perceptions of leadership for the greater good, expressed both as an ALI score and a percentage. It also shows statistics about the nine drivers of leadership for the greater good.
The ALI data portal comprises five tools that provide insight into the state of leadership for the greater good in Australia. The executive summary page is a high level snapshot of leadership in the government, public, private & not-for-profit sectors.
In the space of eight short weeks, the threat posed by COVID-19 and the sudden absence of partisanship from the political landscape ushered in a focus on leadership for the greater good, the likes of which we have not seen for years. Australians were surveyed between March 17 and May 6 to measure perceptions of leadership for the greater good during the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis.
Overall, our 2019 annual report findings show a significant gap between public perceptions and expectations across all indicators of leadership for the greater good across government, public, private and not for profit sectors. Australian institutions are not living up to the expectations of the general public.
Since we started tracking public perceptions of leadership for the greater good, the Australian Leadership Index has never recorded a positive ALI score. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public perceptions have changed dramatically, shifting the ALI score from -13 in March 2020 to +8 in June 2020.
What role do public perceptions of leaders’ success in balancing stakeholders’ needs and interests play in public perceptions of leadership for the greater good in the government, public, private and not-for-profit sectors?
The growing need to consider specific communities, society-at-large and future generations complicates the work of socially responsible leadership. The more leaders are responsive to society, the more they show leadership.
One of the many factors that makes leadership complicated is identifying the stakeholders whose interests ought to be considered in any given decision or course of action. The need to consider the interests of specific communities, society-at-large and future generations complicates the work of socially responsible leadership.
Against a backdrop of ethical scandals, there is a growing appreciation of the need for ethical leadership. ALI research reveals that ethicality is a strong predictor of leadership in the government, public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
Transparency is a buzzword of modern leadership and governance. In the context of public concern about political and business ethics and low trust in government and business, improving transparency is one way in which leaders can restore public trust in their institutions.
Accountability is a buzzword of modern leadership and governance. In the context of public concern about political and business ethics and low trust in government and business, improving accountability is one way in which leaders can restore public trust in their institutions.
Recent years have witnessed growing concern about environmental sustainability. What role does creating environmental value play in public perceptions of leadership for the greater good in the government, public, private and not-for-profit sectors?
There has been a decline in expectations that institutions should focus solely on creating economic value. Evidence of this trend can be found in research into corporate social responsibility and responsible leadership.
There is growing concern about the social value created by organisations, especially in the business sector. The literature on social responsibility, ethical and responsible leadership is another manifestation of this widespread concern for the social value created by organisations and institutions.
Due to unethical conduct, irresponsible leadership and distrust of institutions, there is a pervasive sense that we are not well served by our leaders. Too often, leaders serve a narrow group of interests before the public interest. There is a yearning for a culture of leadership that serves the greater good.
In the space of six weeks, the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden absence of partisanship from the political landscape have ushered in a focus on leadership for the greater good, the likes of which we haven’t seen for years.
The March 2020 quarterly report comes at the end of the bushfire crisis of 2019/2020 and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was in its infancy at the time of data collection. This quarterly report describes the key findings from the March 2020 Australian Leadership Index.
Australians love sport. However, it is not just what happens on the court or field that matters. A new survey from Swinburne University has found that Australians think sports organisations do more for the greater good than government, religious organisations, or business.
Most Australians have had enough of the opportunistic point-scoring that characterises politics today and want leaders who put the public interest first. With the election a month away, many Australians have little faith the winners will be able to provide the type of leadership that can change the country in a meaningful way.
In a survey of 1,000 Australians, 35.4% agreed banking and financial institutions show ‘no leadership for the greater good’. Banks and financial institutions are seen as the most self-serving in the nation, according to a national survey undertaken by researchers at Swinburne University.
Although the term civilisation has less currency today than it once did, most of us see ourselves as living in a civilisation. And, as posited by John Ralston Saul, our understanding of civilisation tends to be centred on a sense of shared destiny; on shared interests, collective purpose and a common future.
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