A new report published this week has revealed that transformative and collaborative leadership is critical to creating the conditions for innovation.

The Leading Innovation report produced by the Whitehall Innovation Hub suggests that civil service leaders need to create opportunities for policy-makers to reconnect to the front-line and that this transformation involves government officials having more appreciation of the public as a resource and not as a problem.

The report argues that ultimately it is the public’s engagement, motivation and aspirations that will forge the relationships to provide the foundations for a more innovative approach to public service.

“Government leaders need to be agile, transformative and collaborative to tackle the huge challenges the country is facing and get closer to the frontline to radically redesign public services and transform government. Unfortunately, at present Whitehall is over-determining and there is a need to re-balance local and national relationships,” said Su Maddock, the Hub director.

Other findings suggest that while transformative leaders are building mature partnerships for shared practices across localities, now is the time for much more bridge building between localities and central government and Whitehall departments.

Click here for a full version of the report.