Professor Karise Hutchinson shows how public servants can lead in the ‘grey zone’

Public sector leaders are being asked to navigate increasing complexity and ambiguity in the present, while shaping a public sector to deal with future challenges. 

Professor Karise Hutchinson is a Professor of Leadership at Ulster University and Founder of Illuminaire Leadership Institute, who believes that public sector leaders need to embrace the uncertainty of ‘the Grey Zone’, as they build human-centred and collective leadership to address difficult problems. 

Professor Hutchinson will present the opening Masterclass  – entitled Leading in the Grey Zone – in the upcoming ANZSOG Public Sector Masterclass series: Public Sector Futures, a series of five linked Masterclasses that will introduce participants to the critical skills, tools, and mindsets required to lead effectively in a changing world.   

She said that the term ‘grey zone’ was being applied to the ambiguity that public sector leaders were operating in and the sense that, partly as a result of rapid technological and social change, we don’t fully understand where we are landing as a society. 

“The grey zone is that space where we’re starting to sense that things are not going to be the same. There’s a sense of having no maps, the territory is new.  I argue is that it’s not like firm land, it actually more of a seascape that needs to be navigated.” 

“We’ve always had a level of complexity in public sector work. What is new is the interconnectedness between all of the areas, and the ripple effects that come from any policy change.” 

Professor Hutchinson said that many of the institutions that public sector leaders worked in were no longer fit for purpose and needed to be reformed. 

“A big question that the public and media are asking is: ‘are they fit for purpose for this world that we live in, this grey zone? And the reality is, I don’t think that they are.”  

“There has been a display of consulting or asking for feedback, but I think at a much deeper level of working, fundamentally things are set up for the exact opposite. If you think about budgets and about departments, it is a resource-constrained environment and they are competing with each other.” 

“A lot of my research has been around the idea of collective leadership, and what is actually means to lead collectively, and a recognition by leaders that an organisation is a system nestled within other systems.” 

“When I became Provost of the University of Ulster, what I realised fundamentally as senior leader of a public institution, is that there was so much interdependency with government, and with the community.” 

“We don’t have enough research and understanding of what it means for political leaders, public leaders, community leaders and business leaders to work together to build these types of constellations that sit outside just one organisation or one institution.” 

“At the individual level leaders need to be able to engage with their critics and opponents, in their team and across other organisations, as they work to break down siloes and encourage horizontal collaboration. 

“How you lead with others, and those kinds of interpersonal skills are really important, because you’ve got to influence people that you’ve got no jurisdiction over. I believe leadership exists in conversation and public leaders need to understand how they can shape that conversation internally and externally.” 

Staying resilient, building trust and being open to change

Professor Hutchinson said that leaders operating in the Grey Zone needed to be politically astute, but maintain their own ethical framework and moral compass. 

“This grey zone is really disorientating. So, a good place to start is to know what the absolutes are for you in terms of morals and ethics, as well as identifying your values, because these are what drive decisions and behaviours. Personal resilience and courage are also needed, and we must have a conversation about how to build a tolerance for the level of criticism and scrutiny that comes with senior leadership positions.” 

Despite some public servants believing that declining trust in government was irreversible, Professor Hutchinson said that rebuilding trust in government was both possible and vital. 

“In a lot of the conversations I have with public leaders, I’m the one saying ‘it’s not as hopeless as you think’. I think it’s about a longer game, because that sense of trust is really, really critical and can actually transcend political difference and different partisan issues. 

“We need to have genuine dialogue, and we need to do that in the quiet times not heading up to election, not at times where we’re in crisis, or looking for a media opportunity, but genuine dialogue. Small things and small wins really matter because they can show your integrity and consistency – that you are actually doing what you say you are doing.” 

She said that the public sector has things to learn from both the private and not-for-profit sectors, despite its unique role in society. 

“When it comes to business, I think thing to learn is the customer-centricity, putting the user right back into the heart of things. The other big one is financial constraints and operational efficiency, there are definitely huge learnings about how to become more operationally efficient.” 

“What they could learn from the charity sector is the value of storytelling. They tell their story really well and build community engagement and relationships because they have that huge reliance on donor support.” 

Professor Hutchinson said that the Public Leadership Masterclass series was a chance for participants to step away from their day jobs and think about the bigger narratives of leadership they were part of. 

“I like to start with the canvas we’re painting on – because it’s amazing how parochial and concerned with our own department we can become. So just considering a wider leadership narrative is really important,” she said. 

“I also want to bring in the research data, share some insights and tell some stories around that, so it’s not just conceptual. I find that people can be resistant to research because they’ve always done things in one way, and it’s always worked for them before, but some of the research is really compelling.” 

“But I think the most important thing is to invite people into the change. That means giving them insight into the ‘seascape’ that they are navigating and getting them to understand that there is no blueprint, and they are no maps of the Grey Zone.But there is a starting point – a terminus a quo – and that is what I want to explore with leaders.” 

ANZSOG’s Public Sector Futures: A Public Leadership Masterclass series consists of five linked two-hour masterclasses that will introduce participants to new ideas and deepen their understanding of the critical skills, tools, and mindsets required to navigate complexity and lead effectively in a changing world. 

The full list of Masterclasses and presenters is: 

• Leading in the Grey Zone – Karise Hutchison, ANZSOG Program Director and Founder, Illuminaire Leadership 
• Power, Purpose and Political Nous – Co-led by Sally Washington, ANZSOG Practice Fellow and Jasmina Joldic, ANZSOG Research Fellow and former Director General Queensland Government. 
• Strategic Foresight and Scenario Planning – Led by Rob Warner JP, Chief Advisor, Strategy, Maritime New Zealand. 
• Navigating Public Sector Change – Led by Danielle Elston, Public Sector Reform expert. 
• Evaluating for Long-Term Value – Led by Professor Peter Welsh, Ph.D, Ipsos UK. 

Registrations are now open and you can find more information on the Public Leadership Masterclass webpage.