Leadership with care – Constructing responsibility as ‘shared caring’ in a complex public service

Authors

  • Mervi Hasu Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Helsinki
  • Mikko Lehtonen Aalto University School of Science, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, BIT Research Centre, Aalto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v18i4.15643

Keywords:

Leadership, Care/caring, Trust, Relations, Reciprocity, Responsibility, Public sector, Shop-floor worker, Manager

Abstract

The article investigates the pattern of influence enacted by shop-floor service workers and line managers in a public sector organisation which have been affected by New Public Management changes. Applying the concepts of care (caring) and trust, we expand the concept of the relational influence pattern originating from leadership theory. We supplement our analysis with the sensitive methodology of studying activities in shop-floor work, namely experiences of transitions on the micro-level among a group of employees, managers and clients. The results show that the caring observed in the group is shared among the individuals, it supports their collective responsibility, and exhibits trust relationships that have been created through shared experiences. Qualitative evidence illustrates that shared caring can be a pattern of relational, embodied leadership influence, directed to nurture, improve or help the situation of others in the work community. The pattern had evolved naturally through shared and expected, foreseeable experiences. We suggest the notion of leadership with care to describe this type of relational leadership influence.

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Author Biographies

Mervi Hasu, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Helsinki

Dr. Mervi Hasu works as a specialized researcher. She has previously worked in the research group for Technology Studies at the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), and at the University of Helsinki. Her special interests include research on innovation management and social innovation in various public sector and service contexts, focusing on employee-driven innovation and employee well-being.

Mikko Lehtonen, Aalto University School of Science, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, BIT Research Centre, Aalto

Mikko Lehtonen is Project Manager in the Innovation Research in Services group. His research interests are critical perspectives of service development, project and programme management, organisational changes, organisational control, and power in organisations. He is currently working on his doctoral dissertation on organisational control in organisational development programmes.

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Published

2014-12-15

How to Cite

Hasu, M., & Lehtonen, M. (2014). Leadership with care – Constructing responsibility as ‘shared caring’ in a complex public service. Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, 18(4), 9–28. https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v18i4.15643

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