Drawing its origins from the Human Relations movement of the early 20th century and from public leadership orientations emphasising human aspects, human-centred public leadership approaches leadership from a system´s perspective. It explores societal institutions, organisations, and phenomena as an emergent system structure that manifests its existence through the multilateral and reciprocal interaction of its parts. Systems thinking and the need for systemic change suggest that one can only understand and improve a system by looking at how all the parts interact with each other and how they are integrated. The systemic nature of public leadership refers to dynamic learning mechanisms as they relate to the contents of leadership development tools which are derived mainly from the changing mode of the operating environment, from the leaders’ own experience, from their own personalities, from a learning-by-doing approach to leadership development, and from the ways in which leaders learn and unlearn. This book presents key concepts, approaches, origins, applications, and best practices to understand the evolution and nature of human-centred approach in public leadership. It introduces a new public leadership paradigm that is needed in a complex, internationally interconnected social, economic, cultural, and political environment. Based on scholarly public leadership research in addition to the authors’ professional experience as academics, managers, practitioners and consultants, this volume offers guidance for decision-makers, public, business, and non-governmental sector leaders, managers, and practitioners about how to create a context and contents for human-centred leadership in the age of complex society and turbulent operating environment. It will be of value to researchers, academics, and students in the in the fields of leadership and public management.

Petri Virtanen is Professor of Administrative Science at the University of Vaasa, Finland, and the CEO of ITLA Children´s Foundation.

Marika Tammeaid is Director of Development at ITLA Children’s Foundation and a Solution-Focused coach, developer and leadership trainer in Finland.

Harri Jalonen is Professor of Social and Health Management at the University of Vaasa, Finland.