The Power of Human-centred Leadership
People make the difference
In a world increasingly shaped by technology and systems, it’s refreshing to hear a leader speak with conviction about the enduring importance of people. For someone trained as an accountant, it might seem contradictory to champion human capital over process, but for Sir Brian, it’s a core belief.
“People are inevitably the defining success feature in service businesses. Process and structure will only get you so far.”
He believes a greater focus on human capital such as recruitment, development or talent management is always valuable. This approach supports his vision to ensure public servants have a great experience and development while delivering for their community. Creating a place where individuals can grow, contribute meaningfully and feel proud of their impact.
“People make a difference and we need to recognise that in our approach – technology and AI will be important but the nature and quality of our human capital will be a defining success factor for the public sector.”
“I’m keen to encourage leaders to continue to learn from others. By all means read and study but experiential based learnings and reflection is important. Create opportunities where you will continue to learn as a leader – who are the people you’d like to learn from.”
Learning from others
Many have inspired Sir Brian throughout his career, from his parents who instilled the principle of helping and serving others (the why) to business, political, sport and Iwi leaders who demonstrated how to bring out the best in people.
“The ability to empower and enable others in a safe and efficient environment while reducing complexity has impacted significantly on me. Life is increasingly complicated and leaders must be able to simplify.”
Numerous experiences taught him that issues of style and authenticity were critical to success – creating teams and unifying them to achieve was very informative.
What stands out is a consistent emphasis on soft skills: trust, respect, empowerment, and the ability to simplify complexity. These are the qualities Sir Brian hopes to see more of in other leaders, alongside the courage to disrupt and the curiosity to ask, “What can we do better?”
“I’m keen to encourage leaders to continue to learn from others. By all means read and study but experiential based learnings and reflection is important. Create opportunities where you will continue to learn as a leader – who are the people you’d like to learn from.”
Navigating risk with courage
The Public Service is often characterised by a culture of risk aversion. But Sir Brian believes that the pursuit of certainty can come at the cost of innovation.
“Risk will always play a part in any process – that is not in dispute. The cost of doing nothing however is often forgotten, and in my experience, it’s often the most expensive option. We need to avoid losing the equilibrium or balance between risk and opportunity.”
A particular example he faced while at NZ Post was traditional mail volumes were declining – a global phenomenon. Sir Brian faced the option of ongoing cuts or a fundamental redesign changing mail delivery from six-days to three-days a week. This was a seismic shift for a 100+ year old institution with every aspect of the business impacted. It was a high stakes move, but one grounded in careful planning, strong processes and trust in people.
“The risks of doing nothing (in cost and people) was significant. The risk (and cost) of completely redesigning the operating system was equally significant. We needed to take control of our future and not be measured by risk – we did that by careful planning, good process and great people. We learnt by doing – there was not an international model – and made mistakes. It all worked in the end!”
An empowered and enabled future
With his appointment through to 30 June 2027, it’s clear Sir Brian wants to make a lasting impression on systems and culture.
“I want to leave an environment where people feel more empowered and enabled. Where the operating system is digitally enabled and more citizen/business centric. Where we eliminate process for process sake and where risk is a factor to be considered not something to be used to avoid making a decision.”
Sir Brian believes key to this success will be greater clarity about the attributes and character of leadership needed in a future-focused public sector operating model. It’s a reminder that while technology and systems will evolve, Sir Brian believes it’s the nature and quality of our human capital people that make the difference.
Ultimately, it’s about shaping a future-focused Public Service, one that values people, embraces technology, and leads with clarity and purpose.
Some reflective questions Brian offers leaders
These reflective questions speak to the heart of authentic leadership, one that nurtures, empowers, and inspires.
Ask yourself:
- Are you displaying the behaviours and attitudes that others learn from and aspire to?
- Are you setting the example that grows and develops the human character and experiences of those you lead (and ultimately serve)?
About Sir Brian
Sir Brian is the Public Service Commissioner and Head of Service. He most recently has been Chair of the Cyclone Recovery Taskforce from 2023 to 2024 and Chair of New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi from 2019 to 2022. Sir Brian was the Chief Executive of New Zealand Post from 2010 to 2017 and prior to this was a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) from 1987 to 2009.
This interview featured in our December issue of our LDC newsletter. Previous interviews with senior public sector leaders include Carolyn Tremain, Rebecca Kitteridge and Gráinne Moss. Sent every two months, the LDC newsletter includes leadership development opportunities, resources and interviews with inspiring leaders. You can subscribe here.