What it takes to lead in turbulent times like these

Over more than three decades working with leaders across communities, public services and organisations through Columba 1400, I have learned that turbulent environments rarely reward technical competence alone. Skills and strategy matter, but they are not enough. What ultimately sustains trust when uncertainty rises is character.

Again and again, I have seen that the leaders who make the greatest difference are those anchored in clear values. Self-awareness, integrity and humility become essential qualities when pressure intensifies. Leaders who understand their own motivations and limitations are far better equipped to act with clarity when complexity grows.

In unstable environments, organisations can easily drift. Leaders must therefore anchor decisions in shared values, providing a moral compass when circumstances change rapidly. They must also be willing to have courageous conversations; speaking honestly, listening deeply and confronting uncomfortable truths when necessary.

At the heart of the Columban approach is a simple principle: leadership is service. The central question for any leader is not “How do I protect my position?” but “Who am I here to serve?” – whether communities, colleagues or the next generation.

Turbulent times can therefore become moments when leadership is most clearly revealed. They challenge individuals not simply to manage complexity, but to become the best versions of themselves.

These lessons are increasingly relevant to the challenges facing Scotland’s public sector today.

Nikki Bridle continues:

Over the past five years, Clackmannanshire Council, like many local authorities, has faced tightening finances, rising demand for services and a rapidly changing operating environment. Meeting those challenges has required more than structural change; it has required a deliberate and sustained focus on leadership and culture.

For us, that has meant creating space for reflection and shared purpose across the organisation. Through the Columban Approach to Values-Based leadership involving senior officers, elected members, headteachers, community representatives and partners, we have focused on what motivates us and why public service matters.

Those conversations have helped establish a shared sense of purpose and strengthened trust between colleagues and political leaders. Something that cannot be created through policy or process alone.

The impact of that focus has been tangible. Despite multi-million-pound budget gaps and a historically volatile political landscape, the council has secured unanimous budgets in recent years. That shift reflects not only financial discipline but a stronger culture of shared responsibility for the decisions ahead.

With those foundations in place, we have been able to take the next step. Clackmannanshire Council has approved its Target Operating Model a framework that rethinks how the organisation is designed to deliver services for communities.

At its heart are two simple principles: putting service users first and delivering through collaboration rather than control. In many ways, the model represents the practical expression of the leadership culture and shared values we have been working to build.

The challenges facing Scotland’s public sector will not disappear. Leaders will continue to face difficult choices, financial pressure and rising expectations from the communities they serve.

Yet turbulent times also offer an opportunity. In uncertain environments, one of the most important roles of a leader is to create hope, not naïve optimism, but a grounded confidence in the potential of people and communities.

When leaders act with integrity, humility and a clear sense of purpose, they create the conditions for others to find their voice, contribute and make a difference. In that sense, turbulent times do not simply test leadership. They reveal it.

Norman Drummond is Founder of charity and social enterprise, Columba 1400

Nikki Bridle is Chief Executive of Clackmannanshire Council