Collaboration Case

Competition created in the team environment may also boost productivity thereby allowing projects to be completed sooner.

INTRODUCTION

What makes the most successful leaders effective? The talents of leaders who consistently achieve targeted results range from vision and decisiveness through strategic execution. Yet in the dramatically changing world of work, leaders must not only possess the foundational skills of leadership, they must also adopt new beliefs about leading and develop new skills for inspiring the beliefs of others.

Mastering the Art of Leading with Belief heightens a leader's ability to lead through today's evolving organizational challenges.

Throughout my 25 years as a psychologist and executive coach, I observed a common approach adopted by highly successful leaders in both the public and private sectors. The most successful leaders instinctively understood the importance of beliefs and they intuitively leveraged this knowledge to influence new beliefs that would prepare their organizations for change, drive the implementation of their visions, and facilitate the achievement of essential results. The message is simple:

If you want to lead in the most powerful and effective way possible, learn how to lead with belief.

This insight inspired me to write "The Art of Leading with Belief" in which I integrate scientific research and the essential insights of successful leaders to create a powerful theory of leading with belief. This theory shows leaders how, by working directly at the level of belief, they can achieve faster, stronger, and longer lasting impact.

The present article sets out the principles of leading with belief and follows one leader, Mr. David Szwarc, Chief Administrative Officer of the Region of Peel, Ontario, Canada as he led the organization through five essential stages of organizational belief to develop a more cohesive and powerful culture; a culture that aligned employees under a common purpose of exemplary public service through a balanced emphasis on employee engagement, customer service, and trust and confidence. The article shares some of Mr. Szwarc's foundational beliefs as a leader, the need for change, and the best ways to bring cultural change to fruition.

A COMMON PURPOSE - CASE STUDY ABSTRACT

The complexity of the public sector environment and its stakeholder expectations continues to increase, bringing added responsibilities and greater challenges to the role of leadership. While there are many views on how the public sector should respond to these challenges, the most shared opinion is that there is an even greater requirement for excellence in leadership. "The Common Purpose" initiative undertaken by David Szwarc in the Region of Peel provides