Table of Contents

1. Developing Public Service Leadership – The Context for Action Learning Part 1: Context 2. The Policy Context for Public Service Leadership 3. Optimizing the Power of Learning within Action Learning 4. Understanding the Organizational Potential of Action Learning Part 2: Practice 5. Local Authority Chief Executive Action Learning Sets 6. Learning and Leading; Action Learning for Chief Probation Officers 7. The Design and Evaluation of a Leadership Programme for Experienced Chief Executives from the Health Sector 8. Levels of Action Learning, and Holding Groups to the Experience 9. Developing Ourselves as Police Leaders: How Can we Inquire Collaboratively in a Hierarchical Organization? 10. Supporting Organizational Turnaround in Local Authorities Networks and Partnerships – Developing the Public Policy System 11. Developing Public Service Leaders through Action Inquiry 12. Partnership Action Learning 13. Action Learning in Inter-Organizational Sets Part 3: Conclusion 14. Action Learning in the Public Service System: Issues, Tensions and a Future Agenda

About the Author

Institute of Technology, Tralee, Ireland University of Birmingham, UK