We often hear about the concept of finance professionals being leaders in their organisations. There are frequent discussions about how that should work, unfortunately often dominated by the debate around whether it is possible to discharge that leadership, if you do not have a permanent seat at the ‘top table'. But, saving that debate for another day, how exactly can the finance profession be involved in leading modern public sector organisations? We are custodians of the public purse and as such, recognised as having high professional standards, underpinned by our professional bodies. Fortunately the examples of failure to deliver are rare. What does that leadership involve? Examining what I have been up to recently, the following might help – support to colleagues involved in some difficult situations at present; assistance to members and others to help deliver priorities; analysis of cases in which to invest, including a mixture of those which can proceed; management of a wide range of service areas; liaison with a range of external bodies; refereeing competing and diverse interests; deciding on priorities – organisational, service and personal; rationalising and planning resources, evaluating options, advising apparently-crazy schemes, setting standards and examples – and being seen to deliver against them; and listening, understanding diverse approaches and problems, and, occasionally, solving them. Of course, what we do is only half the issue. How we do it is a different matter. I sometimes cringe when I hear examples of how colleagues discharge their responsibilities, believing the – correct – statutory underpinning of the role of treasurer gives them the right to behave in an inappropriate fashion. It doesn't. Oh and, of course, celebrating following Wales' recent win in Twickenham! Gareth Moss is executive director, resources, at Bridgend CBC
