Improving the leadership capabilities of municipal elected officials through Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities

Abstract

Saskatchewan Elected Municipal Officials are regularly challenged to make decisions that impact the entire municipality. While adhering to the Royal Roads University Research Ethics Policy, this study explored both the understanding of leadership by elected municipal officials and the resources available to those same officials. Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities was the partner organization for this inquiry and the question posed was how they might help the rural elected municipal officials improve their leadership capabilities? A World Café was held with 30 participants followed by nine semi structured interviews with members who were Municipal Elected Officials, Chief Administrative Officers, or other key stakeholders from across Saskatchewan. The main research finding centred around the evolution of leadership and the lack of a current effective leadership model, hence the recommendations focused on education for elected officials that would offer them a greater understanding of leadership and the necessary resources to carry out their roles and responsibilities better.