Perspectives on enhancing the change management competency of South African senior public service managers

Abstract

The South African Public Service is the implementation agency of the South African Government. Located at the apex is the Senior Management Service (SMS). As leaders, role-models and pace-setters senior public service managers are required to be transformation-based and vision-driven. To support and enable undertaking of this task is the change management competency–one of eleven competencies set out in the Public Service Handbook for the Senior Management Service. Each competency has its own competency criteria, scale and aim. As is the case worldwide this change management competency is bedevilled continuously by a complex set of connected internal and external change forces. It is the view of the author that a keen grasp and deep understanding of the paradigmatic view of change, conceptual and theoretical perspectives of change, change constructs, factors resisting and supporting change, change interventions as well as the role of change agents and change leadership will enhance the change management competency of South African senior public service managers.