Soft skills of public servants as a factor in transformational leadership: a case study of an Agriculture Secretariat in northeastern Colombia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15649/2346030X.5461Keywords:
soft skills, transformational leadership, public servant, teamwork, emotional intelligence, public managementAbstract
Public organizations are tasked with meeting the basic needs of the population and fostering social development. However, their management is often subject to citizen criticism regarding the effectiveness and quality of public services. In this context, the soft skills of public servants play a key role, as these competencies influence how public leaders manage their teams and promote transformational leadership. This study aimed to identify the soft skills that support transformational leadership in the public sector, seeking to strengthen institutional capacity and improve citizen perceptions of public services, using the Agriculture Secretariat of the Government of Norte de Santander, in northeastern Colombia, as a case study. The research was conducted under a post-positivist paradigm, using a descriptive quantitative approach and a non-experimental field design. A paper-based self-administered questionnaire with a Likert scale was applied to senior and middle managers, complemented by non-structured contextual observations made during the instrument's application. The findings revealed key competencies such as assertive communication, empathy, active listening, and emotional intelligence as fundamental to transformational leadership. These soft skills help public servants build trust, foster autonomy, and strengthen teamwork, essential aspects for achieving institutional goals and creating more human-centered and efficient organizational environments. The study also identified areas for improvement, particularly stress management and certain aspects of collaborative work, highlighting the need to further develop these competencies among public sector leaders.
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