Management and Leadership Initiative

About the Management and Leadership Initiative

Contemporary policymaking is plagued by extreme partisan polarization, political corruption, distrust in basic political institutions, news coverage that does not inform civic discussions, lack of political civility, and political practices that discourage compromise, bargaining, and negotiation. Many different institutional, electoral, and political issues undermine public trust and confidence, thus making it difficult to lead and govern.

To address these systemic governance challenges, the Brookings Institution Governance Studies program is launching an initiative to improve national political leadership. This endeavor’s aim is to enhance the understanding of the nation’s current leadership deficit to find ways to change leaders’ behavior and improve leadership capacity.

Given the breadth and depth of roadblocks to good leadership, we cannot be effective in addressing every aspect of the problem. To achieve impact, the project will focus its effort on key features of the problem.  

  • First, we plan to emphasize national political leadership.  This includes elected officials and top administrative leaders in the United States.  These are the individuals in the legislative and executive branches who are on the front lines and require help to do a better job.
  • Second, we will emphasize actions to improve leadership, followership, and the political and institutional capacity for leadership.  These are the crucial barriers in terms of national political leadership.

Throughout the project, we will publish case studies, reports, and white papers.  To release our findings, we will conduct public events and private briefings for press and policymakers.  Research will be posted on the Brookings website, as well as commentary, short Q&A sessions, and videos of our public event proceedings. 

We have organized a distinguished advisory board of practitioners and experts to counsel and assist our efforts.  This high-level group provides us with important feedback and ideas on how to strengthen our impact.

  • Leslie Berlowitz, President and CEO, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • William Budinger, Founding Director, The Rodel Foundations
  • Lisa Caputo, former Deputy Assistant to President Clinton
  • Alan Dachs, President and CEO, Fremont Group
  • Former Representative Bart Gordon (D-TN), Partner, K&L Gates
  • Suzanne Nora Johnson, Brookings Trustee
  • Barbara Kellerman, James MacGregor Burns Lecturer in Public Leadership, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
  • Jackson Nickerson, Frahm Family Professor of Organization and Strategy, Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis; Associate Dean and Director, Brookings Executive Education, The Brookings Institution
  • Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.), United States Supreme Court
  • Edgar Rios, CEO of SHD Oil & Gas LLC
  • Max Stier, President and CEO, Partnership for Public Service
  • Former Senator, Governor, Mayor George Voinovich
  • Judy Woodruff, Co-Anchor and Senior Correspondent, The PBS NewsHour

For more information about the Management and Leadership Initiative, please see the Initiative’s Framing Narrative.