Leadership and the big change. Communities, police and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the reform melting pot

ABSTRACT IN DANISH: Artiklen søger at skabe et overblik over, hvordan nogle af de seneste meget omfattende reformer i det offentlige er grebet an ledelsesmoessigt. Store omstillinger såsom reformer skaber en anledning til at omfordele magten. At de nye magt- eller ledelsessystemer hurtigt kommer til at fungere legitimt og effektivt er samtidig en forudsoetning for reformernes succes. Men magtens omfordeling skaber i sig selv en roekke dønninger, som kan påvirke den efterfølgende proces i negativ retning. Konkret analyseres, hvordan man har udnoevnt topchefer og etableret nye ledelsessystemer i forbindelse med to store reformer, nemlig kommunalreformen og politireformen. For at understrege pointen om at reformer kroever lederskab inddrages endvidere reformen af den danske folkekirke, hvor dette tema er bemoerkelsesvoerdigt fravoerende. Gennem artiklen tematiseres de paradokser og dilemmaer, man må søge at håndtere i forhold til lederskabet af de store omstillinger. Det konkluderes, at det kun er i kommunerne, man for alvor har grebet dette professionelt an, og at man også der er veget tilbage fra at tage den yderste konsekvens af situationens alvor. Dermed bliver det vanskeligt fuldt ud at udnytte de muligheder, der åbner sig, når vinduet til at skabe ny historie står på klem. // ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH: The article attempts to give an overview of management approaches to some of the recent sweeping reforms in the public sector. Comprehensive restructuring and reforms provide an opportunity to rearrange power. The rapid and efficient functioning of the new power and management systems is at the same time a prerequisite to their successful implementation; but the redistribution of power has in itself repercussions which may have a negative influence on the subsequent process. The focus of this analysis is the appointment of chief executives and the establishment of new management systems in connection with two sweeping reforms, the local government reform and the police reform. To emphasise the point that reform requires leadership, it is relevant to include the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church where this theme is remarkably absent. The article thematises the paradoxes and dilemmas to be handled when management of sweeping changes is at stake. The conclusion is that only the local authorities have adopted a professional approach to this situation, yet they have hesitated to face the seriousness of the situation. Hence it becomes difficult to take full advantag