Leading intra-organizational collaboration among public employees: a mixed methods study

Public service delivery often necessitates collaboration among frontline employees; yet, understanding how leadership can facilitate intra-organizational collaboration remains underexplored. This study integrates theoretical insights from the educational literature on collaboration in professional learning communities into the public management field, offering a structured framework for examining how transformational leadership and professional development leadership serve as drivers of collaboration in frontline public service organizations. Using a mixed-methods approach with panel survey data complemented by interviews with managers and teachers in public schools, we find that both transformational leadership and professional development leadership enhance collaboration within professional learning communities. However, each plays a distinct role. While transformational leadership fosters a collaboration-oriented culture grounded in shared values and vision, professional development leadership strengthens shared practices through professional norms and knowledge exchange. These findings highlight the central role of shaping collaboration dynamics among frontline employees and provide a strong foundation for advancing team-based collaborative practices essential for the delivery of many public services.