This paper provides preliminary results from an international research project, comparing the experiences of indigenous public service leaders from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Despite the fact that the jurisdictions involved have recruited substantial numbers of Indigenous people, there are no systematic studies focusing on their experience and contributions as public servants, or their leadership role or understandings of what constitutes ‘leadership’. For example, do public services and Indigenous cultures share common or conflicting notions of leadership? What possibilities and challenges exist for Indigenous peoples to exercise leadership within western bureaucracies? How do answers to these questions impact policymaking with respect to Indigenous peoples? The paper starts to address these questions drawing on comparative statistical data, literature reviews, and interviews undertaken with indigenous public servants. It also begins to consider the theoretical and practical implications of Indigenous participation and leadership in the public sector.
