Leadership in the Russian Public Administration System: From Bureaucratic Rationality to a Human-Centered Model

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of leadership in the Russian public administration system. The current modifications of this system are considered as a part of a larger process – the transformation of Russian public administration in the context of human-centricity. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the transfor-mations of leadership in the Russian public administration system in the context of the transition from bureau-cratic rationality to a human-centered model. Based on the paradigm of public and state administration and the conceptions of public values management, a comprehensive explanatory model of human-centricity structured around two contours: internal (employee orientation) and external (orientation towards citizens and society), is proposed. The empirical base consisted of 54 in-depth interviews with heads of federal and regional authorities as well as an online survey of more than 16,000 middle managers from 70 regions of Russia, 2024‒2025. A multilevel competence model of a human-centered leader has been developed and empirically verified. It is shown that in the Russian system of public administration, the concepts of “leader” and “head” are practically identical due to the institutional context. The author comes to the conclusion that, responding to challenges, an effective leader in the Russian public administration system transforms into an integrator of values, mentor, architect of an environment of trust, and a balancer between digital efficiency and human relations. It also demonstrates that the success of human-centered transformation requires the institutionalization of the pro-posed model in the system of training and evaluation of public administration personnel.