How do digital leaders bring together teams who think, work and reason in completely different ways? That was the central question explored by Richard Baines, Deputy Director for Digital Delivery at Defra, during his keynote this morning at Government Transformation North.
The session, supported by esynergy, focused on what leadership looks like inside complex government delivery environments and how values shape the teams responsible for modern public services.
Baines opened by challenging familiar ideas about where leadership is learned. Many people encounter the topic through management programmes or professional development, yet much of this focuses on process rather than the deeper motivations behind human behaviour. His own understanding was shaped most by studying business ethics, examining how people make decisions when expectations, pressures and rules compete.
He cited the work of moral psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg, whose model of moral development describes how individuals move from self interest to rule following and finally to behaviour guided by personal moral principles. The highest stages involve acting because something is morally right and aligns with personal values.
The framework explains that leadership is not simply about authority. It is about helping teams navigate choices, tensions and disagreements, with a clear understanding of the ethical reasoning that underpins people’s decisions.
Baines also focused on the challenge of bringing together digital professionals trained in different delivery methods. Government teams frequently combine people who follow structured and prescriptive methods with those who focus on adaptive, user-centred approaches. Both approaches are legitimate, but they often lead people to interpret problems and priorities differently.
These differences can become sources of tension when team members each believe their method is the correct one, particularly when they see themselves as following the appropriate rules or norms. Baines explained that this reflects different stages of ethical reasoning. Some individuals are guided by existing organisational expectations, while others are motivated by a desire to change the way work is done.
The task for digital leaders is to recognise these differences and guide teams toward shared understanding. This requires more than conflict resolution - it calls for an awareness of how people think and why they believe their approach is right.
Baines highlighted the Civil Service Code as an important foundation for this work, with its values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality offering a common reference point to serve as anchors.
The role of disruptors was another theme. Baines referenced a talk at the last Government Transformation Summit by James Mitton, Director General at HMRC, that described the value of hiring people with a pirate mindset to deliver change. The idea, he said, was not to celebrate unrestrained rule breaking, but to acknowledge that those who challenge conventional thinking often bring vital energy to transformation.
Even so, disruptors need shared principles to work with others. Baines pointed out that even pirates had a code of honour. In digital delivery, that shared code is usually rooted in values such as fairness, respect and integrity. Leaders must help teams understand these principles and use them as a guide when disagreements arise.
Baines gave a practical example from his own organisation. A recent Defra service achieved one of the department’s highest GDS assessment scores, leading him to reflect on what had set the team apart - he concluded that their culture had been decisive.
The team brought together people with different professional backgrounds, including an operations-focused service owner and subject matter specialists with deep expertise in animal and plant health. What distinguished them, he explained, was “the way that the team thought about each other” and the respect, tolerance and empathy they demonstrated.
This approach enabled them to work through complex delivery challenges and maintain a shared sense of purpose. Baines felt that it was not a particular methodology or process that drove success, but the moral principles that shaped how people acted.
In his closing reflections, Baines addressed the question of whether ethical reasoning can be taught. His view was that people can and do develop ethically over time, but that formal training alone is insufficient. Leaders need to talk openly about their values and motivations, and help their teams understand why certain principles matter.
This kind of conversation helps colleagues appreciate different viewpoints and recognise the reasoning behind each other’s choices. It also creates the conditions for stronger team cohesion, particularly in multidisciplinary settings where people may be operating from very different perspectives.
Baines concluded that respect, tolerance and empathy are essential for high quality digital delivery. They are practical tools that help teams navigate disagreement, complexity and change. Digital leaders should prioritise these values and encourage their teams to do the same.