星空传媒

That鈥檚 one of the findings of a study into the qualities of top-performing housing benefit managers published on Monday.

The report by Iris Consulting for the Department of Work and Pensions said the best managers listen to their staff but do not suffer fools, are knowledgeable but listen, and can manage change while creating stability.

It takes different managerial qualities to turn around poorly performing local authorities than it does to keep good councils on an even keel.

In troubled authorities, staff valued vision, courage and emphasis on staff training and team work. But in authorities performing well, staff wanted stability despite changes in the sector. They also wanted goals to be backed up by the resources, staffing and training necessary to deliver them.

Housing benefit minister Chris Pond said: 鈥淚t seems what staff are after is less David Brent and more someone who can steer them through organisational change and help them achieve their potential.鈥�

IT systems made little difference to the better authorities surveyed. As one chief executive said to the researchers: 鈥淲e鈥檝e outsourced, we鈥檝e changed our IT systems, and none of it worked. It鈥檚 people that are the critical factor. Great people will compensate for almost anything, including crap systems.鈥�