Central agencies - do they lead or just tread on toes? Leadership or treading on toes?

Abstract

Central agencies justify their existence by being both required and able to see the big picture, to rise above the constraints of agency boundaries and pursue a whole of government agenda. One would expect that the quality of leadership demonstrated by central agencies would always achieve results, but there are times when brutality gets results - rough justice which involves treading on toes. Leadership and treading on toes are gentle euphemisms. What I really mean is policy by leading and persuading on the one hand, and policy by telling and constricting on the other.