We scrutinise sustainable leadership in a network-based framework in the changing environments of local governance. We approach problem-solving as a process of mutual learning and interaction between the people and agencies involved in the solutions. In the context of municipalities, those solutions support success if they solve the problem in ways that are emotionally and experientially satisfactory to both the service users and service providers. We investigate how sustainable leadership and leaders’ practices promote the employee voice to enhance problem-solving and the creation of new innovations in the context of problem-solving, social learning, and circles of control. Our research encompasses 22 interviews with senior and middle management in the municipal sector in rural areas in Finland, analysed through a data-driven approach employing abductive reasoning. We discuss the characteristics of sustainable leadership and identify six drivers of success: producing good for others, developing self-consciousness, building trust, recognising emotions, leading problem-solving and long-term success, and supporting interaction. This exploration sheds light on the intricate interplay between sustainable leadership success and contradictions in the distinct landscape of Finnish municipal organisations.