leadership in action exec summary

8/9/2019 Leadership in Action Exec Summary

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Executive Summary and Recommendations


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Leadership has long been an impor an opic in he commercial, poli ical and mili ary

arenas. However, despi e he challenges inheren in leading humani arian opera ions,leadership has, un il recen ly, received limi ed aten ion in he humani arian sec or. Telas decade has seen a marked increase in he ime and resources devo ed o iden i yingand developing humani arian leaders; however, evidence rom ALNAPs S a e o heHumani arian Sys em repor (Harvey e al. 2009), and rom elsewhere, sugges s haineffec ive leadership is s ill a major cons rain o effec ive humani arian ac ion.

Tis s udy seeks o con ribu e o improved humani arian leadership by consideringhe ac ors ha make humani arian leadership success ul, and iden i ying ac ions ha

ac ors wi hin he humani arian sys em can ake o improve he quali y o leadership ihumani arian responses. I ocuses specically on he opera ional level o leadership. Fohe purposes o he s udy, opera ional humani arian leadership is dened as:

Leadership in-coun ry, ha provides a clear vision andobjec ives or he humani arian response o a specic crisis(whe her a he programme, organisa ional or sys em-widelevel), ocused on he affec ed popula ion, and building aconsensus ha brings aid workers (organisa ionally and

individually) oge her around ha vision and objec ives. Ialso means nding ways o collec ively realising he vision orhe bene o he affec ed popula ion, ofen in challenging and

hos ile environmen s.

Te aim o he s udy is o develop a beter unders anding o wha effec ive leadershiplooks like, o iden i y he de erminan s o good leadership and ways in which i can be

os ered. I is based on modelling excellence, hrough 11 case s udies o effec ive leade

in differen crises, differen coun ries and a differen levels. Te ndings are rela ed ohe wider li era ure and curren hinking on leadership, and compared wi h research onleadership in o her sec ors.

A consis en nding across all he case s udies was he signicance o personal au horihe de ermining ac or o effec ive leadership, as opposed o he au hori y ves ed in

or s a us. Te quali ies and experience o he individual leader mater as much as, or morehan, heir job i le. Five main areas o leadership quali ies emerged rom he case s u

(i) S ra egic leadership skills ha rela e o he bigger pic ure, comprising:a. he abili y o unders and he con ex and dedica ing ime ocon ex ual analysis

EX ECU IVE SUMMARY


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b. a clear and s ra egic vision o wha he humani arian opera ion is atemp ino achieve, beyond shor - erm unding horizons, and building ownership

around ha vision

c. a ocus on he affec ed popula ion and heir needs, bo h or he long- erm vision and in day- o-day decision-making

(ii) Rela ional and communica ion quali ies, comprising:a. he abili y o lis en and o learn rom o hers b. he abili y and willingness o share in orma ion and be ransparenc. he preparedness and abili y o speak ou , o have courageous conversa ionsd. he abili y o build rela ionships wi h key poli ical s akeholderse. connec ing wi h s aff

. presen a ional skills(iii) Decision-making and risk- aking skills, comprising:

a. he abili y o make decisions rapidly when needed, according o he si ua ion he ground, and knowing when o end consul a ion

b. being able o make decisions on he basis o incomple e, unreliable andsome imes con radic ory in orma ion

c. he exibili y o change decisions as he si ua ion changesd. he willingness o be held accoun able or decisions aken

e. a ma ure and balanced approach o risk- aking, prepared o innova e, yequickly learning rom and correc ing mis akes

(iv) Managemen and organisa ional skills, including:a. puting oge her a s rong eam in he spiri o dis ribu ed leadership, leadin

by example and men oring s aff b. being a good manager, wi h an eye or de ail, as well as being a good leader

wi h visionary and s ra egic skills

(v) Personal quali ies, such as:a. being principled and ac ing wi h in egri y b. being sel -aware as well as having an inner sel -condencec. humili y willing o credi and o learn rom o hersd. enaci y and de ermina ione. energy and en husiasm

aken oge her, hese quali ies poin o he impor ance o rela ional leadership basedne working, communica ion and eam-building ha brings ou he leadership po en ia

o hers. Te rela ional na ure o opera ional humani arian leadership is underscored by hnding ha he abili y o build consensus across agencies is cri ical o effec ive leaderhowever, i is equally impor an or hose in leadership posi ions o know when o brinconsul a ion o an end in order o make a clear decision. Tis requires judgemen , courageand being com or able wi h dissen .


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Tis abili y o judge when par icular skills and approaches are relevan and desirable ina given con ex emerged as an impor an heme in he s udy, and serves as a warningagains reducing leadership o any single lis o compe encies. Leadership happens when

individuals engage comple ely wi h a si ua ion. Te magic ha can rans orm a lis orom compe ence o excellence is ofen o do wi h he essence o he individual and ha person engages wi h he con ex in which hey nd hemselves, he people wi h hey are working, and wi h hemselves. In ac , he s udy ound ha when a par icul

leadership s reng h is overplayed i can become a weakness:a leaders enaci y and energy can, or example, resul inpushing colleagues oo hard, wi h nega ive effec s or he

eam and he programme. Tis can lead o burn-ou . Leadersand organisa ions should be aware o his shadow side o

leadership, and ake measures o address i .Leadership, hen, is an ar , based as much on judgemen and in ui ion as on pre-denedskills. Te s udy ound ha experience o humani arian opera ions is key o developingapplying his judgemen . Demons ra ed experience is also impor an in es ablishing hpersonal credibili y and au hori y on which success ul humani arian leadership res s.Poli ical skills, including poli ical acumen, emerged as undamen al o opera ionalhumani arian leadership, even in humani arian crises riggered by na ural disas ers. Tismeans having a s rong unders anding o he poli ical economy o he crisis, carrying ou

poli ical s akeholder analysis, bo h rapidly and on an ongoing basis, having s rong rela ioand ne working skills across ac ors and across boundaries ( or example wi h par ies o conic , or wi h he mili ary), and having s rong diploma ic, nego ia ing and acili askills. Tis combina ion can be cri ical o success ully nego ia e and open up humani ariaccess, which is key o an effec ive opera ional response.

Te impor ance o opera ional experience sugges s ha leadership, ar rom beinginna e, is a learn skill. Al hough some individuals may have na ural propensi ies owarddisplaying he quali ies ou lined above, he s udy sugges s ha leadership can be learn

os ered and developed. Te case-s udy leaders had acquired heir skills in a number odifferen ways: rom role models rom bo h childhood and adul hood, rom experiencein he humani arian aid sec or, rom being coached by a suppor ive line manager, andoccasionally hrough ormal raining programmes.

While individuals can develop heir own leadership skills, i is he organisa ion and hesys em as a whole ha crea e a con ex wi hin which

hese skills can mos effec ively be pu o use. Tecase s udies show ha in order o os er leadership,

humani arian organisa ions should consciouslygive opera ional leaders and eams space o work,and should reward risk- aking. Un or una ely, hisseldom happened in he case s udies. Ins ead, many o he examples o effec ive leaderemerged in spi e o a deeply cons raining con ex , and he case-s udy leaders were

Leadership, then, is anart, based as much on judgement and intuitionas on pre-dened skills

In order to foster leadership ...give operational leaders and

teams space to work


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prepared o ake risks knowing ha hey would no necessarily receive he suppor oorganisa ions. Tere is alarming evidence o a growing endency owards risk-aversionin he sec or, associa ed in par wi h he drive or accoun abili y, which is resul ing in

s iing cul ure o compliance, and in par wi h he cons rain s o bureaucracy. Tis resuin incen ive sys ems ha reward compliance wi h procedures and nancial arge s ra hhan innova ion and leadership. Wi hin he UN especially, risk- aking by individuals was

more likely when hey disregarded heir own career pa hs and priori ised humani arianobjec ives. In addi ion, many humani arian organisa ions appear o value echnicalexper ise a he expense o people and rela ionship skills in he process o selec ingopera ional leaders, and pay inadequa e aten ion o con ex and o he par icular leadeskills required or specic si ua ions.

Te in erna ional humani arian sys em also appears o be neglec ing he oppor uni y o capi alise on he widerange o po en ial leaders. Te s udy ound ha drawing ondiverse cul ural iden i ies can be a real asse o leadership.Examples emerged in he case s udies o leaders consciouslyand unconsciously drawing on heir differen iden i ies(and li e experiences) in order o cross boundaries andmake connec ions wi h differen ac ors o acili a e hehumani arian response. However, commi men s o diversi y

no wi hs anding, opera ional leadership oppor uni iescurren ly avour in erna ionally recrui ed s aff. Na ionallyrecrui ed s aff who offer wider se s o cul ural iden i y

ace s ruc ural and ati udinal barriers in developing heirleadership po en ial and moving in o in erna ional leadership posi ions. In a similar veini was s riking how hard i was o nd examples o women showing effec ive opera ionhumani arian leadership when drawing up he lis o po en ial case s udies. Tis begs aques ion abou he gender balance among eld-based managers and he impor ance oexploring possible barriers o women assuming leadership roles and developing heir

leadership po en ial. Al hough mos o our case s udies ocused on individual leaders, many o hese weresuccess ul because hey were able o build high-per orming eams. Tis implies anelemen o collec ive leadership, ye highligh s he individuals role in crea ing a leaderenvironmen around hem ha was valued by heir colleagues and peers. Tis approachs reng hened wha could be achieved, especially where he eams skills complemen ed

he leaders abili ies. Where a collec ive leadership s ruc ure is ormally se up, i is viimpor an o es ablish ground rules and opera ing procedures a he ou se , al hough

case s udies indica e ha here may be a ni e period or cross-organisa ional leadersh work, and ha his depends on he s age in he crisis and he par icular se o individcoming oge her. Tis kind o collec ive leadership s ruc ure needs o be sus ained o beffec ive, and may need o be recrea ed as circums ances and individuals change.

what is unique is thecontext: working withpeople in distress, takingdecisions that will affectlives and livelihoods onthe basis of incompleteand ambiguous

information, while underpressure to act rapidly


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Is humani arian leadership really differen rom leadership in o her sec ors? Te s udysugges s ha , al hough many o he quali ies possessed by effec ive leaders are no un

o he humani arian sec or, wha is unique is he con ex in which hey are being appli

working wi h people in dis ress, aking decisions ha will affec lives and livelihoods isi ua ion and on he basis o incomple e and ambiguous in orma ion, ofen in a dangerouenvironmen wi h a wide range o differen ac ors some o whom may be hos ile o hhumani arian endeavour, while under pressure o ac rapidly. As a resul , he s udy sugg

ha success ul humani arian leaders generally exhibi an unusually broad range o leadequali ies, and ha compared o leaders in o her sec ors hey show a s rong values baserela ional approach and demons ra ed sec oral experience may be par icularly impor an

Te s udy also asked whe her effec ive humani arian leadership was differen rom one

ype o crisis o ano her. Here here seemed o be ew dis inc ions ha could be gene be ween ypes o emergency. Ra her, each emergency is differen : he quali ies hade ermine i a leader in one crisis can play as effec ive a role in ano her depend cri ically

ha individuals sensi ivi y o con ex , avoiding a one size s all approach, and herheir abili y o iden i y locally-specic oppor uni ies and limi a ions.

Te ndings o he s udy are inspiring in erms o examples o excep ional leadership prov by individuals and some eams. Tey also presen cause or concern, because leadershipofen seems o have happened in spi e o , ra her han because o , he organisa ional cul u

in which hey were opera ing. Te emerging message is ha much more needs o be done inhe in erna ional humani arian aid sec or o os er opera ional humani arian leadership, implica ions or he cul ure o he sec or as a whole, and or individual organisa ions andchie execu ives and senior managemen eams in par icular.


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ConclusionsTere is no blueprin or unders anding leadership. Tis would be a con radic ion in erms;leadership is an ar , and i is also some hing o an ar o cap ure wha his elusive yeconcep means in prac ice. Tis s udy has atemp ed o learn rom o her, usually moreex ensive, research in o leadership in o her sec ors in order o hrow some ligh on wha we have called opera ional humani arian leadership. Modelling excellence was he chosenresearch me hod, exploring in some dep h 11 case s udies o leadership a differen levein differen organisa ions, and in differen con ex s.

Te ndings are bo h inspiring and worrying. A he individual level hey are inspiring. A number o individuals in very differen con ex s provided excep ional leadership and,as a consequence, achieved impressive resul s, ofen in difficul and hos ile opera ionalcon ex s. A he organisa ional or sec oral level he ndings are more worrying becauseleadership ofen seems o have emerged in spi e o ra her han because o he organisa icul ure. A growing aversion o risk, in urn a consequence o he compliance cul ure and bureaucra ic approach ha has aken a grip o he humani arian sec or, are squeezing space or leadership o ourish, ins ead avouring managerialism, and s iing ini ia ive,

innova ion and risk- aking. Where space has opened up or individuals o develop anddemons ra e heir leadership po en ial hese appear o be isola ed islands, crea ed by aunusual coincidence o ac ors, or example a line manager who sees he po en ial o s aff member, and an organisa ional cul ure ha gives space o i s eld-based managerssome o our examples o leadership i is he individual who has crea ed ha space, woraround organisa ional obs acles and procedures ha could con ound he less experienceor less enacious.

For his s udy, as s a ed earlier, our working deni ion o opera ional humani arian

leadership is:

Leadership in-coun ry ha provides a clear vision andobjec ives or he humani arian response o a crisis (whe her a

he programme, organisa ional or sys em-wide level), ocused onhe affec ed popula ion, and building a consensus ha brings aid

workers (organisa ionally and individually) oge her around ha vision and objec ives. I also means nding ways o collec ivelyrealising ha vision, or he bene o he affec ed popula ion,

ofen in challenging and hos ile environmen s.

Our deni ion combines s ra egic vision, values in erms o a ocus on he affec edpopula ion, and behaviours and skills in erms o consensus-building and delivery. Te cases udies conrmed he impor ance o hese quali ies. Poli ical skills also emerged as criin all humani arian crises. Wha was remarkable abou mos o he case-s udy leaders w

CONCLUSIONS AN D RECOMMEND A I


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he wide range o leadership skills and quali ies hey each demons ra ed. Teir quali ies were mos ly well balanced. Tey were able o engage a he s ra egic con ex ual level, aas having s rong rela ional and communica ion skills, ye balancing hese people-orien e

skills wi h ask-orien ed decision-making skills, and bringing inspiring personal quali ieso heir work ha drew people owards hem, or example being principled and workin wi h in egri y. Te magic ha rans orms hese skills and quali ies rom compe encexcellence ofen depends on he essence o he individual and how hey engage wi h hcon ex in which hey nd hemselves, he people wi h whom hey are working, wi hinou side he humani arian sec or, and wi h hemselves.

Al hough we searched or evidence ha cer ain ypes o leadership s yle and approachcommonly required in par icular ypes o humani arian crisis, he lack o a clear patern

in our ndings warns agains making unwise generalisa ions. Ins ead, we conclude hacon ex is ex remely impor an , and ha a con ex -specic analysis o leadership neeis essen ial o indica e he appropria e balance o skills required, and hus o in ormrecrui men and selec ion cri eria and processes. Individual leaders who are sensi ive ocon ex ra her han assuming one size s all, who lis en and are open o learning, are

o be he mos versa ile in erms o adap ing heir leadership s yle appropria ely o dhumani arian crises.Likewise, al hough we se ou wi h a se o expec a ions and assump ions abou hedifference be ween individual and collec ive leadership, some o he dis inc ions s ar e

o blur as he case-s udy research go underway. Collec ive leadership emerged as a eain many o he case s udies o individual leaders. Al hough an individual leader may havplayed a key role in erms o heir s ra egic leadership, and heir rela ional skills in drawpeople around hem and puting oge her high-per orming eams, ha hey also os era leadership environmen in which o hers could con ribu e and were mo iva ed o doso and encouraged o develop heir po en ial. Tus, he resul s o he case-s udy leadeofen relied upon inpu s rom a range o people. Tis s well he kind o leadership

ha Whea ley and Frieze (2010) iden i y as appropria e o he con emporary world,leader as hos ra her han heroic leadership. In effec he individuals concerned crea ed

a micro-cul ure ha os ered leadership among heir colleagues and s aff ha heir worganisa ions had some imes ailed o crea e.

A lurking ques ion hroughou was: wha is differen abou humani arian leadership, ori he same as leadership in o her sec ors and wi h o her objec ives? While many generquali ies are he same, or example balancing s ra egic visioning and planning skills wicommunica ion and rela ional skills, here are also differences. Te humani arian sec or is by deni ion a an ex reme end o he spec rum where leadership decisions affec peoplives, heir survival and heir livelihoods in challenging and dangerous environmen s.

Te humani arian sys em is rela ively non-hierarchical, so consensus-building is cri ical,especially across agencies, and ofen under pressure o ime where speed o response is vi al. Te combined effec o hese dis inc ions is o give a par icular edge o opera iohumani arian leadership. And values lie a i s hear .


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Recommenda ionsTe message emerging rom his s udy is ha much more needs o be done in hein erna ional humani arian aid sec or he ocus o his s udy o os er opera ion

humani arian leadership. Tis has implica ions bo h or he cul ure o he in erna ionalhumani arian aid sec or, and or individual organisa ions. Developing effec ive leadershirequires engagemen and commi men a he highes level. We here ore make a numbo recommenda ions o chie execu ives and heir senior managemen eams. Ourrecommenda ions are presen ed according o he differen arge groups, includingindividuals in he sec or who aspire o develop heir leadership skills and po en ial.

For he in erna ional humani arian aid sec or(1) Te ndings o his s udy undamen ally challenge herisk-averse cul ure

ha has developed wi hin he in erna ional humani arian aid sec or. Atemp s s reng hen accoun abili y and increasing corpora ism have resul ed in a cul ureo compliance ha is s iing ini ia ive, risk- aking and ul ima ely leadership. Ileadership is o ourish beyond a ew courageous individuals, his cul ure has ochange. Tis has par icular implica ions or how donor governmen s and o her

unders asser heir accoun abili y requiremen s. Tis s udy recommends hacurren accoun abili y ini ia ives and compliance mechanisms be reviewed in

erms o he ex en o which hey discourage heal hy risk- aking and leadershipand o nd ways o modi ying accoun abili y procedures where necessary. We

would also sugges exploring wha can be learned rom organisa ions ha havesuccess ully ins illed a risk- aking cul ure, and how such a cul ure could bereplica ed.

(2) Te model o effec ive opera ional leadership ha emerges rom his s udyisa model o leader as hosra her han he heroic leader. Te case-s udyexamples indica e he value and bene s o collec ive leadership, and hepo en ial and impor an role o he individual leader in crea ing an environmenconducive o leadership and ini ia ive wi hin a wider eam. Te complexi y o

mos humani arian crises means ha his dis ribu ed or shared orm o leadershmay be more appropria e. Te s udy here ore recommends ha his model oopera ional leadership ha should be promo ed wi hin he sec or. As men ioned below, ur her work and explora ion is needed on collec ive leadership.

(3) Tere is an urgen need o inves more in na ional leadership. While he UNhas generally done mos o embrace diversi y i appears ha many in erna ionalNGOs and o her organisa ions have no ye gone ar enough, and ha i iss ill unusual or na ionally recrui ed s aff o move in o in erna ional leadership

roles and or heir leadership skills o be recognised. Ini ia ives like he CBHAsleadership developmen programme or na ionally recrui ed s aff could makean impor an con ribu ion, bu here is a sense ha more needs o be done, orexample hrough men oring and challenging assump ions albei no openlyexpressed abou he experience and skills o na ionally recrui ed s aff.


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For humani arian aid organisa ions commited o os ering and developingleadership

(4) Chie execu ives and senior managers should reec on whe her hey give heireld-based managers sufficien space o exercise heir leadership po en ial while

s ill engaging and challenging hose managers cons ruc ively in order o developand rene heir skills. S aff surveys and/or 360 appraisals could eed in o sucha review.

(5) Chie execu ives and heir senior managemen eams should also reviewheirorganisa ions appe i e or risk and how his encourages or holds

back heir eld-based managers. Finding he righ balance in encouraging

responsible risk- aking, iden i ying and learning rapidly rom mis akes, andproviding backing o eld-based s aff who ake ac ions, and risks, in he nameo he organisa ion hey work or, is an ar ra her han a science. Tis deservesconscious and regular review a a senior level. Once again, s aff surveys and360 appraisals could eed in o his. Responsible risk- aking also meansclari ying respec ive responsibili ies a differen levels, especially in erms o responsibili y o eld-based managers, and honouring and suppor ing s aff incarrying ou heir responsibili ies.

(6) Humani arian aid organisa ions and heir senior managemen eams mus re-assess heir incen ive sys emsin erms o wha is being valued. In erms omee ing he needs o he affec ed popula ion, wha is he appropria e balance be ween incen ivising compliance ( or example, wi h he agencys proceduresand nancial arge s), and incen ivising leadership (such as percep ive poli icalanalysis, building high-quali y rela ionships wi h key ac ors, developing innova ivopera ional responses)? Te ormer may be easier o measure in numeric erms, bu he later mus be given he recogni ion i deserves i he organisa ion wish

os er leadership.

(7) In erms orecrui men o eld-based managers, much grea er emphasis mus begiven o rela ional and communica ion skills (including poli ical skills), as well as

o echnical compe ence. Tis may require a re hinking o recrui men processes ob ain wider eedback rom ormer colleagues, eam members and line managerson such leadership quali ies han is normally he case.

(8) In erms oiden i ying leaders or par icular humani arian crises , acon ex -specic analysis o leadership needs is essen ial in order o iden i y he

appropria e balance o skills required. Te needs canno be generalised by dividingcrisis according o ype rapid-onse , conic , slow-onse e c. Key quali iesindica e versa ile leadership include sensi ivi y o con ex and being open

o learning.


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For leadership developmen programmes

(9) Leadership developmen should bepar o career developmen and s ar

early ra her han be a bol -on or more senior s aff. Tis means os ering anddeveloping leadership quali ies hrough raining, men oring and coaching.I also means encouraging a habi o reec ion o develop sel -awareness.Organisa ions can os er his by providing s ruc ured oppor uni ies orreec ion during and pos -deploymen . Al hough his is a challenge in a sec or

ha is ac ion-orien ed, making he space or reec ion will help o develop aleadership cul ure wi hin organisa ions.

(10) While manyleadership developmen programmes rely heavily on

compe ency rameworks, organisa ions are encouraged o recognise he widerange o leadership skills and quali ies ha are key o effec ive opera ionalhumani arian leadership and o avoid a reduc ionis or mechanis ic approach.Some imes i may be more appropria e o pu his range o skills oge her in a ra her han o expec an individual o have hem all.

(11) As his s udy has demons ra ed, modelling effec ive leadership can be apower ul and inspiring con ribu ion o such leadership developmen programmes.Te value o role models and men oring should be recognised and incorpora ed.

(12) As par o heir effor s o develop leadership, humani arian aid organisa ionsshould rain heir senior managers incoaching skills in order o os er heleadership po en ial o heir eams and o more junior s aff.

The implica ions or individual leaders

(13) Tis s udy provides an insigh in o he range and ypes o skills ha are neededin opera ional humani arian leadership, agains which individuals can assess heirown per ormance. Bu leadership ul ima ely depends upon how individuals bring

hemselves o his role and makes hese skills heir own.(14) Leadership s reng hs can also be weaknesses when pushed o an ex reme and i is

impor an or individual leaders o be aler o his. Developing leadership skills icon inuous process o reec ion, learning and sel -developmen .

Areas or ur her research

While his s udy has sough o cap ure he essence o opera ional humani arian leader

ocusing on wha was valued as leadership in a range o recen humani arian crises, anumber o issues emerged ha deserve ur her inves iga ion. Five are highligh ed here

(15) Te ndings o his s udy poin o some en a ive conclusions abou collec ivehumani arian leadership. Te examples o individual leadership indica e ha

he individuals abili y o crea e an environmen ha is conducive o collec ive


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leadership, par icularly hrough heir rela ional skills, was much valued. And heexamples o leadership ha was collec ive rom he ou se , in which he inueno one individual was harder o iden i y, hrow up some in eres ing lessons

abou how such collec ive leadership can work in prac ice, al hough each o ourexamples was clearly ime-bound. Tere is a need o explore he ex en o whichhis is a model o leadership or humani arian opera ions in he u ure. And i

so, how i can i be os ered. Te more ormal examples o collec ive opera ionalhumani arian leadership in prac ice, or example in UN Coun ry eams, wouldalso meri ur her analysis.

(16) As described above, risk- aking emerged as undamen al o opera ionalhumani arian leadership ye is a odds wi h he prevailing cul ure in many

humani arian organisa ions. Tis sugges s ha i may be a key poin o leverage irans orming organisa ional cul ures o become more conducive o leadership.

Te area also deserves ur her inves iga ion and research. For example, risk- aking by deni ion means he possibili y o making mis akes. A an individual level whmore can we learn abou how success ul leaders/ risk- akers learn rom heirmis akes and correc hem? A an organisa ional level, wha does a risk- akingcul ure mean in erms o how ailure is viewed and rela ed o learning? Wha is accep able hreshold o making mis akes, or ailing? And mos impor an o

wha needs o change so ha humani arian organisa ions reclaim and encourage arisk- aking cul ure ha is appropria e o he con ex s in which hey are opera

(17) Te difficul y ha his s udy aced in iden i ying examples o effec ive operahumani arian leadership where women played a key role is dis urbing. An analysiso he gender balance in eld-based managemen posi ions is needed, suppor ed by ur her inves iga ion in o possible barriers ha women (na ionally andin erna ionally recrui ed) ace in playing a leadership role in he eld. Tis couldexplore in grea er dep h he gender de erminan s o leadership.

(18) Te role o s ra egic leadership higher up an organisa ions hierarchy, in suppor ingopera ional humani arian leadership deserves ur her inves iga ion. Te s udy

ound some evidence o he power o his synergy, bu no on a sufficien scaleo make i possible o draw any general conclusions. O her examples should be

sough so ha lessons can be learned and success replica ed.

(19) Al hough his s udy warns agains some ypology o leadership skills ands yles or differen ypes o humani arian crisis, or example rapid-onse na ura

disas ers versus pro rac ed conic s, here is more work o be done on si ua ionhumani arian leadership and an individuals abili y o adap heir leadership s yledifferen con ex s.

Visi www.alnap.org o download he ALNAP S udy in ull and o join he deba e.


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