1 / 13

The complexity of leadership in an International Non-Governmental Organisations

The complexity of leadership in an International Non-Governmental Organisations. Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs 9 March 2010 Dr Colm Ó Cuanacháin. Contested leadership in membership based organisations - Amnesty as a Movement.

moses
Download Presentation

The complexity of leadership in an International Non-Governmental Organisations

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The complexity of leadership in an International Non-Governmental Organisations Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs 9 March 2010 Dr Colm Ó Cuanacháin

  2. Contested leadership in membership based organisations -Amnesty as a Movement • Challenges from within, as stakeholders use different understandings to legitimise different directions • Questions from outside, as partners and observers feel they have legitimate space to question a big players • No bottom line, and the lack of good measurement of impact, means a lack of steerage. • The tyranny of multiple urgent (life or death) priorities and interestes with high expectations of the relatively well resourced players How leaders in global organisations embrace and react to these real challenges defines the level of success in the organisation.

  3. Amnesty International: a multi-site, multi-governed organisation 2.8 million members 10 million plus activists 500 staff at IS 1500 at country level

  4. Balancing the internal and external legitimacies The strength, capacity, credibility, and validity that is inherent in a membership base of 2.8 million is invaluable. There is a cost to democracy, and an internally oriented resource requirement that must be balanced. There can be a tendency to overvalue internal audiences at the expense of external reality and other legitimate voices. Management of change, of conflict and of operations is more complex, more demanding, yet the management toolbox is underdeveloped. The organisational history, culture, and weight the comes with the territory in Amnesty can be difficult to navigate, slow to change, and can be self-serving if not managed provocatively.

  5. The conundrum of multiple accountabilities The complexity and multiple layers of accountability can overload and the resultant bureaucracy can undermine leadership, decision making and effectiveness. The solution for Amnesty lies in strengthening leadership - management with governance - and looking at the people and process side, not just on the systems and structures. It is impossible to provide the necessary legitimacy, control, responsibility and responsiveness across all these axes!

  6. The dilemma! • If we don’t get the balance right… • If we don’t manage the conundrum… We are less likely to achieve our vision or to effectively address human rights violations! • And we change more slowly… • React ineffectively… • And learn less…

  7. Trying to get the balance rightLeadership = Governance + Management GovernanceManagement Set vision and mission Develop strategy for specific area of work StrategicOperational The energy line! Hire staff, approve activities Spokesperson, representation

  8. The Energy Line • The grey zone where roles and functions of volunteers/board members can be confused with staff/management is the centre-point of leadership conflict in membership based NGOs • It is also the nerve centre, where organisations can be at their most effective and most innovative • The win-win situation is where volunteers and staff lead as one! But this is dependent on strong organisational policies, robust processes, and great people!

  9. Investing in People Leadership is about keeping the focus on the people, the processes and policies. And not becoming fixated on the systems, structures and shape. Its about attracting, keeping and nurturing people with the attitudes, understands and skills needed.

  10. Process management • Managing expectations • Managing inclusion and participation • Managing learning and knowledge • Managing processes and policies • Managing planning and phasing • Managing relations and partnerships • Managing conflict and change This requires a strong and shared organisation wide planning and prioritisation process!

  11. How does Amnesty plan together: international, national & global Integrated Strategic Plan • Global key directions • The changes we seek • The way we must work • The innovation we expect • The resources we will mobilise Strategic The global direction! Global priority statement Operational The global glue! • Global operational projects • Resourced from both international/IS & national budgets • Delivered by IS &/or national entities Global work International work IS specific work Local work International work Global work Sections’ Operational plans IS Operational plan

  12. …and the plug! Join Amnesty International, and make a difference! www.aiusa.org

More Related