Department of Public Policy and Administration

Cross-sector Approaches
to Leadership
Development
Dr. Jennifer Bremer
Public Policy and Administration Department
School of Global Affairs and Public Policy
Abu Dhabi – February 2010
 Department of Public Policy and Administration

Community leadership

• What is leadership?
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Community leadership

• What is leadership?
• What is community leadership development
– and why is it an effective approach?
 Department of Public Policy and Administration

Community leadership

• What is leadership?
• What is community leadership development
– and why is it an effective approach?
• Can this approach work in the Middle East?
– experience from Egypt
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The four elements of leadership

The leader recognizes that:

1. Action is necessary
2. Action is possible
3. S/he personally must act
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The four elements of leadership

4. The leader mobilizes others to

believe that:
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The four elements of leadership

4. The leader mobilizes others to

believe that:
• Action is necessary
• Action is possible
• They personally must act
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The rest is:

• Analysis
• Planning
• Management
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The rest is:

• Analysis
• Planning
• Management
All very necessary for success,
but distinct from leadership
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The rest is:

• Analysis
• Planning
• Management
All very necessary for success,
but distinct from leadership
BUT effective leaders have these skills
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What leadership is not

• Recognizing there is a problem
• Describing the problem ad nauseum
• Raising awareness about the problem
• Complaining that no one is doing anything
about the problem
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What leadership is not

• Recognizing there is a problem
• Describing the problem ad nauseum
• Raising awareness about the problem
• Complaining that no one is doing anything
about the problem
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How can leadership be developed?

• Analysis, planning, and management can
be taught
• But can leadership be taught?
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How can leadership be developed?

• Analysis, planning, and management can
be taught
• But can leadership be taught?
• NO
 Department of Public Policy and Administration

How can leadership be developed?

• Analysis, planning, and management can
be taught
• But can leadership be taught?
• NO
• But it can be developed
• People can learn skills that make them
more effective leaders and encourage
action
 Department of Public Policy and Administration

Community leadership development

• What is community leadership

development?
• Why is the community a good venue to
develop leadership?
• How can the community be used as a
venue to develop leadership?
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Community Leadership Development

A program that:
1. Brings together potential leaders from
business, civil society, and (sometimes)
government
2. Helps them to recognize the need to act by
educating them about the community’s needs
3. Helps them to recognize that action is possible
by showing them models for action
4. Builds skills needed for them to act
5. Creates a network for future collective action
 Department of Public Policy and Administration

Community Leadership in the U.S.

• Most major U.S. cities have community leadership
programs (1000 belong to the association)
• Most commonly organized by chambers of commerce,
sometimes independent or university-based
• Generally conduct one program over a nine-month
period
• Combine study of community problems and solutions
with skill development
• Encourage action, but rarely proceed themselves to
action
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Who participates?
• Varies from program to program
• Sometimes promising young managers
• Sometimes more senior government
leaders and officials
• Sometimes special categories, such as
women or minorities . or g/
w eb
w . cl a
• Always cross-sectoral : / / w w hp
ht t p faq . p
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The Community Development Triad

Community
Business
Partnership

Community Community
Leadership Group Foundation
 Department of Public Policy and Administration

The Community Development Triad

Community
Business
Builds skills Partnership
and
connections
Community Community
Leadership Group Foundation
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The Community Development Triad

Community
Business Channels
Partnership donor
funds to
local needs
Community Community
Leadership Group Foundation
 Department of Public Policy and Administration

The Community Development Triad

Mobilizes business to
promote economic Community
development Business
Partnership

Community Community
Leadership Group Foundation
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The NILE Project – an Egyptian pilot

• Aim: to launch the community leadership

development process
• Kenan Institute (part of UNC-Chapel Hill)
• Egyptian NGO Support Center
• SECID
• MEPI, then USAID
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Strategy
• Begin with community leadership
development program
• Encourage collaborative projects
• Encourage formation of ongoing groups
• Had gender focus (donor-driven)
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NILE I PARTICIPATION TOTALS

Participants Year 1 Year 2 Total

Total participants 155 308 463
Men 73 166 239
Women 82 142 224
NGOs 34 84 118
Business Sector 25 202 227
Donors 3 4 7
Government 3 39 42
Universities 2 8 10
Media 5 5 10
Governorates 4 5 5
Trainers 6 30 36
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Port Said
training, 2005

Master class, 2007

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Achievements
• Partnership between nonprofit leaders from El Arish and
the business leaders association in 6 October City to
promote workforce development among El Arish youth.
The 6 October investors association provided El Arish
youth with room and board as well as vocational training
for youth from North Sinai at the 6 October City
 investors' vocational training center.
• In Sohag, a community that started participating in NILE
programming in its last quarter, the local community
development association and an NGO signed a
cooperation protocol to train trainers from Suhag to
deliver training to youth on textile production.Port Said
training, 2005
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Achievements – new cities

• 0th of Ramadan City, a group of businessmen and
community members paid school tuitions for low-income
children from the community. The program is in its
second round, and during the 2006-2007 period, the
alliance has doubled the number (now 1500).
• Micro credit program initiated by the 6 October
businessmen’s association links community members
with entrepreneurial ideas with basic business funding
and mentors. In first two years, funded 50 poor families
to start their own businesses; had a 97% pay-back rate.
• Also, in 6 October City, an alliance between the business
investors and nonprofit providers led to the creation of a
vocational training center, which since June 2006, has
provided handicraft training to 25-plus women.