Leadership and Governance

The chapter investigates the role of leadership in good governance and the relationship between leadership and institutions. The important question of territorial governance is also covered, as are the pressures that geography puts on leaders in all spheres of action. The main skills introduced derive from Theory U and complexity science, including: (1) “presencing” the emerging future and crystallizing a cohesive vision and strategy; (2) the ability to rehearse for diverse governance environments and function in environments with weak information and high unpredictability; (3) strategic scanning skills that build the capacity to generate strategic maps of pressure points and risk scenarios; (4) lessons learned from leadership in post-conflict countries and preparedness to lead in conditions of conflict; and (5) approaches for working with tools under diverse potential futures. Through examples, the learner can investigate the values and behaviors that serve as a guide in making choices in challenging circumstances. There is exposure to the special cases of security and cohesion as well as territorial governance. Three case studies help the learner to extract leadership and governance lessons from post-conflict countries. These include Cameroon, Cäte d’Ivoire, and the Great Lakes Region. The chapter brings out theoretical materials on the approach to crystallizing ideas from multiple stakeholders, which requires skills of sensing and integrating into a strategy for action. Questions about the nature of leadership, ethics in public life, and how to practice in different governance settings round off this chapter.