Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Centre for Democracy and Peace team

As we gather with loved ones to celebrate this festive season, let us take a moment to reflect on the world we share. We live in a world that can often feel divided, cruel, and unfair.

Yet, kindness, compassion, and empathy are gifts we all can give this Christmas; gifts that are capable of healing divides and rekindling the shared humanity that unites us.

At the Centre for Democracy and Peace we remain steadfast in our commitment to building a better future for all. We believe in the transformative power of small acts of kindness, meaningful collaboration, and a shared dedication to the greater good.

As we look ahead to 2025, let us make peace our greatest wish – a peace that begins within ourselves, radiates into our communities, and reaches every corner of the globe.

Thank you to all of our partners, colleagues, and members for your continued and vital support that make the work of CDP possible.

Merry Christmas, and may 2025 bring healing, harmony, and joy.

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Leadership and Climate

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In 2022, the Northern Ireland Assembly passed its first Climate Change Act, which set a target for a 100% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To meet this and other climate-related goals, leaders across a wide range of sectors—including business, government, agriculture, transportation, finance, and tourism—must work together to find sustainable, innovative, and fair solutions.

by Nicole Fintel

Last month, the Centre for Democracy and Peace hosted a conference that explored the intersection of climate change and democracy. Professor John Sweeney of Maynooth University explained that climate degradation, loss of land due to rising sea levels, and resource scarcity can lead to civil unrest and the destabilization of democracy. Additionally, climate change can lead to international conflict by increasing tensions between countries that produce the majority of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions (primarily in the Global North) and countries that suffer most from the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions (primarily in the Global South).

Likewise, Professor John Barry—a Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainability, Equality, and Climate Action at Queen’s University Belfast—emphasized that democracy in times of climate change requires a “just transition” to clean energy and sustainable practices. To achieve this “just transition,” according to Professor Barry, climate leaders need to:

  • Co-create transformation with all stakeholders, including businesses, farmers, policymakers, consumers, and faith communities
  • Create change with those affected, rather than impose change on those affected
  • Generate and maintain trust with communities and stakeholders
  • Learn from previous large-scale transformations, such as the implementation of the National Health Service
  • Democratize decision-making

    • Leaders must also address the societal disparities that are exacerbated by the climate crisis. The United Nations reports that women and children are 14 times more likely to die in natural disasters than men, and approximately 80% of individuals displaced by climate change are women and girls. Similarly, countries, communities, and individuals with limited access to wealth, healthcare, education, and infrastructure tend to be disproportionately harmed by the impacts of climate change.

    With effective climate leadership, the transition to net zero will be viewed not only as a means to secure a habitable and healthy planet for future generations, but as an opportunity to build a more just, prosperous, and inclusive economy and society.

    Nicole Fintel is a Pforzheimer Public Service Fellow, Harvard College, and Programme Co-Ordinator for CDP.

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    Jadwiga: Europe’s Female King at the Frontline of History | 17 October | Weston Library, Oxford

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    Join Professor Janina Ramirez to learn about the life, love and reign of the 14th-century Polish royal Jadwiga – one of only two female kings in Europe.

    This event is organised in collaboration between the Bodleian Libraries, the Centre for Democracy and Peace and the Polish Cultural Institute in London, to mark the inauguration of a Visiting Fellowship in Polish Studies at the Bodleian Libraries Special Collections.

    Jadwiga: Europe’s Female King at the Frontline of History

    • 17 October 2024 | 11.30am – 1pm
    • FREE, booking essential
    • Book HERE.

    About Professor Janina Ramirez

    Professor Janina Ramirez is a lecturer, researcher, author and broadcaster. She is Research Fellow in History of Art at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, and Visiting Professor in Medieval Studies at the University of Lincoln. Her most recent book, ‘Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages Through the Women Written out of it’, was an instant Sunday Times number one best-seller, Waterstones Book of the Month and Book of the Year.

    Janina is also an award-winning documentary-maker, with 15 years of writing and presenting for the BBC, Sky Arts and Arte. Her films include ‘The Search for the Lost Manuscript’, ‘Britain’s Millenium of Monasteries’, and ‘Chivalry and Betrayal: The Hundred Years War’. Her repeating series ‘Raiders of the Lost Past’ has included episodes on the Olmec Heads of Mexico, the Lion Man of Germany, and Tutankhamun in Egypt. She is a regular contributor to radio, having developed the series ‘Decoding the Masterworks’ and presenting for Front Row.

    Janina has taught at York, Warwick and Winchester Universities, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Oxford University.  She has published extensively, including monographs on The Private Lives of Saints, Julian of Norwich and Beowulf. She has also written a series of children’s novels and non-fiction, including Goddesses in collaboration with the British Museum. Her forthcoming book, ‘Legenda: A New History of Nation Building Through the Women at the Heart of It’, is due for release in July 2025 with Penguin-Random House.

    Janina is a patron of many organisations, including NSEAD, the Stained Glass Society and Oxford Festival of the Arts, and an ambassador for the Centre for Peace Keeping and Democracy. She is Lifetime President of Gloucester History Festival, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Society for the Arts.

    Fellows 2024-25

    Politicians, senior business leaders and public servants among 28 leaders announced as fourth cohort of the Fellowship Programme

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    A dynamic group of leaders from Northern Ireland society has been officially announced as the fourth cohort of the Centre for Democracy and Peace’s Fellowship Programme to reimagine leadership in Northern Ireland.

    Twenty-eight people who are already contributing significantly in political, business, civic society and public sector were selected after a competitive process to find the next stand-out leaders in the region.

    They were officially sworn in as the Class of 2025 in a special event at the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings on Tuesday morning which was attended by First Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA.

    The event was hosted by motivational speaker David Meade who got the new cohort into the spirit of collaboration with a unique team building exercise that saw them build prosthetic hands which will be donated to amputees in developing countries as part of the Give a Hand programme.

    This year saw another record number of applications for the Fellowship Programme, and the 28 people selected represent a diverse range of sectors with MLAs and councillors from the world of politics, CEOs and directors in the business world, as well as charities, health, education and civil service all represented.

    Over the seven-month programme, Fellows will harness the spirit of possibility, deepen their capacity and navigate through complexity by engaging with important issues.

    The Fellowship Programme is supported by the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Irish American Partnership, as well as some of Northern Ireland’s biggest employers including Allstate NI, Camlin Group, FinTrU, Fujitsu NI, NIE Networks and Ulster Carpets.

    Congratulating this year’s Fellowship cohort,  First Minister Michelle O’Neill said:

    “I want to congratulate the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building for delivering this innovative Fellowship Programme. It is brilliant to see that leaders from across society are being supported in this way and given this opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills. Everything we do must also be about building a better future and improving the lives of everyone who lives here. As leaders we all have a responsibility to create hope, opportunity, and meaningful change.”

    Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said:

    “Congratulations to the leaders taking part in this year’s Fellowship Programme. This programme is aimed at inspiring the next generation of leaders who will be instrumental when it comes to building a future defined by peace and prosperity. I have no doubt participants will develop the skills they need to help deliver real change for the benefit of everyone and I look forward to hearing about their progress in the months ahead.”

    Chair of Centre for Democracy and Peace, Baroness Margaret Ritchie said of the Fellowship Programme’s commencement:

    “I welcome all the participants on this year’s Fourth Fellowship Programme which offers an opportunity for all participants to develop their leadership skills and expertise, working with colleagues from across a wide variety of disciplines both in the public and private sector as well as civic society.

    “The Fellowship offers an opportunity through such expert training to ensure that all those taking part can help to strengthen our democratic institutions in N Ireland with a renewed sense of confidence and vigour. That is the real value of the Fellowship Programme.”

    Fellowship Advisory Board Chair, Darragh McCarthy, added:

    “We are delighted to be celebrating the launch of the 2024/25 Centre for Democracy and Peace’s Fellowship Programme. This year’s cohort sees leaders from a range of professional and community backgrounds come together to embark on an exciting journey – focusing on our shared sense of responsibility and opportunity.

    “It is an honour to have been appointed the Chair of the Fellowship Programme Advisory Board and I am excited for this year’s edition. The spirit of possibility that the fellows will be able to harness through our bespoke sessions and residentials will empower these leaders from across the political, business, and civic sectors.

    “As we enter the fourth year of the Fellowship Programme, I wish the 2024/25 fellows the very best of luck and look forward to working with them over the course of the coming months.”

    Leadership and focus

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    Focus, focus, Fcous. CDPB programme manager Zachary Hutchinson asks the question, “how do I minimise the risk of leading myself and others in the wrong direction?

    Did you watch the Olympics this year?

    As the nations descended on Paris, many of us in our offices and at home took up the mantle of an expert in lesser known sports: the 10m synchronized diving, mountain biking, and fencing to name a few. Another example is shooting. Who knew you could be so invested in a sport you watch once every four years? Part of becoming an expert for the month involves researching likely gold medal winners, up and
    coming talents, and some of the sport’s historic moments.

    Perhaps the most infamous moment in Olympic shooting came in Athens in 2004, when twenty-three year old American Matthew Emmons made worldwide news with his performance in the men’s 50m rifle three-position final. Having already won gold in another category two days earlier, Emmons’ momentum carried on as he established a significant lead over his nearest opponent. As his final shot approached, he focused in on his target, going through the motions like he had done throughout the Olympics and the countless hours of training before that. Emmons fired his rifle. He looked up at the target to see his shot had secured him another gold.

    But then he looked up at the scoreboard: ‘Emmons – 0’. He shot at his opponent’s target. Matthew Emmons would go on to finish eighth and travel back to Browns Mills, New Jersey, with only one gold medal around his neck. The Independent in the UK reported at the time, “Matthew Emmons is a trained accountant, but he got his numbers terribly wrong yesterday.” How could an expert in focusing on precise details make such a monumental error?

    Leaders can become so intently focused on professional – and personal – targets that they hit the incorrect one. Out of an admirable desire to lead with strength and health, to achieve success, and gain influence, leaders can lead themselves and others to the wrong destination (or target); both metaphorically, and in some cases, literally.

    The question, however, is not “how do I know what the right direction is?” Rather, we must ask of ourselves, “how do I minimise the risk of leading myself and others in the wrong direction?”

    There is no correct answer. However, here are two malleable suggestions that have immensely shaped how I lead myself and others.

    Number one: Get someone to ask the hard questions.

    Someone that helps us ask the right questions of ourselves is vital to ensure we lift our head above the parapet and evaluate where we are and where we are going. Whether it be a family member, close friend, or professional colleague, having someone ask the hard questions will prevent you learning the hard way. They can help you navigate your target and change direction if necessary.

    Number two: Take time to reflect.

    Leadership can be all consuming. To consistently maintain strong performance and lead others requires time, effort, and energy. But if you fail to take time to reflect you will be unable to steer, keeping your head down – going from one meeting to the next, or one leader’s retreat to the next – hurdling towards a target you can’t even remember is the right one. It is important to regularly carve out space to take time to reflect.

    To take a moment and evaluate where you are and where you are going. To review your inner compass. Often this practice is best executed as a rhythm. It can be as simple as taking ten minutes every day and one hour every week, to pause, reflect, and assess if the target you are aiming for – or the direction you are leading in – is actually the correct one.

    Regardless of whether you are a successful leader, or a struggling one, we must all ensure we minimise the risk of leading ourselves and others in the wrong direction.

    It does not matter if you won a gold medal two days ago.

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    Reimagining leadership: being open to insight will help us pave the way to a brighter future

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    Dorinnia Carville, Comptroller and Auditor General, Northern Ireland Audit Office

    Leadership is often perceived as a final destination, a pinnacle reached after years of experience and hard work. However, I believe it’s how you approach the journey that sets you apart and to be an agent for change you must embrace opportunities to learn from others.

    I gained great insight and perspective from taking part on a recent development programme. The power of collaboration across sectors was evident on the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building’s Fellowship Programme. Participants have the unique opportunity to engage with professionals from various sectors — community, business, political, and more — creating a rich tapestry of expertise and insights.

    Meeting people from a range of sectors that I wouldn't ordinarily deal with made me realise that they are dealing with the same issues. There was lots of shared learning.

    This cross-sector networking is particularly valuable in a place like Northern Ireland, a region so small that there is no excuse for silo working and not having joined up approaches to societal challenges.

    I found working with people at different career stages to be a formative experience. I probably learned most from some of the people who were at the early stages of their career because they just had very different approaches, very different ways of looking at things.

    This made me appreciate the traits of modern leadership: the ability to adapt and integrate new perspectives, especially from younger generations who bring fresh ideas and a deeper understanding of contemporary tools and trends. It’s a reminder that effective leadership is not just about imparting knowledge, but also about being open to receiving it from all quarters.

    A transformative approach to leadership is what is needed in Northern Ireland if we are to progress past the usual stumbling blocks. By valuing continuous learning, embracing cross-sector collaboration, and integrating fresh perspectives, we can reimagine and redefine what it means to lead in today’s society and pave the way for a brighter future.

    To learn more about the Fellowship Programme and apply, visit our website.

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    Leadership and Groundedness

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    By Alannah Millar

    People often ask me if Russia’s political atmosphere felt different. They are often so curious because it is so uniquely Russian. Leadership in Russia is culturally specific, but it is not in touch with the masses and its Achilles Heel is the fact that it is so separated from the experiences of many.

    When I lived in St Petersburg, the political machine seemed miles away. So far away I had no opportunity to get involved nor could it really affect my everyday. Putin was but a figment somewhere very far away; his leadership came from miles above. Moscow and its politics seemed far away from the daily concerns of the local St Petersburgite. Even when Putin did visit St Petersburg, no ordinary citizens were disturbed or were able to reach him. He was cocooned away, safely shuttled between sites.

    Don’t get me wrong, some leadership felt very real and pressing. The police presence on the streets and at every metro stop made my heart leap into my throat every time I passed them, my head physically bowing to avoid eye contact. But in general, any form of political leadership seemed untouchable. Even the city’s federal politics did not seem to disturb everyday life in the city. Decisions were made by the City Council, but it did little to make changes to the everyday life of most citizens in the city. And the decisions that did alter everyday life were hardly pleasant, such as introduction of partial mobilisation, which forcibly rounded up 300,000 men to join the fight in Ukraine.

    At his annual New Year conference, where Putin was questioned by journalists, questions swirled over economics, foreign policy, military positions, and other questions which seemed so complex as to confound even political commentators. Despite speaking Russian fluently, it was one of the only times where I really felt like I needed a translator. The one representative, who seemed indicative of the masses asked a question which seemed at odds with the rest of the ceremony, meekly asking why the price of groceries had risen so much, citing that a bag of carrots had tripled in price in the last year. Putin seemed to shrug, as if the question was none of his concern, offered a litany of pretentious apologies and empty promises and moved on.

    Putin’s politics are based on his untouchability. No one can criticise or alter his plans because of it, but it also leaves everyone else with no input and no sense that the end product has been created together. He goes it alone. Putin bases his leadership on the idea of him as a single figure and he operates a high-power distance style of leadership.

    But that untouchability is a fault.

    Leadership should be grounded with lived experience and should engage and interact with more than those at the top of the pecking order. Leadership should not be constrained by cultural myths and history. It is largely presumed that Russia cannot function without a strong autocratic leader. With its long history of tyrants, tsars, and dictators, many believe that Russia must have a strong, centralised, autocratic power. However, to excuse Putin’s regime as a necessary form of leadership in Russia is to be lulled into delusion.

    This belief is proven wrong by the strong Russian support for opposition leaders, who offer a vision of a future for Russia in which leadership is drastically changed. They offer a leadership which is in touch with the grassroots, in touch with the everyday problems of the people. The Russian opposition has no one monolithic leader. It is fractured and splintered, with gloriously imperfect factions and internal divisions. Each individual has flaws and is marked by their experience with the community they live in. And that is partly the glory of the system.

    Alexei Navalny, for example, chose to go back to Russia, to be amongst his community, risking arrest and further persecution after he was taken to Berlin after being poisoned. He did so because he did not believe in leading from afar; Alexei wanted to be in amongst the community and with his people. He presented himself as one of us, not one of them.

    Leadership should not be detached from the everyday concerns, but rather root itself in its team. After his death, Alexei’s wife Yulia Navalnaya queued for six hours to vote in the Russian embassy in Berlin. She was in amongst the crowd and did not ask for special treatment. She was seen, felt, and heard by the Russian community.

    Leadership at all levels – whether it be in national institutions, regional organisations, or local businesses – should be easily accessible, and inclusive. It should not feel elusive and far away, but here, now, and real. It should concern itself with the cost of carrots.

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    Leadership and the constellation

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    By Charlotte Finlay

    The time for heroes in leadership is over.

    Traditionally, the leadership literature landscape has heavily featured a dominant individual perspective: the hero leader figure. Even today, the understanding of leadership often ends up with a blurred distinction between hero and leader as leadership is still often perceived as an individual level phenomenon. But the time for heroes has been fading away and a new understanding of leadership is emerging. Leadership mustn’t be confused with a leader or set of leaders. Indeed, the two are very different. When we consider leadership, a leader may spring to our minds, yet leadership will rarely play out solely on an individual level; rather leadership is a complex and dynamic process.

    This leads us to the question; how should we view leadership today? Let me introduce a new understanding of the phenomena to consider. Leadership is a collective, social process, best practiced in a constellation. In this context, the term constellation describes a group of leaders from the public, private, and third sectors of society to achieve a future goal. In Northern Ireland this plurality of leaders is needed given the complex challenges we face, but this leadership is also needed beyond Northern Ireland and across the globe.

    I have been privileged to witness this leadership constellation in action over the last eight months, while observing and taking part in the CDPB’s Fellowship Programme, as part of my PhD research into cross-sectoral leadership. The programme brings leaders across Northern Ireland together, representing the different sectors of society, with leaders from business, politics, and the community and voluntary sector. These leaders have come together to work collectively, across sectors, to create change in Northern Ireland. The programme is underpinned by the spirit of possibility, which is what I have found to be true in watching collective leadership unfold over the last eight months.

    In a recent interview one of the leaders shared their thoughts on leading with those from different sectors, and they posed these questions,

    What is in the interest of the person opposite me? And is there a space that we can reach in between? Or instead of going off in parallel lines, can we create a perpendicular moment where we come together further down the line?

    Leadership is a collective, social process and is therefore highly relational. Social Capital Theory is about the value of social networks. Put simply, it refers to the connections and the interactions between people. And these networks, connections, and interactions matter. Research tells us that good, strong Social Capital has enormous benefits on society, and how we fill the space that exists between us determines the strength of the Social Capital we build. Every day, we will experience leadership gaps. Where do these gaps exist? They exist between us as leaders and how we fill those gaps determines the strength of the Social Capital we build.

    So, how do we avoid going off in parallel lines? How can we narrow the gap, reaching into the space between? Based on what I have observed through the Fellowship Programme this year, we narrow the gap by all of us showing up at the leadership table, choosing to participate in the constellation, and building relationships across sectors.

    Collaborating well and solving complex societal problems requires a constellation of leaders, working together within a social process. To finish, I love this quote from Warren Bennis almost thirty years ago, who summarised this need for leadership and the constellation when he wrote:

    None of us is as smart as all of us. In a society as complex and technologically sophisticated as ours, the most urgent projects require the coordinated contributions of many talented people. The richer the mix of people, the more likely that new connections will be made. We must recognise a new paradigm: not great leaders alone but great leaders who exist in a fertile relationship with a Great Group (Bennis, 1997, P. 202).

    More is still to be discovered when it comes to cross-sectoral leadership, yet one thing remains true in the pursuit of a better leadership for the future, which encapsulates the reason for the Fellowship Programme; that “We came here to do something, together” (Godin, 2023).

    To conclude, as leaders, let’s remember leadership is not found in leaders alone, but is found in a process of learning with others, for the greater good of society. Let’s consider leadership and the constellation. For in narrowing the gap, in this perpendicular moment, there lies a spirit of possibility for leadership today, tomorrow, and for the future.

    Charlotte Finlay is a PhD candidate at Ulster University

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    Bibliography

    • Bennis, W.G. and Biederman, P. (1997) Organizing genius: the secrets of creative collaboration. London: Nicholas Brealey.
    • Bolden, Richard & Hawkins, Beverley & Gosling, Jonathan & Taylor, Scott. (2012). Exploring Leadership: Individual, Organizational and Societal Perspectives. Human Resource Management International Digest. 20. 10.1108/hrmid.2012.04420gaa.013.
    • By, R.T. (2021) Leadership: In Pursuit of Purpose. Journal of Change Management, 21 (1), 30-44.
    • David V Day (2000) Leadership development: A review in context – ScienceDirect. Leadership Quarterly, 11 (4), 581-613.
    • Dunoon, D. (2016) Reimagining leadership – and its relationship with management – for the public sector. International Journal of Public Leadership, 12 (2), 94-111.
    • Empson, L. (2017) Leading professionals: power, politics, and prima donnas. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    • Eva, N., Wolfram Cox, J., Tse, H.H.M. and Lowe, K.B. (2021) From competency to conversation: A multi-perspective approach to collective leadership development. The Leadership Quarterly, 32 (5), 101346.
    • Friedrich, T.L., Vessey, W.B., Schuelke, M.J., Ruark, G.A. and Mumford, M.D. (2009) A framework for understanding collective leadership: The selective utilization of leader and team expertise within networks. The Leadership Quarterly, 20 (6), 933-958.
    • Godin, S, (2023) The Song of Significance. Portfolio.
    • Hardy, M. (2022) Responding to Turbulent Times: Where Does Leadership Come In? New England Journal of Public Policy, 34 (2), 1-9.
    • Putnam, R.D.(.D. (2000) Bowling alone: the collapse and revival of American community. New York: Simon & Schuster.
    • Terry, V.(.1.)., Rees, J.(.2.). and Jacklin-Jarvis, C.(.2.). (2021) The difference leadership makes? Debating and conceptualising leadership in the UK voluntary sector. Voluntary Sector Review, 11 (1), 99-111.

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    Leadership and integrity

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    By Dominic O’Reilly, Fellow Class of 2021

    I was reminded of the etymology of the word integrity when I discussed flooding in Downpatrick, County Down, with my dad in November of last year. It comes from the Latin integrum, which means to stay intact, or remain whole.

    Questions were swirling over how small, family run businesses who were affected by the flooding would survive. Even if the flood water had been drained, the structural integrity of the building and roads surrounding may have been affected. They wouldn’t be able to hold together, or hold their own weight, without breaking.

    I thought about applying the same criteria to people, and to leaders. Our integrity is tested in times of difficulty and challenge, in times of flooding. Our ability to withstand the internal and external pressures without buckling is an accurate measurement of our mettle.

    But how often do we think about integrity, about how we would remain intact? It would be foolish for those in leadership positions to take a wait and see approach. To only realise just how resilient their integrity is when tested. We often see that leaders (whether in business, politics, or civic society) who do take this approach buckle, unable to withstand pressure when tested; so-called great leaders no longer.

    This cycle of leadership is often taken as an inevitable part of life. But I believe that those who assume a leadership role should be continuously assessing their integrity: their ability to withstand. This requires a considerable level of introspection and self-awareness, and is often measured through our interactions with others. Integrity is found in how we respond to challenging conversations, in our desire to grow, and in the criticism which we may face.

    Leaders should not call all the shots or make all the decisions themselves, however. The weight of the world does not rest solely on their shoulders. Leaders should not be isolated or lonely, but rather help others develop and foster leadership in others. Of course, there will be moments when a leader must make a decision for themselves, but in those challenging times we find that our leadership skills are strengthened as we go through a period of soul-searching.

    Just as the pilgrim Dante was helped by Virgil in his quest through hell, a structurally sound leader needs the help of others. Virgil acted not only as a guide, but also as a teacher, a voice of reason, and at times, a critic.

    In connecting with our community, in depending on them for help and guidance, we become better leaders. We should find inspiration in previous leadership, learning from their mistakes, and continue to teach the next generation. Perhaps this is the greatest test of any leader’s integrity: knowing when to pass the mantle on.

    In passing on their own knowledge, a leader leaves the stage with their integrity intact. And they will be held in high regard by future generations. Just as Dante viewed Virgil. Just as I view my dad.

    If we can learn from those who guide us, and the difficulties we face – whether they be floods, a political party in decline, or a school struggling to budget – we too can pass through hell like Dante, and emerge with our integrity intact: “pure and disposed to mount unto the stars.”

    By Dominic O’Reilly, Fellow Class of 2021

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    CDPB announces its blog series Leadership And

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    In this first blog we introduce the series Leadership And, answering why robust guidance for leadership in 2024 is more important than ever.

    Leaders push forward in times of complexity

    We find ourselves in a cultural moment of complexity and uncertainty as domestic and global challenges continue to mount with no end in sight, four of which stand out. First, it is a critical year for climate change as TIME has named 2024 the year for exponential climate action.

    Second, the increase of conflict worldwide is unavoidable, with conflict prevention expert Paul Stares stating, “the trend toward less armed conflict around the world is now moving in the opposite direction.” Whether it is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leadership is required more than ever.

    Another precarious challenge is the economy. Economists anticipate the global economy to weaken in 2024, and accompanied with a cost of living crisis at home threatening the most vulnerable in society, the decisions made by our leaders from across society – not just in parliamentary chambers and executive tables – will echo for generations to come.

    Finally, democracy itself appears to be in crisis. This year has been dubbed the year of voting, with more than two billion people around the world heading to the polls in 2024. Quite simply it is the biggest election year in history. And yet, democracy has never felt so fragile; it seems to be on the ballot itself. Research from Our World in Data recently published statistics that suggest democracy is backsliding at a substantial rate. Moreover, published data shows that the number of democratic states worldwide has fallen, fewer people are living in democracies, and people have fewer democratic rights.

    In light of these challenges, leaders are being scrutinised more than ever as their character and competency are consistently called into question from various corners of society. According to research from Jon Stokes and Sue Dopson at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, trust in leadership is at an all-time low and leaders must prove themselves in order to gain respect.

    This is the moment for leaders to step up and not bend the knee to the challenges facing all of us. In these uncertain times, healthy and constructive leadership must be parsed out to steer us to calmer waters and push forward. We need pioneering leaders that actively take steps towards a better future through addressing the issues of the present through innovation and cooperation.

    The aim of Leadership And

    At the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building (CDPB), we believe in eco-leadership: leadership that focuses on the collective, that does not withhold knowledge, and instead chooses to empower communities by encouraging information sharing. Research by Dopson and Stokes sums it up perfectly: “Leadership is a conversation, a way of talking about things with people, at all levels, within and beyond.” We do not hope with this series to prescribe answers. Rather we aim to facilitate creative thinking within a broader audience. Leadership is about equipping a collective to seek innovative solutions to complex problems. By providing in-depth leadership guidance from experts, CDPB hopes to develop leaders’ capacity and foster a positive culture of connectedness in which we all can work together to solve issues and lead better.

    Over the next few months, the Leadership And series will curate adept opinions on various facets of leadership, creating an accessible, intertwined database of lived experience and science from leaders from across the globe. We will look at topics such as leadership and integrity, leadership and dignity, and leadership and complexity. In our commitment to diversity of opinion, we will invite friends and associates of CDPB who possess an extensive track record of leadership to join the series as a guest writer and share their insights.

    Leadership is not prescriptive and by examining many opinions we open ourselves up to new creative forms of thinking.

    We look forward to having you on this journey with us.

    The CDPB team

    Bibliography

    “Chief Economists Outlook: January 2024.” World Economic Forum, 15 Jan. 2024.

    “Countries That Are Democracies and Autocracies.” Our World in Data.

    “Electoral Democracy Index.” Our World in Data.

    Herre, Bastian. “The World Has Recently Become Less Democratic.” Our World in Data, 6 Sept. 2022.

    “People Living in Democracies and Autocracies.” Our World in Data.

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