Recent scholarly investigations have focused on the subjects of leadership and loneliness. Assuming a leadership role, whether in a professional or personal context, might result in experiencing isolation and loneliness as a consequence of the burden of duty. While individuals not in a leadership position may not readily recognize these phenomena, it is a surprisingly common experience for many leaders to feel lonely on a daily basis.

According to a Harvard Business Review article, more than 50% of CEOs experience sensations of loneliness, and a significant 61 percent believe that this negatively impacts their work. Leader isolation poses a significant issue. This phenomenon is especially applicable to newly appointed leaders and those selected from a group of peers to assume a formal leadership role.

Several studies have demonstrated that the experience of loneliness can have a detrimental effect on the performance of a leader, resulting in diminished motivation, reduced job satisfaction, and reduced productivity. Effective leaders must possess awareness of this phenomenon and establish robust relationships both within and beyond the workplace in order to mitigate these consequences. It is crucial to allocate time towards establishing relationships with peers and actively seeking out mentors in order to prevent falling into the cycle of loneliness.

Loneliness was experienced by the Savior.

It has always been such. The cost of leadership is isolation. Conscientiousness comes at the cost of solitude. Adhering to principle incurs the drawback of solitude. I believe it is inevitable. The Redeemer of the world was a human being who existed in isolated solitude. His statement: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20) is the epitome of loneliness, encapsulated in immense tragedy.

An unparalleled image in history is that of the Savior supine on the cross, the sole Redeemer of humanity, the Redeemer of the world, accomplishing the Atonement, the Son of God enduring the sins of humanity. While contemplating this matter, I am reminded of a comment articulated by Channing Pollock: “Judas, with his thirty pieces of silver, was a failure.” The crucifixion of Christ was the epitome of temporal and eternal significance.

An Aspiration and Invocation for All Leaders

May God grant you the courage to walk without fear, even in solitude, and to see within your hearts the tranquillity that arises from aligning one’s life with principles, the “peace of God, which passed all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), which I humbly beseech as I leave with you my testimony and evidence of the divine nature of this sacred endeavour. Furthermore, as a servant of the Lord, I bestow upon you every happiness as you progress in your lives towards abundant and remarkably productive experiences, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I am deeply grateful to the following people for how they have impacted on my academic development and professional life. May God richly bless you. Thank you.

Hannes Leroy (Professor in Leadership Development)

Amy C. Edmondson

Jim Detert  (WCAI)

Moran Anisman-Razin

Daan van Knippenberg

Daan Stam

Inga Hoever

Drew Carton

Stephanie Creary

Serena Chen

Bart Dietz

Andrew Martin

Anne Nederveen-Pieterse

Mandy O’Neill

Lumumba B. Seegars

Jing Wu

Jia Wei Zhang

Sigal Barsade (of Blessed Memory and a model)

Dirk van Dierendonck

Mathijs van Dijk (Professor of Financial Markets)

Pursey Heugens (My PhD External Assessor)

Sim Sitkin (Duke University, USA)

Ronit Kark

Blake Ashforth

Lukas Meijs (Volunteering, Civil Society, and Businesses)

Emmanuel K. Yiridoe

Brian J. Lucas and Brian Lucas (Cornell University)

Goski Alabi ( A colleague and a friend in academia)

Abednego Feehi Okoe Amartey (UPSA)

George Babu (an avid researcher, teacher and traveller)

Jorn Lyseggen (Meltwater Entrepreneurship School of Technology)

Onno Akkermans (Financial Consultant AVE Begeleiding)

Reflection allows one to get a broader understanding of an experience by placing it in a larger context.   Reflective thinking transforms one’s experiences into valuable insights.   (John Maxwell).

Reflection encompasses various interpretations among individuals. However, it is widely acknowledged that it is a highly esteemed form of thinking. Reflection has been widely adopted in higher education, especially in social work schools, as a beneficial method to help students develop the habit of deriving significance from their (intercultural) experiences.   Reflection is particularly beneficial for students during their practical placements, whether they are in their home country or abroad. It allows them to mindfully examine their role, actions, and duties, and critically evaluate and comprehend the observations and tasks they are engaged in (and connect them to theoretical knowledge).   Reflection is presented as a crucial tool for students to learn from the numerous paradoxes and intricate complexity they encounter in today’s social landscape.   The primary objective is to cultivate transferable talents that are applicable throughout one’s life and not limited to specific contexts, enabling individuals to perform more efficiently in challenging professional circumstances.   Reflective practice is deeply ingrained in the social work field and is becoming more prevalent in other caring professions including teaching.

The majority of perspectives on reflection in education are derived from the contributions of John Dewey (1910), an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer who is frequently acknowledged as the progenitor of reflective practice.   He expressed the idea that our learning does not come directly from experience, but rather from the process of reflecting on our experiences.   Reflection typically encompasses various components, such as interpreting an experience, revisiting a (critical) incident multiple times, adopting a more objective stance to gain a clearer viewpoint, seeking a deeper comprehension, striving for increased candour, evaluating both positive and negative aspects, and making impartial assessments.

Finlay provides a succinct overview of reflective practice, stating that it is often regarded as the process of acquiring new insights about oneself and/or one’s activity through learning from and reflecting on past experiences.   This frequently entails scrutinizing the underlying assumptions of common routines.   Furthermore, it typically requires the individual practitioner to engage in self-reflection and carefully assess their own reactions to practice scenarios.   The objective is to reflect on practical experiences and analyze them in a critical manner in order to acquire new insights and enhance future performance.   This is commonly recognized as an integral aspect of the ongoing process of acquiring knowledge and skills during one’s entire life. The source cited is Finlay (2008).

Interactions between different cultures and the resulting complexities often create chances for introspection.   In the contemporary era, it is unnecessary to travel outside one’s own nation in order to encounter circumstances that challenge one’s intercultural sensitivity.   The increasing interconnectedness of individuals across borders has led to a growing recognition of the need to cultivate a capacity for comprehending diverse cultures, which is now being acknowledged in several domains of society.   There is a growing recognition among individuals that having knowledge and skills related to different cultures and the ability to interact effectively across cultures are essential in the modern globalized and interconnected society.

Acquiring intercultural competences cannot be achieved through a solitary course.   Acquiring the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to effectively interact, collaborate, and learn from individuals of different cultural backgrounds requires a significant investment of time and effort.   Utilizing arts-based and action-oriented methods is a valuable and captivating approach in this regard.   These inclusive approaches promote interpersonal communication, allowing individuals to engage in collaborative and organized endeavours with individuals from diverse backgrounds or various regions of Europe or the globe.   Engaging in lively, dynamic activities (such as dancing) or artistic pursuits (such as photography or music creation) within small, diverse groups allows individuals to interact with others in a welcoming and all-encompassing manner.   Several of these methodologies have already been employed in diverse environments to foster a sense of ease and familiarity among individuals in a novel group, context, or team, serving as effective means to initiate social interaction.   Similarly, they can be effectively utilized in cross-cultural environments.

When creating stimulating activities for a varied group, a facilitator must consider how each individual is expected to respond. Will participants feel at ease and comfortable? Will they perceive the activity as suitable and valuable? Will they feel encouraged to participate? Will the activity promote fairness, such as by forming a circle?   While it is necessary to create programs that involve arts and action, it is even more crucial to engage in reflection on these experiences.   Merely having experience does not automatically result in learning; individuals acquire knowledge via thoughtful contemplation of their experiences, which is where the true worth of the action is formed.   Often, a straightforward approach involves conducting a basic “check-out” or posing an open-ended question, such as: What will be your main takeaway from this intercultural activity?   May already elicit useful introspective insights from the individual participants (and question their initial assumptions).

In addition, the act of collectively discussing these introspective thoughts within an international group environment has the potential to be even more valuable, as it can result in more meaningful and impactful exchanges.   As a component of a broader initiative, a sequence of these activities, which combine artistic elements and proactive approaches, continuously culminate with thought-provoking inquiries and introspective instances. This can foster and empower participants to embrace a more contemplative mindset and improve their ability to engage in reflection.   Indeed, it has the potential to facilitate contemplation regarding forthcoming intercultural interactions (or cooperation), so fostering intercultural skills.

References:

Dewey, J. (1910) How we think. E-book on Project Gutenberg.

Finlay, L. (2008) Reflecting on reflective practice. PBPL paper 52 ; A discussion paper prepared for PBPL CETL (www.open.ac.uk/pbpl).

Anja Stofberg (2018). Reflecting on intercultural experiences. Rotterdam University of Applied Science. Retrieved from https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/reflecting-intercultural-experiences.

Abstract

Although there is undeniable proof of the efficacy of certain initiatives, the peacebuilding sector as a whole has challenges in making a substantial influence on wider conflict dynamics.   In order to create and effectively showcase such a significant influence, it is crucial to have extensive cooperation, mutual learning, and unified systems for evaluating progress among peacebuilding participants.   Collective impact strategies have been successfully introduced in several disciplines, but they have not yet garnered substantial momentum within the peacebuilding community.   The recognition of the need for peacebuilders to work in a more integrated manner is growing, however there has been minimal advancement in this regard.   This study adopts the collective impact framework as a foundation due to its ability to clearly and succinctly address the fundamental challenge: How can collaboration be nurtured in a way that enables businesses to achieve and showcase a greater influence beyond their individual endeavours?   The objective is to extract valuable insights from the technique and subsequently implement them in the realm of peacebuilding.   Suggestions for future endeavours aimed at establishing collaborative impact efforts in the peacebuilding sector involve fostering collaboration across the whole project cycle and establishing a shared agenda with a distinct thematic and geographic focus.

Keywords: collective impact framework, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, sense-making, collaboration

Overview

Peacebuilding efforts inherently strive to bring about profound and substantial transformation within a society.   Collaboration is crucial in order to achieve such a significant influence, even inside the community.   At the community level, it is highly unlikely for any individual, group, or effort to independently make a significant impact on matters concerning violence and peace.   However, extensive and enduring cooperation among peacebuilding organizations is uncommon rather than typical.   This dilemma has assumed a pivotal role in the domain of peacebuilding.   In order to address this issue, peacebuilders must possess the ability to provide answers to two fundamental inquiries: 

• How can we strategically plan and execute our programs to ensure they have a wider and more significant influence?
• How can we acquire the evidence required to ascertain the cumulative effect and effectiveness of our programs? 

This challenge is not novel, nor is it exclusive to peacebuilding, but the issue has become more severe for two primary reasons.   Initially, assertions that particular projects contribute to wider societal transformation in conflict-ridden areas are becoming increasingly dubious.   The peacebuilding field has extensive historical involvement in regions such as Israel-Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, and South Sudan. Despite numerous projects that have been considered successful, they have not significantly impacted the overall conflict in these areas.   The term “project-itis” has been adopted in the field of development and peacebuilding to specifically refer to this phenomenon. 

The dynamic is associated with an increased need for accountability.   There is a growing need in all areas of social change to rely on evidence and show the effectiveness of programs.   In the context of peacebuilding, it is essential to demonstrate influence at a level beyond individual projects.   While the persistence of violent conflicts like Iraq or South Sudan does not necessarily imply the failure of peacebuilders, it does require them to show tangible influence on the broader dynamics of the conflicts in order to assert their success.

Collaborative sensemaking

Collaborative sensemaking refers to the process in which teams of individuals work together to collectively interpret and understand the knowledge they possess (Kirschner, Buckingham Shum, & Carr, 2003).   Collaborative sensemaking is prevalent in situations that demand quick reactions and the integration of various sources of information, such as in on-the-scene disaster response. These tasks are complex enough to necessitate the involvement of multiple perspectives and talents in order to comprehend and interpret the available data, as seen in intelligence analysis where large volumes of data need to be sifted through. 

In his 1993 work, Karl Weick posited that sensemaking involves the continuous process of constructing order and retrospectively making sense of events in order to shape our understanding of reality.  Specifically, when dealing with complex and ever-changing information, it is crucial for groups of individuals to not only synchronize their sharing of information, but also align their objectives, interpretations, and adjustments of previous theories in light of newly acquired information. 

In recent times, collaborative and social sensemaking systems have emerged, presenting a range of problems that need to be addressed. These problems include those related to establishing shared understanding, effective communication, seamless transitions, and efficient coordination.   Specifically, there is an increasing emphasis on comprehending how teams operating in various fields redirect their attention on an individual level, as well as collectively, to manage the tasks related to making sense of information.

The methodology of collective impact

The phrase collective impact gained popularity following the publication of a 2011 paper in the Stanford Social Innovation Review. This article proposed a method for funders and implementers to enhance their collaboration in addressing a particular problem within a specific geographic area, with the aim of generating more comprehensive and systemic solutions.   The concept of collective influence is defined as the dedication of a group of influential individuals from many sectors to a shared agenda aimed at resolving a specific social issue.   The references cited are Blum and Grangaard (2018) and Kania and Kramer (2011).   During an interview at the 2015 Tamarak conference, John Kania acknowledged that the concept of collective effect has been around in various forms for many years. However, it is currently undergoing a re-branding process with the use of new terminology.   A growing awareness is emerging among individuals regarding the necessity for a novel type of collaboration, leading to an increased inclination towards acquiring knowledge on how to consistently contribute to their local communities.   Individuals are actively seeking resolutions, and collective effect could perhaps provide the solution.

Collaboration is a longstanding practice.   The social sector abounds with instances of collaborations, networks, and other forms of collective endeavours.   However, collective impact programs possess specific differences.   Distinct from typical collaborations, collective impact efforts entail a centralized infrastructure, committed personnel, a methodical procedure that results in a shared agenda, coordinated measurement, ongoing communication, and mutually reinforcing actions among all participants.

This study adopts the collective impact framework as a foundation due to its ability to clearly and succinctly address the fundamental challenge: How can one promote collaboration that enables businesses to achieve and showcase a greater influence beyond their individual endeavours?   The objective is to extract valuable observations from the methodology and implement them in the realm of peacebuilding, without endorsing the complete adoption of the approach or claiming it as the exclusive or optimal method for promoting substantial cooperation among peacebuilding organizations.   These questions are worth investigating.

Kania and Kramer (2011) argue that attempts to foster collaboration between organizations have failed to achieve the intended results due to a lack of long-lasting agreement on shared objectives among the organizations involved.   Moreover, Kania and Kramer elucidate that the foundation of collective impact’s triumph originates from its fundamental attributes.   Their research has delineated five attributes of collective impact efforts that result in favourable outcomes (Kania, Hanleybrown, & Juster 2014):  

(a) A shared or mutually agreed upon plan or set of goals.   This attribute enables members of the community to synchronize their interests and resources in a purposeful and enduring manner.   A common agenda entails more than just a shared objective. It involves a collective comprehension of both the means to achieve that objective and the nature of the situation at hand. 

(b) Collaborative measuring systems.   Evaluation yields data on the effectiveness of the initiative.   In the absence of a shared agenda, partners face challenges in reaching consensus on the metrics required to determine the success of the initiative.   This stage is intricate, as there is no uniformity in the measurements employed by different organizations.   Nevertheless, to ensure accurate reporting and draw dependable findings, it is crucial to establish a consensus on the timing and methodology for measuring the outcomes (Parkhurst and Preskill, 2014). 

(c) Activities that strengthen each other.   Effective cross-sector coordination entails leveraging the expertise and strengths of different organizations, rather than duplicating efforts. This allows each organization to take ownership of a specific aspect of the project.   Nevertheless, it is imperative for every business to operate in unison and adhere to the shared agenda.

(d) Ongoing contact.   Consistent, frequent, and organized communication has been recognized as crucial in establishing trustworthy connections among collective impact participants.   Without a substantial investment of time and extensive discourse, accomplishing the first two steps would be challenging.

(e) Organizations that provide support and assistance to other organizations.   The backbone support organization serves as a facilitator, project manager, and data manager for the collective impact effort (Kania and Kramer, 2011).   The organization’s staff offers administrative assistance and facilitates cooperation among all collaborating organizations to assure the project’s progress by overcoming hurdles.   Collective impact reduces competition among social change activities by promoting teamwork instead of isolated influence (Irby and Boyle, 2014). 

These five characteristics are profound, arduous to achieve, and, as evidenced by research, valuable (Parkhurst & Preskill, 2014; Stewart, 2013).   Only a small number of social change efforts can be classified as collective impact, as its unique features require organizations and community people to change their mindset from conventional methods.

In conclusion

To summarize, collective impact is a special sort of collaboration that aims to address difficult societal issues by bringing together many groups from different sectors, all working towards a shared objective.   Given the novelty of this method, it is crucial to emphasize the need for deliberate implementation of a collaborative impact initiative, encompassing all its unique features. This ensures the initiative’s success, sustainability, and optimal resource utilization. 

We urge practitioners of collective impact to ascertain the amount of analysis employed by their initiative, devise methods to measure and shape the initiative’s future, and designate a facilitator for the effort.   We also urge grantors and funders to alter their mindset when distributing resources to organizations.   In the future, it is crucial for professionals in universities, non-profit organizations, and other industries to further develop the definition of collective impact and the most effective methods for organizing, implementing, and maintaining collective impact programs.

References

Blum, A., & Grangaard, R. (2018). Collaborative design in peacebuilding: Lessons from the Central African Republic. Special Report, United States Institute of Peace. Retrieved from https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/2018-04/sr_425_blum_grangaard_final.pdf (Accessed 31 March 2019).

Irby, M., & Boyle, P. (2014). Aligning collective impact initiatives. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 12 (4): 15-16.

Kania, J., Hanleybrown, F., & Splansky Juster, J. (2014). Essential mindset shifts for collective impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review 12 (4), 2-5.

Kania, J., & Kramer, M. (2011). Collective impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 9(1), 36-41.

Parkhurst, M., & Preskill, H. (2014). Learning in action: Evaluating collective impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review 12 (4), 17-19.

Stewart, S. D. (2013). United way, healthy communities, and collective impact. National Civic Review 102 (4), 75-78. doi:10.1002/ncr.21162.

Weick, K. E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

The concept of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) model, which emphasizes sustainability, was initially introduced by Elkington (1997). Elkington described the TBL as a framework that considers not only the economic value generated by firms, but also their impact on the environment and society, both positive and negative (Potts, 2004). The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) paradigm, as proposed by Goel (2010), offers a means of assessing a business’s performance and the overall success of an organization through the examination of three key dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, as proposed by Elkington (1997), serves as a means to advance the environmental agenda by incorporating both economic and social aspects, hence promoting sustainable development. Simultaneously, the obstacles faced in the pursuit of the three aspects of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) can serve as a catalyst for the development of new and innovative approaches inside the participating organizations. This can lead to increased competitiveness and contribute to the advancement of society as a whole (Miller, 2023; Wagner, 2009). The notion of Triple Bottom Line (TBL) recognizes that organizations have the capacity to generate economic value, while also acknowledging their potential impact on social and environmental value (Lee, 2007; Miller, 2023).

The model diverges from conventional business models by not placing primary emphasis on the economic dimension. Instead, it highlights the imperative for enterprises to acknowledge and assume accountability for their actions within the extra sectors of interest (Gimenez et al., 2012). The foundational principles of the B-Corp movement are rooted in this framework, as Elkington devised the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) to enhance the collaborations between businesses and stakeholders, aiming to collectively pursue objectives that would be unattainable for any individual partner. This approach fosters the establishment of a community network wherein all stakeholders are acknowledged as equitable and reputable partners (Elkington, 1998, p.4). The notion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) aims to address possible conflicts that may arise between economic progress and ecological sustainability. According to the study conducted by Mitchell et al. in 2008, The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) can be regarded as an advancement in organizational thinking, as it emphasizes the equal significance of the three dimensions.

References

Elkington, J. (1994) Towards the Sustainable Corporation: Win-Win-Win Business Strategies for Sustainable Development. California Management Review, 36, 90-100. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/41165746.

Elkington, J. (1998). Partnerships from cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st‐century business. Environmental quality management, 8(1), 37-51.

Gimenez, C., Sierra, V., & Rodon, J. (2012). Sustainable operations: Their impact on the triple bottom line. International Journal of Production Economics, 140(1), 149-159.

Goel, P. (2010). Triple Bottom Line Reporting: An Analytical Approach for Corporate Sustainability. Journal of Finance, Accounting & Management, 1(1).

Lee, K. M. (2007). So what is the ‘triple bottom line?’. International Journal of Diversity, 6(6), 67-72.

Miller, K. (June 16, 2023). The Triple Bottom Line: What it is, and why it’s important. Harvard Business School Online’s Business Insights Blog. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-the-triple-bottom-line.

Mitchell, M., Curtis, A., & Davidson, P. (2008). Evaluating the process of triple bottom line reporting: Increasing the potential for change. Local Environment, 13(2), 67- 80.

Potts, T. (2004). Triple bottom line reporting: a tool for measuring, communicating and facilitating change in local communities. In Sustainability and Social Science: Round Table: Proceedings of Conference held in Sydney, NSW, December, 2003.

Wagner, M. (2009). Innovation and competitive advantages from the integration of strategic aspects with social and environmental management in European firms. Business Strategy and the Environment, 18(5), 291-306

I am on the view that the answer to this thought-provoking query is deeply rooted in human history. According to Ryne A. Sherman (2022), the selection process for leaders is the primary cause of modern leadership incompetence. Unlike our ancient ancestors, most businesses today select leaders based on office politics and nepotism, not on their experience, expertise, sound judgment, and ability to coordinate a group effort. Also, most contemporary leaders are selected through a political process that frequently has little to do with performance or results (Sherman, 2022). This begs the obvious question: what is the solution to the challenge of leadership selection that produces such poor results? The answer is a superior method of selection. There are currently typically three data sources that can be used to determine who should be promoted to a leadership position: supervisor ratings, peer ratings, and subordinate ratings. According to the data, superiors tend to evaluate employees based on how much they like them, how few problems they cause, and how effectively they advance the boss’s agenda. Peers, on the other hand, tend to evaluate promotion candidates according to how much of a menace they perceive them to be, particularly in terms of competition for the promotion. Subordinates evaluate these candidates based on their genuine leadership performance. Ask a person’s subordinates if you want to know how they will perform in a leadership position. Sadly, despite the soundness of this advice from a logical standpoint, the majority of organizations continue to select leaders based primarily on supervisor judgments, rarely asking subordinates for input or severely discounting their opinions. This plays directly into the hands of corporate politics experts, resulting in a constant turnover of ineffective leaders.

Ultimately, it would be prudent for organizations to learn from our prehistoric progenitors. Leaders should be selected based on their ability to establish an effective team, treat people fairly, resolve conflict, and exercise sound judgment for the group’s benefit, and not on their personal wealth, power, and glory. The answer is known by subordinates, if anyone is prepared to listen.

References

Sherman, A. R. (2022). Leadership and the nature of human nature. Deveoping Leaders Quarterly. Roland Deiser and Roddy Millar.