A presentation given by Namukolo Covic at the Transform Nutrition regional meeting 'Using evidence to inspire action in East Africa' Nairobi, Kenya 8 June 2017.

1. Translating understanding of leadership
challenges into action: personal
experiences
8 June 2017, Nairobi
Namukolo Covic,
Senior Research Coordinator, IFPRI

2. Inspiration fromTN research brief on leadership
…….explored how leaders understand the
systems which shape and constrain their
action; and translate this understanding
into action……

3. Observations from personal experiences
• Coordination and collaboration recognized as important but
the quality of engagement on both is a challenge.
• The challenges on quality of engagement limit benefits from
coordination and collaboration under different settings.
• We hold hands but remain strongly anchored in our silos.
• Personal experiences have been shaped by own stakeholder
interactions in Zambia, Rwanda, South Africa and Ethiopia,
wider Africa through ANLP involvement.
• Recent IFNA meeting: 10 African countries without exception
bemoaned such challenges were holding back progress despite
the National Nutrition Coordinating Bodies in place.

4. Zambia multisectoral consultation forum on
Food and Nutrition 2011
• A key decision making event leading to consolidating the
structure of Zambia’s involvement in the SUN movement
• Challenges faced relevant today in different settings
• Relevant to illustrating the inspiration stated earlier:
…… there is need to understand aspects which shape
and constrain action or processes; and translate this
understanding into action to direct progress……
…….explored how leaders understand the systems which shape
and constrain their action; and translate this understanding into
action……

5. What happened?
• Great opportunity for consultation: all relevant
stakeholders there; including national president
• Presented UNICEF conceptual framework structured
to generate a common vision among all stakeholders
present
• Leadership capacity of the targeted SUN focal
institution was challenged by all without exception
• As the 2-day meeting progressed it became clear that
meeting the objectives of this meeting would be a
challenge

6. How was the meeting progressed?
• Tasked with doing something if the meeting went off path
• Periodic interventions along the way to redirect the meeting
• Get stakeholders who did not feel a part of the process on
board (private sector and civil society)
• The Director of Health expressed concern
• 3 risky decisions taken to redirect
• The risks paid dividend
• Experience led to a Leadership development programme by
the ANLP the focal institution (2013-2015)

7. Challenges on quality of engagement
Flexibility to achieve
true synergy
Understanding
genuine synergy
True buy in at all levels
Common vision
Realcom
m
itm
ent
Communication and
appropriate framing of
issues
Understanding
coordination/collaboration
atthepersonal&
own
institutionallevel
Understand how
you can
lead from
where you
standSelf awareness
Inter-personalskills
Relationshipbuilding
From
trust
to
Candour

8. Inspiration fromTN research brief on leadership
…… We understood how the prevailing
environment was shaping and constraining
meeting the desired objectives; and translated
this understanding into actions to redirect
progress……
…….explored how leaders understand the
systems which shape and constrain their action;
and translate this understanding into action……