TITLE:
Insights into Leadership, Gender and Organisational Effectiveness Revealed by Benchmarking Conservation Programmes against the Conservation Excellence Model
AUTHORS:
Laura Nery Silva, Anita Diederichsen, Laura Talbert, Samuel C. Leslie, Simon A. Black
KEYWORDS:
Biodiversity Conservation, Community Engagement, Human Wildlife Coexistence, Introduction to Leadership Women Leaders, Gender, Jaguars of Iguaçu Programme
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Leadership,
Vol.11 No.4,
December
6,
2022
ABSTRACT: Effective leadership has been advocated as important
in guiding successful conservation programmes to achieve more impactful
biodiversity results. Conservation work demands diverse capabilities, so
organisations must be aware of what influences leadership effectiveness,
including the influence of gender. The Conservation Excellence Model (CEM)
allows assessment of conservation project effectiveness, including leadership
aspects. The objectives of this study are to: 1) evaluate a mammal species
conservation programme in Brazil, a region of critical importance to
biodiversity, 2) benchmark with other conservation programmes to identify
effective practices, and 3) conduct an in-depth evaluation of leadership skills
to explore gender-related aspects of leadership. This study emphasises that
good conservation organisational practices are related to Monitoring and
Evaluation (within Strategic planning and Theories of Change) and the
engagement of the local community. Both male and female leaders displayed
common leadership characteristics such as the ability to build partnerships,
establish the programme’s purpose and vision, and delegate tasks. Both females
and males were considered committed leaders, although only men were described
as “role models”. Other differences included how women were characterised as
“hands-on managers” and men as “giving training opportunities”. Leadership
roles appear male-dominated, representing challenges for women to achieve
higher positions. Women notably face a lack of mentorship, lengthy work hours,
exclusion from decision-making, and sexual harassment. Nevertheless, a more
diverse leadership community which includes women will be critical for
promoting future organisational effectiveness and positive biodiversity
outcomes.