2010年-世界发展银行全球_Leadership_and_Communication_Capacity_for_National_Renewal___Timor-Leste_Year_Two_-_Final_Report_15页_761kb

Summary of the LCCNR Program – Year Two

Core Content

The Leadership and Communication Capacity for National Renewal (LCCNR) program, conducted in Timor-Leste from October 2008 to November 2009, aimed to strengthen leadership and communication skills among Timorese leaders in key sectors. The program focused on reinforcing leadership capacities, improving communication and collaboration, and promoting better policy outcomes. It was structured around a sector-based approach, targeting three groups: those working to return the Internally Displaced Population (IDP), youth leaders, and government officials involved in the National Priorities Program (NP).

A total of 106 Timorese leaders participated in the program, which included an initial retreat, application sessions, follow-up workshops, and a day-long SIMSOC exercise. The program emphasized self-awareness, conflict management, negotiation, and dialogue facilitation. The LCCNR team also developed a final participant binder to support ongoing learning and application of the skills.

Main Points and Key Insights

Program Goals and Objectives

• Goal 1: Reinforce leadership capacities across state and non-state actors in formal and non-formal institutions.
• Goal 2: Enhance communication skills and encourage information sharing among institutions, civil society, and the public.
• Objective 1: Assist the state in establishing systems and attitudes for better communication.
• Objective 2: Support diverse leaders in improving their ability to engage in cooperation and mutual understanding.
• Hypotheses:
  1. Improved communication will enhance leadership quality.
  2. Sector-based training will increase the program's effectiveness.
  3. Developing communication skills will help leaders build more effective and enduring relationships.

Evaluation Findings

• The program successfully reinforced leadership capacities and improved information sharing.
• The sector approach enhanced collaborative decision-making in two key cases: within the Ministry of Social Solidarity and between Suco leaders.
• The introduction of communication skills challenged the traditional hierarchical and authoritarian model of leadership in Timor-Leste.
• Cultural challenges included:
  • Strong emphasis on hierarchy.
  • Lack of creative and analytical thinking.
  • Ambivalent relationships with foreigners.
  • Underrepresentation of female leaders.

Lessons Learned

1. Definition of Leader: The LCCNR definition of a leader as someone who can influence decision-making differs from the traditional Timorese view, which is more hierarchical and authoritarian. This approach was welcomed but challenging to implement.
2. Face-to-Face Engagement: Building trust and buy-in required direct interaction, including meetings, brochures, and interviews, rather than relying on emails or letters.
3. Co-teaching and Local Integration: Integrating Timorese staff into the teaching team improved comprehension and enabled the use of local examples.
4. Materials and Media: Translating and using diverse media (pictures, stories, videos) improved understanding and retention. A final binder was created to support post-program application.
5. Interpretation Challenges: High interpreter turnover and complexity of materials made interpretation a persistent issue. A long-term solution would be to employ full-time interpreters or trained local facilitators.
6. Observation and Role Play: Participants retained more concepts through observation and role play, especially in the Solomon Circle and SIMSOC exercises. Video use was particularly effective in challenging cultural stereotypes.
7. Ongoing Evaluation: Interim evaluations helped improve program effectiveness and adaptability, ensuring real-time feedback and adjustments.

Recommendations

1. Context Understanding: Future programs should regularly analyze local and international events to relate them to training concepts and maintain relevance.
2. Institutional Systems Focus: Training should include a systems perspective to help leaders translate capacity-building into organizational effectiveness, such as conflict prevention, feedback mechanisms, and information systems.
3. Post-Training Consolidation:
   • Balance new and past participants in training.
   • Develop post-training support mechanisms.
   • Train leaders' supervisors to support new skills.
4. Communication Strategy: Implement a structured community communication strategy to ensure lessons are shared and applied locally.
5. Training Materials: Use a multimedia and multi-method approach that includes local role plays, video, and post-training resources.
6. Concept Integration: Incorporate additional concepts like group mediation, influence triage, storytelling, and metaphors into the curriculum to enhance learning and engagement.
7. Exit Strategy: Programs should have a 3-5 year implementation horizon and plan an exit strategy at least 12 months in advance, in partnership with local agencies to ensure sustainability.

Appendices Overview

• Appendix A: Program calendar outlines the timeline of activities, including retreats, workshops, and mentoring sessions.
• Appendix B: Program deliverables include regular reports, a mentoring plan, and evaluation reports (baseline, mid-term, and final).
• Appendix C: Highlights the use of video in training, particularly in the final NP workshop, where it helped participants reflect on their negotiation strategies, body language, and understanding of others' interests.

Conclusion

The LCCNR program demonstrated the importance of context-aware training, sector-based approaches, and local integration in building leadership and communication capacity. While the program achieved its goals, there is a need for future initiatives to focus on institutional systems, post-training support, and sustainable exit strategies to ensure long-term impact and relevance in Timor-Leste.