Adaptive Leadership is a practical leadership framework that enables individuals and organizations to adapt and overcome challenging environments and lead through uncertain times. In contrast to technical leadership, where the problem and corresponding solution can be well-defined, adaptive leadership is about acquiring the capacity to tackle issues that are poorly defined and deeply rooted, requiring strong interpersonal communication and teamwork.

This course is designed to enhance the fellows’ adaptability and hone their ability to work judiciously through unpredictable and constantly shifting environments.

  This course will be led by Hugh O’Doherty, adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Hugh is a pioneer in the field of adaptive leadership and conflict resolution, and his teachings draw from decades of experience in the field.

In Northern Ireland, where Hugh was raised, he directed the Inter-Group Relations Project, an initiative bringing together political and community leaders in Ireland to establish protocols for political dialogue. In addition to Harvard, Hugh has also taught leadership and conflict resolution at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, and the University of Maryland, where he directed the Ireland-US Public Leadership Program for emerging leaders from all the political parties in Ireland. Hugh earned an M.Ed and Ed.D from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

This high-level executive training course on public leadership and policy analysis is tailored to develop an in-depth understanding of the preparation, decision-making, implementation and evaluation of public policies in Arab countries. The course is aimed at addressing a major skills gap identified in most Arab institutions, especially in political parties, ministries, and public and non-government organizations in charge of public policies and public development programs. The training program provides the most current knowledge, approaches, and tools for public management and policy analysis.

In the Negotiation and Leadership course, the fellows will test their beliefs and assumptions, overcome emotional and rational biases, examine complex negotiation scenarios, and discover a range of competitive and cooperative negotiation strategies. In this program, the fellows will broaden their understanding of negotiating concepts, acquire proven negotiating techniques, and have the opportunity to put their learning into practice. This course will equip the fellows to overcome barriers, manage conflict, and achieve better outcomes at the bargaining table, every single time.

Negotiation is a high-transaction-cost activity, and the side that is better prepared nearly always has the upper hand. This course will explain the key negotiation fundamentals, the importance of managing the tension between creating and claiming value, managing emotions and relationships, dealing with difficult situations, dealing with complex negotiations and organizational challenges, and finally, putting it all together and leading through negotiation.

One of the persistent requirements demanded of senior government officials is that they possess not only the necessary professional skills but also a vision and ethical compass.

This course explores a number of critical questions that feature in any public sector career, and is aimed at equipping public leaders with the skills to navigate the complex ethical landscape they can expect to face throughout their careers.

Participants will learn to recognize that public policy issues are not solely technical, but involve fundamental values and conflicts between these values. They will also work on establishing clarity of purpose, and develop their reasoning skills to address and reflect on ethical dilemmas.