Effective leadership is a critical component of adaptive management. Within the conservation realm, novel insights into leadership can be gleaned in the areas of longevity, sustainability, and legacy that offer lessons for sectors in the business, scientific, and technological worlds. This chapter examines the historical leadership and management of the Offshore Islands Conservation Program (OICP) found in the Small Island Developing State (SIDS) of Antigua and Barbuda. Utilizing a mixed method approach involving the Conservation Excellence Model (CEM), desk-based review, and stakeholder feedback, observations on governance and management were generated and used to improve the program's operational approach and sustainability of conservation efforts. The benefits arising from the use of the CEM assessment, in this case, illustrate that evaluations of this type should be encouraged for use by practitioners within their organization. Thus, the passing on of leadership skills and the careful recruitment of diverse talents is essential to the maintenance of high-performing organizations.
TopIn conservation as with other sectors, leadership has the ability to affect the outcomes of a project or program (Black, 2019). The last two decades have seen research into leadership in conservation which has led to novel insights on psychological aspects of leaderships in areas such as governance, and performance measurement as well as, interpersonal skills such as behaviours, personal qualities, skills that draws upon and resonates with learning on transformational leadership (Black, 2019; 2021). However, with currently only one empirically-derived model of conservation leadership, linking crucial conservation practices to theories of psychology, conservation science and, leadership (Black, 2021), more research is needed to understand and improve leadership and management in the conservation realm (Englefield et al., 2019). Black (2021) recommends a transformational leadership approach to conservation leaders adding that “new skills influencing team development, stakeholder engagement, and managing improvement” are needed to influence staff, advisors, volunteers, external communities and donors (see also Bruyere, 2015). Such competencies should be prioritized alongside technical skills through training schemes for higher efficiency and effectiveness in conservation (Englefield et al., 2019). Transformational leadership skills have recently been shown in conservation scenarios to be advantageous to both male and female leaders, providing a balance in respective management and decision-making styles (Nery Silva et al., 2022).
Although, there is no clear consensus to the all the attributes of transformational leadership, Leithwood & Jantzi (2000) identified six attributes of transformational leadership as:
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Building vision and goals.
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Providing intellectual stimulation.
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Offering individualized support.
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Symbolizing professional practices and values.
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Demonstrating high performance expectations.
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Developing structures to foster participation in decisions.
Hay (2006) later collated and summarised the four factors of Transformational Leadership, namely:
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Idealized influence-Charismatic vision and behavior that inspires others to follow.
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Inspirational motivation -Capacity to motivate others to commit to the vision.
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Intellectual stimulation- Encouraging innovation and creativity.
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Individualized consideration-Coaching to the specific needs of followers.
However, the factors outlined by Hay (2006) and Leithwood & Jantzi (2000) described general attributes to transformational leadership, but not within the context of conservation. In response, Black et al. (2011a) specifically devised a four-category model of characteristics, qualities, and action for contemporary leadership in conservation, encompassing:
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Ability to share a clear, long-term vision.
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Orientation toward “hands-on” management
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Ability to switch attention between wider context and details.
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Willingness to encourage learning, improvement, and receptiveness to alternative solutions.