Inclusive Leadership From a Force Commander's Perspective

Abstract

This chapter is based on the experiences of lieutenant general Cornelis Johannes (Kees) Matthijssen in his period as the Force Commander of the UN Mission in Mali. His military Force consisted of men and women from 60 nationalities. The authors clearly explain what has been done to turn this diversity into a strength that benefits effectiveness. In the first part, they address the challenges like differences in cultural and doctrinal backgrounds that every nationality brings, as well as the language and the interoperability challenges. Part of the latter is the human aspect, which is mainly about understanding and respecting other cultures and how to bridge differences for the benefit of effective cooperation. The authors conclude with the importance of having a good understanding of the challenges. The second and main part of this chapter brings a wealth of practical experiences when the authors discuss how they turned diversity into a strength. Overarching they stress the importance of the tone at the top since it sets the example. Thereafter, they discuss five elements in their ways of working: continuously showing respect and understanding, exploiting all perspectives, encouraging unit cohesion, utilizing collaborative planning to enhance a common focus and teamwork, and finally continuously appreciating everyone’s efforts equally. Intersecting with the diverse nationalities is the critical issue of gender equality. A final paragraph in this chapter explains how this was an essential theme within the responsibility of the Force Commander. As a conclusion, the authors again stress the importance of leadership.

Citation

Matthijssen, C.J.(. and Strikwerda-Verbeek, A.-M. (2023), "Inclusive Leadership From a Force Commander's Perspective", Barnes, J., Stevens, M.J., Ekelund, B.Z. and Perham-Lippman, K. (Ed.) Inclusive Leadership: Equity and Belonging in Our Communities (Building Leadership Bridges, Vol. 9), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 191-198. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2058-880120230000009017