The Leadership, Girls and the UN programme is a exclusive mastering option for gals leaders who function for the UN technique at the P4 or P5 amount. It features a individualized and holistic leadership improvement journey that has been meticulously tailored in watch of the issues and setbacks they come upon within the UN and past.
Federica Dispenza, a recent alumna of the programme, shares her reflections from her understanding journey and the programs that she has presently put in motion, as the Neighborhood Protection and Social Cohesion Specialist with UNDP in Ukraine. Federica prospects the implementation of challenge activities relevant to rule of regulation, human rights, neighborhood stability, social cohesion, and has labored for more than a 10 years on joint programming, taking care of, and overseeing assignments in fragile and/or politically delicate running contexts and elaborate or protracted disaster. She speaks with UNSSC’s Bhagyashree Sagar.
Bhagyashree: Why did you decide to be a aspect of this management growth journey that is only available to Girls?
Federica: As a somewhat young female with aspirations to be a chief inside of the UN, I had been reflecting for really some time on what it suggests to be a woman leader inside the program, and how to locate my own management fashion – a little something that is genuinely mine as component of my experienced improvement route.
And I imagined that having the prospect to trade with other ladies who share similar aspirations, and who are also a part of the UN procedure, would be a excellent option to master, to share my challenges with them and just try out to comprehend whether or not the emotion is just me – in acquiring issues discovering a place in this article.
And my anticipations were extra than fulfilled when I begun interacting with the other program individuals – it gave me a good deal of assurance since it was not only me. These were being the key items that I was wanting for from the training course, and I was incredibly satisfied to see totally dealt with.
Bhagyashree: Convey to us far more about the how the understanding journey was for you…
Federica: At the starting I was a minimal little bit sceptical about the theoretical framing. And, I have to admit that I was proven wholly improper in my expectation simply because it was fantastic!
The dialogues that we experienced with alumni and with authorities or leaders inside of the UN program were being eye opening and a superb chance to ask practical, candid inquiries about their management journey.
That is one particular point that the program gave – a protected place to share ordeals, challenges and upsets we might have had in our professions this was quite useful.
Bhagyashree: Any certain thematic space that resonated strongly with you from the programme?
Just one issue I genuinely loved was how diverse cultural contexts have to have us to adopt unique communication kinds, and how as a chief, we need to join with our teams mindfully across cultures – in particular as an worldwide workers.
I have worked in various nations and configurations and have experienced to make some big changes throughout various contexts in how I current myself. So, this is a person of the most simple takeaways that I took from the the programme.
And I also genuinely loved the government coaching chance!
Bhagyashree: Talking of coaching – how was your working experience, primarily in conditions of aiding you seem ahead?
You have wonderful coaches! Not only was it an insightful practical experience specified my specific situations, but it was also a extremely grounding encounter. It pressured me to think about what my core beliefs ended up, and irrespective of whether I was performing in line with them as a leader.
And as a result of the conversations with the mentor, I did understand that there had been features the place I was holding myself again. I was not placing myself out there as I ought to about things I strongly considered in and that was really inspiring and eye opening.
Bhagyashree: Primarily based on the discussions with your mentor, and your motion plan, have you presently been able to include the learnings from the programme into your day-to-day work within the context that you are working in?
Federica: I have been really considerably performing on the discovering that I got by way of the programme by picking to use some motion ideas.
The coaching encounter has already taken me ahead in my management journey mainly because it pushed me to use for a bigger position that I was eyeing for a seriously long time. Mainly because prior to, I under no circumstances felt that I had the right knowledge, or I was superior more than enough or well prepared enough for – but now I have pushed myself as a courageous leader would.
Secondly, I carry on to be in contact with other programme alumnae – the opportunity to construct a relationship with other women leaders in the UN is a richness that I will preserve and cherish.
As for the future phase, and particularly suitable for the context I work in – a war zone – is encouraging other people uncover a healthy work-lifestyle harmony. With my crew, we have put jointly a set of ground principles to assistance each other and our psychological wellbeing and respecting our person identities to produce harmless areas and a superior doing work setting. And stimulate a existence outdoors of perform!
Bhagyashree: What would you take into consideration your critical takeaway from this system?
Federica: I really appreciated the emphasis on becoming a great human as a prerequisite to becoming a fantastic leader. And the great importance of who a leader is – a balanced and an authentic person.
Maybe the very best aspect was wondering about leadership inside of the UN, and not as some thing enshrined in a constitution. The emphasis was positioned on the relevance of figuring out what really resonates with us, what are the ideas that we want to guide with, how can we be our most authentic self as leaders and forcing us to think and replicate on what type of leaders we want to be.
Bhagyashree: What would be your advice to fellow women leaders who search to go after this programme?
Federica: I can only advocate for a lot more women to get included and to set apart the time to adhere to the finding out, the sessions with each other, but also to mirror later on.
If one needs to have a genuine arms-on, simple, frank, candid discussion about what management usually means in the UN – this is the house.
The prospect to discover from many others and share your individual ordeals and genuinely emotion that we are not by yourself – this feeling of community, that is fully commited, inspiring and ambitious, and that can guidance you by troubles as friends is crucial.