Section 3. Managing a sustainable initiative

"... I have worked with lots of people from the North and I am sick of it. They got all my support in the field but I have never seen my name in their papers. When we carry out a project together, they are paid ten times my wage, and get all the fringe benefits..."

Latin American anthropologist, Peru, 1987

3.1 Managing a sustainable initiative

This section considers how an initiative can deal with its most immediate social concerns: those of the people who work for it. Most conservation initiatives involve the long-term management of territories and the natural resources they contain. This is the "environmental management" we have so far discussed in this volume; have argued could be carried out in a participatory manner (Section 1); and could meet conservation objectives while providing for local needs (Section 2). The initiative itself, however, needs to be managed and remain viable in the long run, and the way in which this is sought after is a determinant of social sustainability in its own right.

The skills, attitudes and commitment of the team in charge of the initiative; the quality of the relationships among them and with stakeholders and the community at large; the openness and fairness with which the team deals with conflicts and change; the reconciliation of personal and professional goals - all of these factors have an impact on the initial success and long-term sustainability of the initiative. Using the term "internal management" in regard to such an initiative thus means the structure, practices, attitudes and work styles of the people working for it.

In the case of a protected area, "internal management" would refer to the ways in which the local branch of the government agency responsible organizes its work; shares tasks and responsibilities; hires, motivates and rewards staff; facilitates internal communication among staff and external communication with local stakeholders; evaluates its own work; and so on. In the case of a project (e.g., a three-year support of the rehabilitation of a watershed), or a programme (e.g., the development of institutional structures and long-term management of a coastal area) "internal management" would refer to the management style of the team in charge. The details may differ from one case to the next, but the principles for social sustainability are similar.

Why is internal management important? Promoting the participation of local stakeholders without practising participation within the initiative is at best contradictory and at worst hypocritical and ineffective. Management studies show how important the structure of an organization is for the success of its goals - no matter what they are. For instance, organizations that are 'flat' (non-hierarchical), friendly and supportive of personal initiative and team spirit are more capable of responding to demanding and complex tasks. Such organizations seem to be able to make optimal use of the capacities of the staff and productively channel the energy too often wasted in internal struggles, resentments and bureaucratic red tape. No one model, however (not even non-hierarchical and participatory management), is good for all occasions. Every initiative needs to develop its own approach, although awareness of various approaches is invariably useful.

A few other points of general validity. First, the quality and commitment of the initiative's staff is paramount for its success both in terms of conservation achievements and communication with stakeholders. Investing in the staff usually pays off. Second, the time horizon to assess consequences and impact should be fairly long (several years or so). Complex integration of biological and social resources does not happen from one day to the next. Third, staff drawn from the community, community volunteers, co-opted or elected community members of working groups, etc. are also part of the conservation initiative. These people are perhaps the most vulnerable to exploitation. Too many tasks, too little supervision, insufficient support and encouragement, poor communication - all of these may contribute to such people feeling undervalued and left out, especially when they may be the ones working in the heat and dust. They may also be the least educated, and yet their need for training is not often recognized, even though the long-term sustainability of the initiative depends upon their skills and enthusiasm.

This section takes a professional team working for conservation through some key questions, indicators, warning flags and options for action to reflect upon and evaluate their own work style and effectiveness. This can be a difficult and at times uncomfortable process. If serious conflicts surface, it may be useful to bring in an independent facilitator to guide the process in a constructive manner.

The skills, attitudes and commitment of the team in charge of the initiative; the quality of the relationships among themselves, with stakeholders and with the community at large; the openness and fairness with which the team deals with conflicts and change; the reconciliation of personal and professional goals - all have an impact on the initial success and long-term sustainability of the initiative.

3.2 Key Questions

Key question 3.2.1 Is the initiative run as a project or a process?

• Is the initiative run as a project (set approach, objectives, time limit) or a process (ongoing and adaptable in response to lessons learned)?
• What is the time horizon of the initiative? Is there a balance among long-term, medium-term and short-term objectives and activities? Are work schedules and phases realistic?
• Who identifies the initiative's specific objectives, activities and deadlines? Is it the local staff of the initiative? Local staff and various stakeholders? People not involved in running day-to-day activities?
• Is there enough flexibility in carrying out activities that opportunities and constraints can be met as they arise and not ignored because of prior planning?
• Are monitoring, evaluating and reviewing/replanning activities carried out on an ongoing basis? Are mistakes acknowledged and learned from, or do they go unrecognized and unacknowledged?

Concept Files, Volume 2

A project or a process?
Management styles

Key question 3.2.2 What is the initiative's management style?

• Is the initiative run on a strict hierarchical basis? Are individual ideas and endeavours rewarded or repressed? Are decisions imposed or discussed? Are the bases of decisions generally known by the staff or not known? Is there openness to new ideas and ways of working?
• Are all the decision-makers in the initiative accountable to someone directly supervising them? Are they also accountable to staff at large? How is accountability established and ensured?
• Is the initiative as a whole accountable to stakeholders?
• Are staff treated in a respectful and friendly way, or are they harassed and kept in fear and insecurity? Do managers tend to hide information from staff and lie to them? Do staff tend to hide information from managers and lie to them?
• Are internal bureaucratic requirements reasonable or cumbersome? Can necessary changes be made quickly? How many people are involved in making a decision of medium importance?
• Is the initiative's budget open to scrutiny? Are purchasing policies transparent to all? Do staff discuss budget decisions with managers?

Concept Files, Volume 2

Management styles

Key question 3.2.3 How are the staff managed and motivated?

• How are the staff recruited? Is recruitment decided by one person or by a team? Is there a bias in terms of gender, ethnicity, religion, caste or other characteristic? Why is this so? Does this have consequences for the conservation initiative?
• Are the local groups most affected by the initiative represented in the composition of the staff? Are local people given employment preference over expatriates of equal ability? Is knowledge of the local culture and systems valued and reflected in the recruitment of professional staff?
• How is staff morale? On what basis are staff evaluated and rewarded? Are they confident about job tenure? Are there clear (and flexible) job descriptions? Are there opportunities for professional development and capacity-building? Are staff overworked? Are staff often idle?
• Will salaries maintain families in decent living conditions? What is the gap between the top and bottom salaries of the technical staff? Are there differences in the salaries of technical staff among disciplines (e.g., biologists and social scientists)? What is the salary and benefits gap between local and expatriate staff and between national and local staff? Are the gaps justified and accepted by everyone?
• What is the gap between technical staff members in terms of use of vehicles, secretarial support, use of budget resources for travel, per diems, etc.? Are these gaps justified and acceptable to everyone?
• For staff working in the field, is adequate provision made to compensate or redress any lack of essential facilities in the area concerned?
• Where personal risk is involved, are staff provided with adequate protection or security back-up? Are staff provided with adequate equipment/facilities to carry out their responsibilities?
• Is there a staff association, union or some other organization to repre-sent staff interests? If the need arises (e.g., attacks from vested interests), are staff and management willing and able to support each other?

Concept Files, Volume 2

Local knowledge for conservation
Indigenous people and protected areas
Management styles

Key question 3.2.4 What is the quality of internal communication among the staff?

• Is information shared among the staff or is it kept and used by individuals? Are there regular staff meetings, bulletin boards and other means by which staff members can inform one another about their work, problems and opportunities?
• Is team work promoted or avoided? Do all staff participate in assessing problems and opportunities, and in planning, monitoring and evaluating activities?
• Are staff usually open and vocal in disagreements, and in suggesting alternative courses of action? Are such suggestions sought and welcomed by the managers in charge?
• Are there groupings and alliances among staff, with some in opposition to others? Are instances of open conflict among staff frequent or rare? Are there accepted ways of mediating conflicts? Who makes the final decision in the case of persistent disagreements?
• Are managers credible in the eyes of the staff? Are staff professionally valued by the managers?
• Are there opportunities for exchanges of ideas and experiences between staff working in different projects or between different sections of the initiative?

Concept Files, Volume 2

Management styles

Key question 3.2.5 What is the quality of communication between the staff of the conservation initiative and the local stakeholders?

• Do the staff of the initiative speak the local language and interact with local people in social terms? Are there social events in which both staff and local people participate? Do staff show respect for local customs and values? Do local communities appear to value the professional and personal qualities of the staff of the initiative?
• Do staff tend to generalize the characteristics of local people or of certain groups of local people (e.g., "they are all too clever", "they are lazy", "they are poachers", etc.)? Do local people do the same about the staff (e.g., "they care only for animals", "they are corrupt", "they cannot be trusted", etc.)?
• Are the managers and staff of the initiative credible in the eyes of local people? Do they have something to offer that is valuable in the eyes of the locals? Is their expertise generally recognized?
• Are local people entirely dependent for information on what the staff of the conservation initiative pass on to them, or have they some means of requesting information? Do local people often initiate relationships, e.g., by asking for support, advice or by demanding some change in the practices of the initiative? If yes, is the staff accessible? Are requests handled promptly and fairly?
• Is there a way for stakeholders to transmit complaints regarding their relationship with the staff of the conservation initiative?

Concept Files, Volume 2

Cross-cultural communication and local media
Local knowledge in conservation
Management styles

Key question 3.2.6 Are the staff's capacities and work plan suited to the initiative?

• When hiring technical staff, how is practical and local experience valued compared to academic background or international experience?
• Is an appropriate variety of capacities represented among the staff (e.g., physical and social sciences, local work experience, local languages, etc.)? Is capacity appropriately matched to roles and tasks? Is the gender, age and level of education or ethnic background of the staff appropriate to ensure effective relations with various stakeholders?
• Do any/many of the staff have special training in social issues in conservation?
• Do the staff work in a multi-disciplinary way or is the organization a collection of different professionals working in isolation? Are social is-sues placed in a separate department, isolated from mainstream work?
• Is the monitoring and evaluation function cut off from day-to-day work or is it integrated into ongoing activities?
• Is most staff time spent in the office on administrative tasks, or in the field? Is the main office close to the field or in a 'convenient' town?
• Is the work schedule attuned to the timing of activities in the local communities (e.g., major planning meetings scheduled for less busy times of the year)?
• Are the managers and staff exposed to current literature and debates on conservation?
• Is any ongoing research element incorporated in the work plan? Are the results of such research (and/or the lessons learned in everyday work) incorporated in the initiative's work plan?
• Ultimately, is the staff committed to the work? Do they believe they are achieving the results they had in mind?

Concept Files, Volume 2

Management styles

3.4 Options for action

The following options for action offer some ideas on how the conservation initiative can deal with its most immediate social concerns - those of the people it employs. The options need to be considered in the light of particular circumstances, depending on which they may or may not be appropriate. You will undoubtedly think of other options as well. Importantly, the list of options for actions should not be viewed as a step-by-step procedure, although it is subdivided in the order in which options would be logically considered (for example, you may want to have internal meetings among staff before calling for meetings among staff and stakeholders). Also, some of the options below are alternatives to one another and need to be compared in terms of appropriateness to the particular context.

The list of options is subdivided into three groups according to the type of activity. These are:

Options to improve internal relationships among staff, and build upon their commitment and capacities

3.4.1 Staff review of internal management issues
3.4.2 Regular staff meetings to communicate and evaluate ongoing work
3.4.3 'On-the-job' capacity building
3.4.4 Decentralizing decision-making within the conservation initiative
3.4.5 Reviewing the initiative for timing and flexibility

Options to improve relationships among staff and local stakeholders
3.4.6 Hiring staff from local area
3.4.7 Staff visits to the field operations
3.4.8 Cultural presentations for the staff of the initiative
3.4.9 Integrating local culture and traditions within the conservation initiative

Options to sustain the relationship between conservation initiative andlocal stakeholders
3.4.10 Extraordinary staff stakeholder meetings
3.4.11 Ongoing communication programme
3.4.12 Monitoring change in the local communities
3.4.13 Networking with local leaders and opinion-makers.

3.4.1 Option for action, Staff review of internal management issues

Appoint an individual or team from the staff, or set up a number of groups or committees to review the internal management policies regarding particular issues (e.g., hiring procedures, staff salaries, opportunities for professional advancement, internal communication, etc.) Tailor the size of the review team to match the size of the organization and the severity of the problem. Where there are tensions within the project team, it may be helpful to bring a skilled outsider to facilitate the review process. Such a person should be able to look at the operations and structures more dispassionately and to raise issue which staff may feel uncomfortable in addressing.

Giving staff the responsibility of identifying not only the problems but also solutions means that the proposed changes are likely to be "owned" and therfore supported by the staff. For this reason, it may be appropriate to involve all staff in some way in the review process.

It is imporant that the results of the review are fed back to the staff at large, and that they are all given the opportunity to respond to the recommendations. This ensures that staff members have the opportunity to check, and if necessary, correct the interpretation of the information that each of them provided to the reviewer(s) before organizational changes are made,

It is also imporatnt that them reviewer(s) have sufficient seniority to deal with all the issues and levels within the organization. For instance, focusing just on solving administrative problems at the field level will not bring great benefits if the attitudes and practices of senior management are they key issues undermining the morale of the staff.

3.4.2 Option for action, Regular staff meetings to communicate and evaluate ongoing work

Establish a regular schedule of staff meetings where people can discuss all the issues they care about (with the agenda to be set by all the staff). Make sure that time in the meetings is dediicated to updating colleagues on work carried out y individuals, and to ongoing evaluations of the effectiveness of activities. Make sure that the climate is appropriate for disagreements, discussion of alternatives and "replanning", as appropriate.

Staff meetings can be very effective in building a sense of team spirit and commitment among the project staff, from managment to field technicians. The process encourages staff to think about the conservation initiative holistically rather than just about the particular aspect they are involved with.

Staff meetings also increase the chance that potential problems will be identified and dealt with before they damage the iniative. As with any meetings where problems/issues are identified, it is important to insure that appropriate responses are decided, processes put in a place, responsibilities allocated and agreed actions undertaken.

It is also important to watch out for boredom at meeting, and to prevent one or a few people monopolizing the floor for their own interests. The role of the chairperson in the meeting should rotate regularly to encourage a sense of shared responsibility among the staff.

3.4.3 Option for action, On-the-job capacity building

Assign part of the management budget to training and professional enhancement of the staff. Make sure that the staff identify areas where they face professional problems and suggest ways to enhance their capacities to respond to such problems. Encourage staff to present and analyze their field experiences as part of ongoing training.

On-the-job training has two major advantages over more formal cources. First, it is directed specifcally at tasks required for the conservation initiative; second, the lessons learned can be directly experimented with and put into practice.

Providing staff with opportunities to increase their professional capacities will benefit the initiative through improved staff performance as well as through fostering a greater sense of staff loyalty and commitment.

It is important that all staff are provided with training and professional enhancement opportunities that actually match the needs of the initiative. It is also important that there is no bias in the choice of staff being provided with capacity-building opportunities. Favouritism - perceived or actual- will damage staff relationships and team spirit as will the feeling that training the training needs of some staff are being neglected because their roles within the iniative are not appreciated.

3.4.4 Option for action, Decentralizing decision-making within the conservation initiative

Make sure that as many staff as possible are empowered to make decisions at different levels within the management structure. In particular, this should apply to decisions directly related to each person's work, whether inside the agency or between the agency and the local community. This empowerment will make the organization more flexible and efficient in responding to needs as they arise, since decisions will be made closer to the on-ground issues. It will also give staff a greater sense of job satisfaction.

For decentralized decision-making to be successful, staff must have clear guidelines on the extent and limits of their authority and feel that they are personally responsibly and accountable for results to match that auhtority. They must also have adequate capacity and support to be able to make sound decisions and resist coercion from vested interests.

3.4.5 Option for action, Reviewing the initiative for timing and flexibility

Carry out regular reviews of the conservation initiative, with particular focus on the timing of activities and the amount of flexibility allowed for ongoing replanning and responses to specific opportunities and problems. Check that theschedulke is realistic, that the human resources are sufficient, and that all other resources are available.

Conservation initiatives need to respond to change in the natural environment, as well as change in the availability of resources, people's priorities, technology, the political situatiuon, etc. Regular reviews are a way of assessing progress and evaluating how to respond to such change. The reviews should be carried out on a regular basis (e.g., every six months) so that problems which could undermine the effectiveness and sustainability of the initiative are noticed and dealt with before they cause damage.

Involve representatives of the local community in the exercise and, if applicable, donor agencies as well. Involving the local people and donors will reinforce their sense of ownership and commitment to the conservation initiative.

3.4.6 Option for action, Hiring staff from the local area

Hire people from the local area for jobs in the conservation initiative. Specifically consider technical and managerial positions, and not only support jobs. Give preference to people conversant with the local language, culture and conditions who do not belong to political factions or parties which are in open conflict with some groups or sectors in the local society. Local staff should have contact with local stakeholders, but, at the same time, be protected from pressures for undue favours.

The option offers an effective way of integrating local conversation skills and knowledge into the iniative, thus making it more sustainable in the long-term. It is also likely to result ina more stable staffing situation, especially in remote areas where outsiders are likely to take a position only for a limited period. Also, the employment of locals is the most efficient and effective way of reducing barriers between the iniative and the local community due to language and cultural differences. Employing local people can bring advantages to the local community as well. For instance, it ensures that at least a part of the salaries and wages is retained locally, as an immediate and tangible benefit of the initiative.

Staff selected on the basis of being locals must be locally well accepted. It is advisable to check oout their history and standing in the community with key community members prior to making any appointment. For local staff, their level of credibility in the community is at least as important as their professional qualifications.

To avoid creating disparities in the local economy, ensure that pay rates and other benefits for local staff are aligned with those being paid in other local institutions. At the same time, ensure that differences between local and non-local pay rates are justifiable and accepted by the relevant staff.

3.4.7 Option for action, Staff Visits to field operations

Organize reasonably frequent field visits for all the professional staff involved in the initiative, icluding managers and administrators, to familiarize them with the arena and meet the local stakeholders. If appropriate and possible, include the donors of the initiative as well.

It is advisable that some visits be well, but that others be made on the spur of the moment. The professional staff may wish to discuss beforehand what to look for and what they hope to learn, so that their observations and meetings will be focused and instructive. The team should strive to meet those people who are members of local decision making groups such as Conservation Councils or major resource-user associations.

3.4.8 Option for action, Cultural presentations for the staff of the initiative

Organize meetings, presentations and shows for the staff of the conservation initiative 9in particular, for the non-local staff!) to learn about local history, cultural customs and beliefs, and existing or past institutions and systems of resource mangement. One approach that may be appropriate is to help the local people to make their own video/slide show, illustrating the environment which are important to them. The video could record the development of the initiative and document environmental improvements and community responses over time. Provide ways of discussing the presentations together among staff and local people.

If appropriate, the "cultural" sessions could provide a forum in which to consider how to deal with local customs that are at odds with conservation of local resources and/or internationally recognized human rights.

3.4.9 Option for action, Integrating local culture and traditions with the conservation initiative

Look for connections between traditional beliefs and values and the objectives of the initiative and develop these connections in the approach, objectives and information material of the initiative. Look for opportunities to expand and enhance positive traditional activities.

For example, dedicate some resources to collecting backgroung information on traditional practices and activities. Discuss these in joint meetings between local people and staff. In agreement with local people, record their stories and myths on conservation issues, and store them in ways that provide easy access (e.g., cassette tapes). Present the recordings to the community as a contribution from the conservation initiative.

3.4.10 Option for action, Extraordinary staff and stakeholder meetings

Whenever a decision must be made that will affect the local community in significant way, organize a special meeting to discuss the reasons for the decision and its implications for staff and local stakeholders.

Ensure that the venue and the time for the meeting are suitable for all parties. Conduct the meeting in a way that encourages an open discussion or pros and cons and, in particular, measures to reduce any detrimental impacts on stakeholders. Make sure that all the information needed for staff and stakeholders to understand the issue is available at the meeting and in a form which everyone can understand. As much as possible, those affected by the proposed change need to undestand and accept the need for action.

The meetings can become a forum for resolving actual or potential conflicts among stakeholders or between stakeholders and the initiative. If this is a possibility, care should be taken in selecting a skilled facilitator. It may also be appropriate for the meeting to chaired by an acknowledged and respected leader from the area.

3.4.11 Option for action, Ongoing communication programme

Assign to capable, experienced staff the task of maintaining ongoing relationships with local stakeholders and, in particular, assisting them in primary environmental care initiatives and other projects to generate benefits and economic returns from conservation.

For instance, relationships could be maintained by a regular series of events (such as a weekly or monthly radio programme, or a theatre group performing at ceremonies or local social occasions) in which people expect to hear news about the conservation initiative. Make the events as interactive as possible (accept calls from listeners, read out letters received, invite local speakers, ask the audience to comment, intervene in the scene, etc.)

A regular newsletter in the local language is another possibility. Make sure it is understandale by local people and addresses matters of interests to them. Involve local people in the preparation of the newsletter and other events, to enrich and "test" the effectiveness of the chosen communication tools and avenues.

Adopt other systems of communicating information as appropriate to the area and the initiative. These could include pamphlets and posters presentations to schools and churches; guided tours of the conservation area, etc. It is important that the methods used to communicate take into account the needs of those who are illiterate. In this sense, posters, guided tours and audio-visual displays are particularly appropriate, as well as presentations to groups.

Ongoing communication is important for the maintenance of trust betweeb the parties. The links also facilitate a sharing of information and the prevention of conflicts. However, being "in touch" is not enough. As issues arise, the management of the conversation initiative needs to respond to local concerns and take action as appropriate.

3.4.12 Option for action, Monitoring Change in the local communities

Establish a system to monitor change in the status of local socio-economic conditions and relationships with the conservation initiative. Appropriate questions to address include: is there substantial change in the capacity of local people to meet their own needs? Is there substantial change in the impacy on the ecosystem caused by local use of resources? Are there subtantial changes in the attitudes of local people towards the initiative?

The monitoring system could form part of the ongoing participatory monitoring and evaluation programme, if one exists, or it could be a purely internal excercise for the benefit of management, based on field worker reports.

3.4.13 Option for action, Networking with local leaders and opinion-makers

Organize a system (meetings, letters, telephone contact) of keeping local leaders and opinion-makers informed about the conservation initiative. Seek their input and advice as appropriate. This will reduce the possibility that they will resent the conservation initiative and use their influence to undermine its credibility.

Make sure that the individuals and organizations selected for networking are those which have the support of the local community. In some areas established traditional organizations may be more appropriate than new organizations with less credibility and relevance to local communities. In other areas the opposite may be true. There may also be conflicts of power between the old and new with each trying to establish or retain its power base. Consult with local people before assuming which organizations have the most relevance and usefulness to the managment and implementation of the initiative. Strive to remain outside local power struggles.

 

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