Politicians’ actions and decisions impact us all, yet the role of a political leader is often undefined and unsupported. Without attention, training and research, passionate, well-meaning political leaders may be set up to fail.
Identify the cross-cutting leadership competencies and attributes needed to respond to emerging challenges.
Help more young people gain effective political power through political leadership training that equips them with critical policy- and decision-making skills.
Bring together experts to answer the big questions surrounding 21st-century political leadership.
Increase healthier, constructive dialogue about expectations between politicians and citizens.
Help rebuild trust in political leadership.
“People will remember you not by your rise to leadership, but by the quality of your leadership.”
Kofi Annan
About the Leadership Excellence in Politics initiative (LEiP)
The Leadership Excellence in Politics (LEiP) initiative seeks to understand the gap between what citizens expect from their leaders and what their leaders actually deliver, and to identify solutions to bridge this gap. Together with our partners, we will run political leadership training, coordinate research and launch advocacy campaigns.
Political Leadership Training
LEiP holds multi-partisan political leadership training to equip a new generation of diverse leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to uphold ethical standards, reject authoritarianism and respond to the world’s increasingly complex challenges.
The one-week in-person programme involves a select group of 20 aspiring or newly elected political leaders between the ages of 20 and 35. Participants are from around the world and have the networks and creativity to influence other young people in their communities.
The LEiP Young Leaders training course will cover themes including:
Why democratic leadership must be anchored in ethics and values;
How democratic leaders engage with multilateral institutions;
What key challenges emerging technologies will present to democratic leadership;
How can leaders foster citizen engagement;
How to lead across social and political divides.
Participating leaders will become part of a global alumni network, within which they can continue exchanging ideas and practices. The network is a rare space within which leaders of different political leanings can safely interact, fostering cross-party cooperation and reducing polarization among the next generation of leaders.
Discover more about the Leadership Excellence in Politics Initiative in our LEiP Training video
Expert Research Council
Political leadership has an outsized impact on the world, yet little research exists on what skills and attributes politicians need to serve us well. The first-of-its-kind Leadership Excellence in Politics Expert Council brings together a select group of politicians, academics, researchers, practitioners, and media thought-leaders from around the world to share their expertise and help fill the knowledge gap on political leadership.
At a time when many, particularly women and young people, are being turned off politics as a viable career path, our vision is a Council that can help reignite trust and interest in political leadership through greater knowledge, insights and improved practice.
The LEiP Expert Council will:
Connect cross-sectoral leaders on political leadership from around the globe;
Share research or practical insights on political leadership;
Produce position statements and research questions to fill the knowledge gaps on political leadership;
Help reignite trust and interest in political leadership through improved knowledge, insights and practice;
Amplify the need for more evidence and training on political leadership.
“Many leaders today no longer seem to know how to deliver, or even what is necessary. This crisis of political leadership goes a long way to explaining the crisis of democracy itself.”
Corinne Momal-Vanian
At a Glance
Leadership Excellence in Politics
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Organisations have joined forces to understand the gap between what citizens expect from their leaders and what their leaders do – and to find solutions to reduce it.
Young leaders from all five continents are invited to participate in an annual political training course on democratic leadership and multilateralism designed for aspiring political leaders.
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Research Council of academics and practitioners has been set up to identify cross-cutting leadership competencies needed to respond to the world’s biggest issues.
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The Geneva Centre for Security Policy’s (GCSP) mission is to advance peace, security and international cooperation by providing the knowledge, skills and network for effective and inclusive decision-making through executive education, diplomatic dialogue, research and policy advice.
The Better Politics Foundation is restoring hope in political leadership when we need it the most. Its mission is to update representative political leadership for the 21st century through a worldwide non-partisan movement.
NexusVesting creates and promotes new ideas for positive social change. We are working to strengthen responsible leadership, constructive dialogue, ethical investment approaches, and artful solutions for recycling.
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An open letter by the international Leadership Excellence in Politics (LEiP) Initiative We, the undersigned, unite with a shared commitment to restore trust in political leadership and enhance its practice to meet the unique demands of the 21st-century. In an era where trust in political institutions is waning, now is the time for leaders across […]
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