ABSTRACT

Leadership is a key aspect of building capacity for innovation. Complex systems call for a non-traditional form of leadership; that is, a leadership style is rooted less in command and control, and more in delegation and trust. Based on the idea that leaders do not necessarily know more than the system (nor are they all powerful), a key task is creating the conditions under which people are more productive and effective.

It is suggested that leadership style and skills can take as a starting point what a given situation demands, although in terms of innovation and complexity, there is a strong tendency towards a facilitative style. Furthermore, it is proposed that we go beyond the individual leader and take more of a systems approach, where the system embodies a collection of qualities. To conclude, ten qualities for leading innovation and capacity building in complex systems are suggested.