by Detlef Palm
If you are still waiting with bated breath to learn about the identity of the new UNICEF Executive Director: breathe normally.
I have made up my mind that it doesn’t matter who she or he is. It’s likely to be an outsider, known only to few of us. The nominee may not know much about how UNICEF really operates, as appearance and reality are different matters. The nomination is only important for the country that happens to be 13th on the list of contributions per capita.
I suppose the brains of headquartered staff have been much exercised in preparing briefing notes for the incoming boss. It is a difficult and important task. The briefing notes may influence the preoccupations of the new executive, and perhaps the directions of UNICEF as a whole.
The executive attention span can be fleeting. Jim Grant wanted briefings not to exceed one page, 12pt courier font and no cheating with the margins. Other principals preferred to be briefed in the time it takes the elevator to move from the cafeteria to the rarefied atmosphere of the 13th floor.
Talk about the importance and achievements of one’s own division is decidedly boring. What about problems and decisions that have been pending for far too long, and need to be addressed as a matter of urgency? And who determines the relative importance and order of priority of all those briefings? Who should be heard, and who can safely be ignored? Is the collective message not to worry and to continue as before, or that major transformations are overdue? Should UNICEF be reimagined, again?
The incoming luminary will have a steep learning curve. UN governance is complex and UNICEF processes are outdated. Should we explain the country programme approach, the role of verticals and our multitude of offices around the world, or forget about all this for the time being? Should we describe the function of the board as it was designed, or say that hardly anyone pays attention? Should we highlight the reform of the UN development system, or pretend it has come to an end? How about the pain it takes to write a CPD, or the gender balance among our water engineers? Is it worth explaining the strategic plan, or do we keep it for later, when everything of importance has been discussed? What about an overview of the history of UNICEF, so finally we learn from the past? Is the top priority to raise more money, or to ensure the quality of UNICEF spending?
Of course, the incoming boss may have her or his own ideas about UNICEF and what it should be, and we may or may not find them plausible. But this moment in time is an opportunity for you, to ponder the to-do list and the titles of the three top briefing notes for the Executive Director of UNICEF.
I have made up my mind that it doesn’t matter who she or he is. It’s likely to be an outsider, known only to few of us. The nominee may not know much about how UNICEF really operates, as appearance and reality are different matters. The nomination is only important for the country that happens to be 13th on the list of contributions per capita.
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| Preparing briefing notes is fun |
The executive attention span can be fleeting. Jim Grant wanted briefings not to exceed one page, 12pt courier font and no cheating with the margins. Other principals preferred to be briefed in the time it takes the elevator to move from the cafeteria to the rarefied atmosphere of the 13th floor.
Talk about the importance and achievements of one’s own division is decidedly boring. What about problems and decisions that have been pending for far too long, and need to be addressed as a matter of urgency? And who determines the relative importance and order of priority of all those briefings? Who should be heard, and who can safely be ignored? Is the collective message not to worry and to continue as before, or that major transformations are overdue? Should UNICEF be reimagined, again?
The incoming luminary will have a steep learning curve. UN governance is complex and UNICEF processes are outdated. Should we explain the country programme approach, the role of verticals and our multitude of offices around the world, or forget about all this for the time being? Should we describe the function of the board as it was designed, or say that hardly anyone pays attention? Should we highlight the reform of the UN development system, or pretend it has come to an end? How about the pain it takes to write a CPD, or the gender balance among our water engineers? Is it worth explaining the strategic plan, or do we keep it for later, when everything of importance has been discussed? What about an overview of the history of UNICEF, so finally we learn from the past? Is the top priority to raise more money, or to ensure the quality of UNICEF spending?
Of course, the incoming boss may have her or his own ideas about UNICEF and what it should be, and we may or may not find them plausible. But this moment in time is an opportunity for you, to ponder the to-do list and the titles of the three top briefing notes for the Executive Director of UNICEF.
It's surely a strange anomaly of history that the one Member State never to ratify the CRC is the one that always chooses the ED. If necessary, as it sometimes has been, a strong brief on the significance and workings of the CRC, its Committee and UNICEF's 'expert advice' role would be at the top of the list.
ReplyDeleteHello colleagues - greetings. Being a miser with the words, I would say it straight. The ED's briefing note should say that (i) there has been too much talking in UNICEF. It should be replaced with 'doing' what UNICEF professes. 'Showing by doing' strategy was buried long time back (ii) tell the donors (sugar coated development partners) that UNICEF too has made / makes mistakes but it is upfront about it and will ensure that mistakes are not repeated (iii) the rising graph of funding is no indication of meaningful work and lastly (iv) the new ED from the US should know that she/he comes at a cost of another equally/more deserving candidate from the developing world. If the ED is perceptive, this should suffice. If not, even a ten pager would make no difference. It is sad that the ED positions in various UN bodies have been cornered by few countries. Cartel mentality anyone? I think I have used too many words. Adios.
ReplyDeleteGood Lord! If by any chance the Exe Dir is anyone like AV it will be a total waste of time as he/she will have no interest in reading anything or even talking to anyone beyond the inner circle who might be appointed from outside!
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