Reflections on Leadership - GCSP Alumni

Some 25 years ago I had the pleasure to participate in the 8th ITC-International Training

Course at Geneva Centre for Security Policy-GCSP. It gave my new insights and understanding to international relations, European security and arms control issues and

much more. It also gave me a lot of new friends, friends I have come across in different

situations and in different places ever since.

Last week I again had the pleasure to interact with GCSP. Now at the very first Alumni

Insight Event celebrating the 35th anniversary of the establishment of GCSP. Together with my long-time friend and course colleague from the 8th ITC, MajGen (ret) Urs Gerber we spoke about and reflected on “the Art of Leadership: Reflections and Insights from the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission”.

I addressed four leadership challenges; decision making through consensus, working in two different environment (one military and one political/diplomatic), culture awareness and how to achieve delegation cooperation and cohesion. The event brought together a very strong group of Alumni’s from around world, who a lot of comments and questions on possible the least well-known international peace operation, the Neutral Nations

Supervisory Commission-NNSC.

It also gave me a chance to once more reflect on the importance of personal relations and the importance to maintain your personal and business network and friends. You never know when the next opportunity may arise.

Mats