When a group of 25 university students were asked what are the attributes, qualifications and skills needed of an 'environmental leader', these were their responses. They are presented as-is, without prioritization.

1. Ability to facilitate dialogue and consensus
2. Ability to act decisively
3. Understand the cutting edge of the issue being discussed
4. Willingness to participate directly, and "get-your-hands-dirty"
5. Have a clear understanding of the objectives - 'hows and whys'
6. Ability to listen and provide opportunity for all to speak
7. Not to be self-serving
8. To think of the cause and effects
9. A desire to try and experiment
10. To understand the value of 'empathy'
11. To have asense of justice and equality
12. To belive in fellow human beings (trust and dignity)
13. To instill trust from people
14. To extrapolate individual justice to the environment
15. To avoid stereotyping
16. To accept diversity in people
17. To be flexible in accepting different viewpoints
18. Ability to set agendas (political and others)
19. Ability to set and implement timeframes
20. To clearly understand the issues involved
21. To develop effective dissemination skills
22. To develop effective communication skills
23. To communicate internationally (speak English?)
24. To know the global trends
25. To effectively network
26. To identify stakeholders and resources
27. Ability to package information that is useful
28. To act as an information provider
29. To think 'beyond specialization' - (beyond skills, beyond nation and beyond issues)
30. Coordination skill - ability to juggle different actors, issues and objectives
31. Understanding the interrelationships and causes-effects
32. To be a 'proposer' and 'opportunity provider'
33. Ability to interpret information and present ideas
34. To have monitoring and evaluation skills
35. Ability to articulate group learning techniques
36. Ability in information seeking and mining
37. To be original and creative
38. To talk with people at their level of understanding and scale
39. Being able to add value to information
40. To have a vision
41. To know oneself
42. To understnad the importance of self-confidence and self-worth
43. To be able to express and articulate oneself
44. To have courage
45. To be gender sensitive
46. To recognise and nuture creativity and originality

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Source:

Brainstorming during the 'Environmental Leadership Training Workshop' UNU-IeF-IGES, Shonan village, Japan - 12 and 13 June 1999.