Collective Leadership Certification – Becoming Specialist

Certification Programme

Becoming a Collective Leadership Specialist

Be the change that you wish to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi

300+

Collective Leadership Specialists around the world

In 2015, the nations of the world agreed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17th Goal emphasizes the importance of partnerships for realizing the other 16 Goals. Working in collaboration across sectors, topics, and borders requires a set of capacities that most individuals and organizations simply don’t have yet. This begs the question: how will the 17th SDG be met by 2030?

The challenge presented by the SDGs is increasing collaboration capacity worldwide so that all change processes can be carried out in a peaceful, professional, efficient, and effective way that honours the intention of the global sustainable development movement. To meet this challenge, CLI is training collaborative change-makers and building Collective Leadership Hubs around the world. CLI’s vision is “A worldwide network of Collective Leadership Hubs that scale up collective leadership capacity to empower individuals, teams, and stakeholder systems to achieve sustainability transformations.”

We need to see leadership as the capacity of a collective to catalyse change for the common good.
Dr. Petra Kuenkel; The Art of Leading Collectively

What is the Certification Programme about?

For the past decade, CLI has conceptualized and field-tested collaboration methodologies and tools with partners, developing high quality and engaging training curricula, materials, and publications. Through our growing network of partners, we seek to transfer these approaches and materials to skilled specialists around the world and, through them, scale collaboration and impact for sustainability.

We understand collaboration to be the capacity to lead collectively across borders:

Collaboration among different sectors from the local to the global levels, such as implementation of the SDGs, the Paris Accord, and other international agreements
Collaboration among different identities, such as among different racial, ethnic, religious, age, sexual orientation, and political group
Collaboration across international borders, such as on the refugee crisis, transboundary watershed management, and transboundary fisheries management.

Therefore, the Collective Leadership Institute developed a Certification Scheme, which is offered to any individual, who would like to join the network of other collaborative change-makers..

In order to become a Collective Leadership Specialist, individuals, teams or CLI course Alumni go through the certification process (the graph below presents the training process).

In order to become a Collective Leadership Specialist trainees have to take part in three (or four) CLI courses:

The Art of Stakeholder Collaboration course, and
The Art of Leading Collectively course, and
The Art of Process Facilitation (formerly: The Art of Dialogue) course, OR
The Art of Transformative Change course,

and learn the CLI methodologies: © Dialogic Change Model and © Collective Leadership Compass, as well as facilitation techniques and/or network stewardship.

Collective Leadership Specialist Certification

Overview of all modules and credits

Download our one pager for a full overview of all modules and credits needed to become a Collective Leadership Specialist

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Benefits of becoming a Collective Leadership Specialist

Overview of the Certification Programme modules in 2023

Certification overview 2023

CLI Certified Collective Leadership Specialists are able to apply the above- mentioned methodologies successfully in practice. By completing our certification process, Collective Leadership Specialists have proven expertise in designing and invigorating multi-stakeholder initiatives that work to achieve outcomes across the Sustainable Development Goals at all levels. Being a Collective Leadership Specialist is also a compulsory qualification to apply for the CLI Expert Pool (a shortlist of experts eligible to work on CLI projects and/or as a facilitator in our Academy) and and to become an Accredited Collective Leadership Facilitator and create a Collective Leadership Hub.

Certified Specialists are fluent in a language for leading change collectively and are able to apply the © Collective Leadership Compass and © Dialogic Change Module successfully in practice. Through CLI’s Certification Programme, Specialists join our diverse, global Community of Practice that actively engages in exchange, learning, and networking events.

Vision and Mission statements of the Collective Leadership Specialist Community of Practice:

VISION We strive to be a vibrant, global movement of diverse Collective Leadership Specialists, practitioners who advance regenerative futures for the community of life on planet Earth.

MISSION We seek to realize this vision by:

- engaging in mutually-supportive exchange and learning;
- self-organizing regular, dynamic network events;
- co-developing innovative ideas and approaches; and
- inspiring and enhancing transformative collaborations.

Certified Specialist who seek to exchange with fellow alumni and get the latest exclusive content from CLI can join the Collective Leadership Specialist LinkedIn group. This group is non-public and registration is required.

How to start?

The following graph helps you to choose the right foundation course to start with:

Overview of the Certification Programme modules in 2023

Certification overview 2023

Dates and times of the open certification programme course modules 2023

4, 5, 11, 12 May 2023, Africa-Europe-MENA (online): The Art of Leading Collectively

20, 21, 22, 23 June 2023, Germany (in-person): The Art of Leading Collectively

4-7 July 2023, Germany (in-person): The Art of Stakeholder Collaboration

28, 29, 30, 31 August, Cambodia (in-person): The Art of Stakeholder Collaboration

16, 17, 18, 19 October, Germany and online (hybrid): The Art of Stakeholder Collaboration

24, 25, 26, 27 October, South Africa (in-person): The Art of Stakeholder Collaboration

13, 14, 16, 17 November, Asia-Oceania (online): The Art of Leading Collectively

23, 24, 30 November, 1 December, Africa-Europe-MENA (online): The Art of Process Facilitation

18, 19, 20, 21 December, Germany and online (hybrid): The Art of Transformative Change

The Art of Leading Collectively

- 4 days of training
- core methodology: CLI Collective Leadership Compass
- tuition fee: € 1,900
Registration status: CLOSED

20 June — 23 June 2023

Collective Leadership Institute gGmbH, Kurfürstenstraße, Potsdam, Germany

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The Art of Stakeholder Collaboration

- 4 days of training
- core methodology: CLI Dialogic Change Model
- tuition fee: € 1,900
Registration status: CLOSED

4 July — 7 July 2023

Collective Leadership Institute gGmbH, Kurfürstenstraße, Potsdam, Germany

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The Art of Stakeholder Collaboration

- 4 days of training
- core methodology: CLI Dialogic Change Model
- tuition fee: € 1,900.00
Registration status: OPEN

28 August — 31 August 2023

Borei Angkor Resort & Spa, National Road 6, Siem Reap, Cambodia

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The Art of Leading Collectively

- 4 days of online-training
- core methodology: CLI Collective Leadership Compass
- tuition fee: EUR 375 per online presence day
Registration status: OPEN

13 November — 17 November 2023

Borei Angkor Resort & Spa, National Road 6, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

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The Art of Process Facilitation

- 4 days of online-training
- core methodology: CLI Dialogic Change Model
- tuition fee: € 375 per online presence day
Registration status: OPEN

23 November — 1 December 2023

Collective Leadership Institute gGmbH, Kurfürstenstraße, Potsdam, Germany

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The Art of Transformative Change

- 4 days of online-training
- core methodologies: CLI Collective Leadership Compass
- tuition fee: In person € 1,900 | online € 1,500
Registration status: OPEN

12 December — 15 December 2023

Kurfürstenstraße 1, Potsdam, Germany

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Certified Collective Leadership Specialists

We have trained 359 Collective Leadership Specialists worldwide since the start of the programme in 2017. This table shows the total number per country. You may also find them in the world map, below. Several of these Specialists have become Accredited Collective Leadership Facilitators or are CLI Faculty.

Get to know some of our certified Collective Leadership Specialists

Country	Certified Collective Leadership Specialists (Updated Dec 2021)
Germany	104
Ukraine	45
Egypt	40
Ghana	17
Senegal	17
Indonesia	16
Serbia	16
Tunisia	16
Nigeria	15
Russia	12
Belarus	10
Honduras	8
Morocco	8
Laos	6
Jordan	5
Switzerland	4
South Africa	3
Ethiopia	2
United States	2
Zambia	2
Albania	1
Bangladesh	1
Bolivia	1
Brazil	1
Cameroon	1
DR Congo	1
Denmark	1
France	1
Kenya	1
Kyrgyzstan	1
Netherlands	1
Uganda	1
United Kingdon	1

Some of our Collective Leadership Specialists and Facilitators

Instead of working in competition, I can help people understand that together, we are stronger.
Dorothée Masele - certified Collective Leadership Specialist

Dorothée Masele, Democratic Republic of Congo

Why did you decide to become certified as a Collective Leadership Specialist?

“From the very first session, I felt that I could be more effective and fruitful with my work in the community by introducing a way to build collective intelligence through the four phases of the Dialogic Change Model. The Collective Leadership Compass crowned the competences I acquired by making available a tool to evaluate successes and areas for development at all levels from personal to team to company to wider community.”

What does it mean to you to be a Collective Leadership Specialist?

“As a Collective Leadership Specialist, I feel that I am able to lead a team of leaders to gather their different competences and achieve a common goal. Instead of working in competition, I can help people understand that together, we are stronger. For me, it’s a privilege and honor to be part of the prestigious CLS network. This qualification helps me to bring about change in my company, in my environment, and even in my family. I am changing the competitive mindsets of people to understand that we need one another to achieve our goals and celebrate collective successes!”

Dorothée Masele is Community Relationship Manager at Tenke Fungurume Mining, and President at Women in Mining, Democratic Republic of Congo

I support the development of my country by applying a collective leadership approach through my work for the TVET education system.
Dr. Mahmoud A. Deab - certified Collective Leadership Specialist

Dr. Mahmoud A. Deab, Egypt

Why did you decide to become certified as a Collective Leadership Specialist?

“I highly value the collective leadership approach because it brings a lot of love into the work environment. Using the Compass and the Dialogic Change Model helps me build on the collective emotional intelligence among actors and solve a lot of challenges together.”

What does it mean to you to be a Collective Leadership Specialist?

“Being a Collective Leadership Specialist means a lot to me in my work and personal life because I now have the tools that can help me to have a positive impact on my colleagues and students, family and community. Concretely, I support the development of my country by applying a collective leadership approach through my work for the TVET education system.

Furthermore, being part of CLI’s Specialist community helps me to exchange knowledge and experiences with a diversity of talented Specialists. This helps me in my work and improves my own progress through FeedForward advice from these highly qualified professionals. I’m proud to be a member of such an excellent community and I’m trying to be positive ambassador for it!”

Dr. Mahmoud A. Deab is Advisor to the Deputy Minister for Technical Education at the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, Egypt

The collective leadership approach offers powerful tools to support change initiatives for sustainability transformations.
Dr. Maike Sippel - certified Collective Leadership Specialist

Dr. Maike Sippel, Germany

Why did you decide to become certified as a Collective Leadership Specialist?

“The collective leadership approach offers powerful tools to support change initiatives for sustainability transformations. I find this approach highly inspiring and useful.”

What does it mean to you to be a Collective Leadership Specialist?

“As a Collective Leadership Specialist, I try to integrate the collective leadership principles in my sphere of influence. The tools offer me the possibility to analyze complex processes more systematically and derive ideas for interventions that may improve a given initiative. I try to apply these powerful tools in my work – as a teacher, researcher, and change agent.

My experience so far is that the collective leadership approach makes my contributions to change more effective. This inspired me, so I started to find partners for developing a Hub for transformation competencies in my city and region, with collective leadership skills as a basis.”

Dr. Maike Sippel is Professor at the University of Applied Science and climate activist in Constance, Germany

Further testimonials

“For me, being a Collective Leadership Specialist means being part of an inspiring network of leaders for sustainability!” – Maria Real Perdomo, private sector, Germany

“Being a Collective Leadership Specialist grants me trustworthiness regarding my multi-stakeholder dialogue and partnership expertise, while complementing my technical expertise.” – Jacob Fink Ferdinand, private sector, Denmark

“For me, being a Collective Leadership Specialist means being part of a visionary, global community.” – Anastasia Sauer, academia, Germany

“In my professional engagements, certification as a Collective Leadership Specialist formally links me to the credibility and experience of the Collective Leadership Institute and thus validates the quality of my training and skills, while for me personally, being a CLS embeds me in an on-going community of practice that helps guide and support my work.” – Barry Shelley, civil society, United States

“Personally, I benefit from being a CLS by participating in and contributing to our global networking events. These help me stay connected with Specialists around the world on the topic of leading collectively for sustainability.” – Berti Shaker, development cooperation, Egypt

“Being certified as a CLS gives me the skills to facilitate engaging dialogue processes, establish sustainable dialogue platforms, and collectively achieve concrete results across sectors.” – Houcine Nejjari, development cooperation, Morocco

Become a Collective Leadership Specialist

Join our network

Click the button below to register for the Certification Programme

Collective Leadership Specialists Register now

Re:Connect – join a global Community of Practice

Every year in September, there is an exclusive online event for certified Collective Leadership Specialists – Re:Connect.

Here you can read about news on the next event and what happened at past Re:Connect editions.

The 2023 edition of Re:Connect is scheduled for Thursday, 21 September 2023 – the Interational Day of Peace. Certified Specialists will be invited by CLI. Make sure to mark the date in your calendars already. And feel free to update us with your new contact information, should this have changed, or if you have not received an invitation last time. Just send an email to: germany[at]collecitveleadership.com.

PAST RE:CONNECT EDITIONS

Re:Connect 2:

On September 21, 2022, CLI’s second yearly Re:Connect took place. We were incredibly #energized by the positive energy and ideas that flowed thanks to our growing #community!

Over 40 Collective Leadership Specialists from all over the world -South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon, DRC, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Ukraine, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, and USA- attended and invest their time to make our Community thrive!

Not only were we able to highlight all past and upcoming projects and events generated within our our community, but we also discussed in depth three cases projects that are being pushed forward by our Specialists to collect ideas on how to make them incredibly successful:

Coumba Leye and Malick Bassoum presented the “Creating a Multi-stakeholder Dialogue Platform for Employment Promotion in Senegal”;
Samuel Okwa for presented “Firestone Software Developers Network: Making Nigerian Tech Ecosystem more accessible to MSMEs”; and
Dorothée Masele Mwewa for presented “Women in Mining: Democratic Republic of Congo”

Finally, CLI Specialists were ready to take on ever greater challenges ahead, starting with other Specialist-dedicated events in fall and winter 2022/23.

Case Example Senegal

Re:Connect 2022: vision and mission

Welcome new Specialists

Re:Connect 1:

In September 2021, CLI hosted a first-ever, exclusive event for our global network of certified Collective Leadership Specialists: “Re:Connect: A Community of Specialists for Helping Realize the SDGs.”

36 diverse Specialists attended this first annual gathering, making for a successful and enlivening start! The Re:Connect 2021 edition highlighted the following agenda items:

Dr. Petra Kuenkel presented and led a discussion on ideas at the frontier of Transformation Literacy (video recording here).
Three Specialists presented on their real cases so as to receive “FeedForward” (future-oriented suggestions) on key collaboration challenges.
A networking break.
A collective brainstorming on ideas regarding the purpose and key activities of the Specialists’ Community of Practice, as well as how all members can help make it self-sustaining.

Re:Connect 2021

Presentation on Transforrmation Literacy

Re:Connect

Re:Connect real case from Egypt

Re:Connect real case from Germany

Live stream - welcoming new Specialist group from Servia

CL Specialist Community of Practice news

CLI Newsletter article April 2022

CLI Newsletter article August 2022

CLI Newsletter article December 2022

CLI Expert Pool

CLI’s unique © Collective Leadership Compass and © Dialogic Change Model methodologies have helped professionals from more than 120 countries to improve their leadership and collaboration skills, and to achieve sustainability transformations at multiple scales. Being fluent in the application of these methodologies is a precondition for working and collaborating with CLI.

People who have been trained in and applied CLI’s methodologies may be eligible to work on CLI projects and/or as a facilitator in our Academy. When you have completed both CLI foundation courses plus one of our advanced courses and have gained some experience applying CL methodologies in development contexts, you are welcome to complete this form to become part of the CLI Expert Pool.

Being shortlisted in the Expert Pool is a precondition to be hired as a CLI external expert through a simplified procedure. Inclusion in the CLI Expert Pool does not guarantee agreements/contracts with CLI. Inclusion in the CLI Expert Pool means that you may receive direct awards or be invited to submit tenders for work with CLI within the areas covered by those specific tenders or direct awards.

If you are interested to be included in the CLI Expert Pool, please (1) register in CLI’s Online Academy and (2) complete the following form (while being logged in) to apply for the CLI Expert Pool:

CLI Expert Pool Application

Please register for or log in the CLI Online Academy first and then start filling in the form!
Next round of applications ends on 31 December 2022. We will announce new CLI Experts in January 2023.

Application Form

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED!

The call for 2023 Expert Pool applications is closed. We will open a new round for 2024 in December 2023.

CLI EXPERT POOL MEMBERS 2023:

Name	Country
Ben Corrigan	Cambodia
Berti Shaker	Egypt
Chris Burton	Switzerland
Dominic Stucker	Spain
Douglas Williamson	USA
Iqbal Hamad	Jordan
Jacob Ferdinand	Denmark
Mai ElAshmawy	Egypt
Maryana Zaviyska	Ukraine
Miral Omran	Egypt
Mostafa Rhlib	Morocco
Pia Clausen	Denmark
Suzan Joy	Uganda

More information

More information about the three steps: registration, selection, tenders

Direct Link to the Application Form

Based on the information you have provided in the form, we will review the applications annually (usually in December; but in special cases also during the year) and select/refresh the CLI Expert Pool for the coming two years. The selection process uses the criteria mentioned in part B (selection process) of the form that you submitted.

Depending on CLI’s project needs and the amount of work envisioned, we will run simplified tendering procedures among the CLI Expert Pool members. These are based on your technical expertise and experiences stated in your Expert Pool application form. Therefore, please make sure to keep your registration data updated. You will be requested to update your profile every two years.

Impact Statement: Movement Building

CLI’s Collective Leadership Certification Programme plays a key role for our strategic pillar Movement Building. Find the current information on the impact of this pillar below.