The importance of leadership in impact assessment

Abstract

The future of Impact Assessment (IA) depends on its professionals' mental resilience and willingness to acquire transformative leadership skills that convert them from being only good managers to become true leaders of IA outcomes. A basic assumption in this chapter is that IA needs to be an influencer of executive investment decisions. And that this cannot be achieved by simply collecting data, assessing impacts, acting procedurally correct, producing legally compliant statements or limiting advice to the mitigation of negative performance behaviors. IA professionals need to become more involved in 'do no harm' impact investment, advising on strategic alternative decision-making long before 'IA's formal interface with regulatory bodies begins. IA leadership skills are needed to ensure the value of IA as an independent semaphore for smart decision-making and the promotion of more sustainable development. This chapter elaborates on the importance of embracing leadership behaviors and values among the IA profession. Based on empirical experience upon interaction with IA professionals in different occasions, proposals are made for a transition into leadership roles within IA, the seven seismic shifts model is adapted to IA leadership and tasks and activities for good IA leadership are explored, to conclude on what should be the primary focus of IA leadership in the future.