Ready to be more flexible? Time to shift your mindset

24 September 2019

This set of products is itself flexible to the user’s interests and needs: they can be read in conjunction with one another, or separately on their own. The entire study and three standalone sections are available for download on the sidebar.

We have also produced a set of short audio companions for the papers (see below), which describe the key points, and feature interviews with experts on these issues.

Why is it that many humanitarian organisations, once considered highly flexible, are now unable to quickly shift their strategies and programmes in response to situational changes, such as new outbreaks of conflict, changing markets, rising drought conditions or population movements? How did humanitarian organisations end up with approaches that inhibit learning and adaptation, when the complexity of protracted crises requires the opposite? Why is it that individual aid workers often have to work outside their organisation’s systems in an effort to do things differently? And what can decision-makers in humanitarian organisations do about this?

Over a two-year period, ALNAP spent time with our Members to understand the challenges they were facing in their operational flexibility in different crisis contexts. We looked at the opportunities and challenges to adapting humanitarian assistance in DRC, and learned from Members trying to flex between longer-term development, crisis mitigation and humanitarian drought response in Kenya. We also brought together a cross-section of the humanitarian sector to share their experiences in experimenting with different models for flexibility.

The result of all this is a set of papers and learning products which aim to support the shift in mindset that is required to support a more flexible, nimble humanitarian response.

Shifting Mindsets Audio Companion playlist
Want to listen on your phone, tablet or offline?

All individual Audio Companions for this research can be downloaded as well as listened to online on any device. To download them, you can either:

  • Click on the SoundCloud icon to the right of each companion and go to the 'more' option below the track, where an option to download is provided.

  • Download the SoundCloud app. To listen offline you would need to get a SoundCloud go+ account (free monthly trial).

This work aims to offer a companion for thinking about flexibility in humanitarian response. The study provides a framework for thinking about flexibility in humanitarian crises and address three of the main pillars to supporting flexible humanitarian responses: organisational systems, organisational culture and people, and funding. The standalone sections offer direct entry points for readers interested in these three areas.

1. Creating more flexible organisational systems for programming, supply chain, and monitoring

Organisational systems within humanitarian agencies are increasingly designed for top-down control rather than for enhancing response level flexibility. Based on examples collected through this research, there are steps that senior managers in international organisations can take to change their systems in order to enable flexible response.  The three systems that are most salient to flexible humanitarian response are: 1) programming; 2) supply chain & procurement; 3) monitoring. A key takeaway from the study, is that flexible humanitarian country teams reflect greater integration and communication across these three systems.

Section 3 of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

The following audio companions explore this issue as well:

2. Supporting an organisational culture and teams for flexible response

Organisational culture and staff skillsets at field-level need to be conducive to making changes in a timely manner, using critical thinking and being prepared to question and revise assumptions about what’s working in a particular response. Cultivating the right culture and mindset for flexible action are difficult to do because they often do not rely on a system, but on interpersonal relationships and a set of often unspoken rules and ways of working. However, organisations can address this by recruiting for different types of skillsets and by facilitating cross-team conversations at country-level which move the working culture towards one that seeks out and supports change, rather than inhibits it.

Section 4 of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

The following audio companion explores this issue as well:

3. Utilising flexible funding

Recent reforms to humanitarian funding offer an opportunity to rethink how humanitarian action is planned, monitored and implemented—but doing this requires stronger action from both donors and implementing agencies. Donors need to continue trialling different forms of flexible funding and support the exploration of monitoring, evaluation  and accountability systems that complement, rather than inhibit, useful changes to programming based on learning or changes in context. Agencies need to seriously engage in rethinking their systems and practices to enable more decision-making power in their field teams, local partners and crisis affected communities. They also need to better demonstrate the difference that unearmarked and flexible funds make to their operational flexibility—and how, in turn, this leads to tangible improvements for people in crisis. 

Section 5 of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

The following audio companion explores this issue as well:

Shifting Mindsets Individual Audio Companions
Supply Chains


'It's not just kicking tyres and making sure the warehouse is set up well.'

Supply chains have a big influence on whether or not a humanitarian agency can meet its objectives, and a significant proportion of humanitarian funding is spent on them. But are agencies' supply chains ready to handle the dynamic environments today's humanitarian crises?

Part I of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

Human resources


This audio companion looks at the people and culture required for flexible humanitarian responses. We speak to Emma Proud of Mercy Corps to learn how their 'People with Possibility' programme has transformed their approach to human resources, team dynamics and adaptive management.

Section 4 of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

Funding for a flexible response


This audio companion looks at the relationship between funding and flexibility in humanitarian responses. We speak to independent consultant Lydia Poole, and Senior Research Fellow (HPG-ODI) Simon Levine to get their views.

Section 5 of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

Introduction


For years, humanitarian agencies have been seen as fast and flexible. But in several recent big crises, agencies struggled to keep up with their environment as it changed around them. Why is this? And how can humanitarian agencies make themselves ready and able to adapt?

In this introductory audio companion, Tim Harcourt-Powell (former Communications Officer) speaks to Alice Obrecht (Senior Research Fellow) about ALNAP’s research on flexibility in humanitarian action. They discuss what drew ALNAP to this topic, why a more flexible humanitarian response is needed, and offer an overview of what to expect in the rest of the episodes.

Part I of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

Experimental approaches to flexibility


In this audio companion, we explore experimental approaches to adaptive humanitarian programming. Alice Obrecht (Senior Research Fellow, ALNAP) travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo to speak to Gabriele Erba (UNICEF), who heads up a programme built on this approach. We also speak to Leni Wild (Director of Global Learning for Adaptive Management)to find out how these approaches are used in the development sector.

Part I of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

Portfolio approaches to flexibility


In this audio companion, we explore the portfolio approach to adaptive humanitarian programming. This approach to flexibility runs a humanitarian programme like an investment portfolio: we speak to former BRICS programme manager Dustin Caniglia to find out what this looks like in reality.

Part I of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

Modular approaches to flexibility


'We have built a hospital that can be played like Lego pieces.'

This audio companion looks at anticipatory programming and the modular approach to adaptive humanitarian response. We speak to Teresa Sancristoval of MSF to find out why they are using 'modular' hospitals on the frontline of conflicts around the world.

Part I of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

Monitoring systems for flexible humanitarian responses


A humanitarian agency can't change its programme unless it knows what needs to change, or what's not working. That's why effective monitoring systems are crucial. In this audio companion, we look at how monitoring systems can support adaptive humanitarian programming. We speak to Ian Gray (independent consultant), Leni Wild (Director of Global Learning for Adaptive Management), and Neil Dillon (Research Fellow, ALNAP) to find out more.

Part I of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.

Single-stream iterative approaches to flexibility


In this audio companion, we explore the Single-Stream Iterative approach to adaptive humanitarian programming and speak to design researcher Sofya Bourne to find out more about User-Centred Design.

Part I of the study focuses on this. You can download it on the sidebar.