A study of bridging leadership in Philippines produced in cooperation with the Asian Institute of Management. It examines bridging leadership among academia, business, civil society, media, NGOs, national government, and religious sectors.
Ambassador Howard Dee launched Tabang Mindanao in 1998 to improve the quality of life and overcome underdevelopment among the Lumads of Mindanao in the Southern Philippines. An enormously complex task, the undertaking was made all the more precarious by the long-standing religious and ethnic conflict in Mindanao. Ambassador Dee is making a difference largely because he was able to bring together a multi-stakeholder coalition to address the critical development needs of the Lumads. Key actors include business, civil society and religious organizations, community organization, national and local government, as well as the media and academia. To do so, he initiated dialogue among key stakeholders, built consensus, and created a real vehicle through which assistance could be provided.
Bridging leadership is a style of leadership that focuses on creating and sustaining effective working relationships among key partners and stakeholders. By "bridging" different perspectives and opinions often found across the breadth of different stakeholders, a common agenda can begin to be developed and shared in order to solve social and economic problems.