Inviting in the chaos: strategic insights for humanitarian leaders from Ali Al Mokdad

What happens when someone who anticipated the sector's funding freezes looks ahead to what's coming next?

💭 "Chaos is part of this ecosystem we are operating, and we've been operating on the edge of that chaos... So it's very important when you are rethinking your models right now you have an opportunity. Please don't waste a serious crisis." - Ali Al Mokdad

In this second instalment of a wide-ranging conversation with the HLA's Ka Man Parkinson, Ali Al Mokdad shifts from personal reflections to strategic analysis. Drawing from his cross-sector research and global networks, Ali shares what he sees on the horizon - economic turbulence, policy vacuums, and fundamental shifts in how humanitarian work may need to evolve.

In this conversation, hear Ali’s take on:

•  What he sees coming next for the sector and why ‘inviting in the chaos’ and designing for disruption is now essential for humanitarian organisations 
• The AI transformation timeline: what might actually change in your day-to-day work 
• Leadership resilience strategies for navigating prolonged uncertainty without burning out

Crucially, Ali offers hope grounded in realism. Building on the authentic leadership reflections from Part 1, this conversation provides both the strategic intelligence and emotional resilience tools that leaders need to navigate whatever comes next.

"Passion alone is not enough. We must have a strategy." Ali Al Mokdad 

Keywords: Humanitarian leadership, strategic planning/scenario planning, humanitarian AI, economic challenges, UN reform, South-South cooperation, policy vacuum, crisis management, organisational transformation, digital transformation, funding challenges, resilience, reputational risks, cyber security, humanitarian innovation.

Visit the episode webpage for speaker bios and shownotes:
www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources/inviting-in-the-chaos-strategic-insights-for-humanitarian-leaders-from-ali-al-mokdad/ 

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The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:27 Chapter 2: Zooming out: scanning macroeconomic and geopolitical horizons, South-South cooperation and UN reform
• 38:34 Chapter 3: Digital transformation: AI adoption challenges and cyber threats
• 56:08 Chapter 4: Leading through uncertainty with resilience and perspective
• 1:04:50 Chapter 5: Closing reflections from Ali and Ka Man