At the start of the One Health Leadership Training held from 6–8 May in Addis Ababa, participants were asked to introduce themselves through an icebreaker called “My Sector, My Superpower.” Predictably, most answers leaned heavily on technical strengths—epidemiological expertise, lab diagnostics, and public health analytics.
But something shifted over the course of the three-day workshop.
Through a series of dynamic and thought-provoking role plays, simulations, and group reflections, participants began to reimagine what true leadership in the One Health space really looks like. The real superpowers, it turns out, had less to do with technical brilliance and more with the “soft skills” needed to break silos and build bridges: the power to listen, negotiate, resolve conflict, and rally stakeholders toward a shared vision.
One standout session was the role play on a fictional disease outbreak. Participants, assigned roles from different sectors, had to collaborate under pressure. The simulation brought to life the challenges of coordination in real-time – misaligned priorities, mandates, and turf wars. In the debrief, participants reflected on how easy it is for even well-meaning professionals to work at cross-purposes without intentional communication and joint leadership.
Another highlight was the “Budget Battle” role play, where teams had to negotiate funding allocations for One Health initiatives. This exposed the uncomfortable but necessary skill of influence – persuading others, advocating for one’s sector, while keeping the bigger picture in focus. What emerged was a deeper appreciation of shared decision-making and the need for One Health leaders to be coalition-builders, not just technical experts.
The final day turned reflective. As participants crafted advocacy messages delivered through elevator pitches and mock press statements, many acknowledged how their perception of leadership had expanded. One participant summed it up best: “I came in thinking my superpower was data analysis. I’m leaving knowing it’s empathy and collaboration that will move One Health forward.”
By the closing session, participants shared personal commitments – not to focus heavily on learning more science, but to focus on leading better, listening more, and advocating smarter. The shift was palpable: from sectoral silos to systems thinking, from hierarchy to collaboration, from technical know-how to transformational leadership.
This workshop didn’t just teach leadership. It modeled it.