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or unit, but while a mentor tries to ars of constant warfare brought Strategic Adviser: Nature or Nur-
achieve that objective establishing to a modern military doctrine so ture?
a long-term one-to-one relation- thorough, elaborated and diver- In order to be successful in his de-
ship with a representative of the sified that can provide sound and manding position a police strate-
appropriate level to foster and sup- standardized operating procedu- gic adviser needs to possess a par-
port his personal and professional res for any imaginable situation. ticular combination of qualities .
skills, the adviser targets the enti- The same cannot be said about A common notion in training insti-
re organisation, usually interacting police advising, as it usually deals tutions – including military and po-
with several individuals within it, with extremely diverse situations, lice ones – is that, with method and
with a view to enable not a spe- created by a combination of count- dedication, everything can be tau-
cific person but the organisation less contingent factors that render ght and everything can be learned.
or parts thereof to fulfil its tasks. each of them virtually unique. That This is not completely true for poli-
Each of the above professional po- shuns any possible taxonomy in ce strategic advisers: together with
sitions has specificities that should this field, and successful practices essential professional qualities
be carefully considered when plan- can miserably fail when replicated they must be endowed with some
ning capacity building operations: in situations perceived as similar. indispensable personal talents
they are all demanding but not in- For that reason, strategic advi- that, being natural, cannot be le-
terchangeable, each arned. Either they
requiring a different have them, or they
set of personal and don’t. Training can
professional qualities. hone such talents, but
The decision on whi- cannot create them.
ch position to envisa- As a consequence,
ge and what expert to strategic advising is
select gets even har- not for everybody.
der when the need One of the needed
arises to provide sup- qualities is a natural
port at a strategic le- disposition to perso-
vel: even if not openly nal interaction. Ad-
expressed anywhere, visers must connect
the concept of moni- with their counterpar-
toring, mentoring or ts going beyond a
training top political normal professional
and administrative personalities sers on police issues are not – relationship. In order to totally in-
is not contemplated if not expli- and should not expected to be volve local top officials, to stimu-
citly requested by the host-State. – foreign experts provided with a late their passion and enthusiasm,
Having a foreign expert in a po- full set of ready-to-use solutions and to make them eager to start
sition of control or ascendancy on for any possible problem, be- reforms and launch new projects,
its highest national authorities, be cause that set does not exist. In- a cold, impersonal and unrespon-
them elected or nominated, is not stead, police strategic advisers sive approach is not advisable.
a situation that a sovereign coun- must be professionals capable to Knowledge and efficiency must be
try can easily accept. For that re- ascertain the situation, analyse it delivered with the human touch.
ason advising is the main, if not through their training, knowled- Another important personal asset
the only, means for conveying ge and expertise, then devise and is humility. Being the representa-
strategic guidance and expertise implement, in full cooperation tive of a powerful and rich donor
in capacity building operations . with their host-State counterpar- country operating in a troubled
As long as military advice is con- ts, specific and tailored solutions. nation could bring some advi-
cerned the situation is not over- sers to impersonate and replicate
ly complicated: through blunders such unbalanced conditions while
and success, several thousand ye- relating with their local counter-

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