QIYADA 2 – Spotlight on Humane Leadership
Welcome to Season 2 of the podcast ‘QIYADA’ !
How can leadership become more humane in a world increasingly driven by performance, pressure, and rapid change? In Season 2, we explore this question through meaningful conversations with leaders, researchers, and practitioners across Germany and the Arab world, uncovering what it truly means to lead with empathy, ethics, and long-term impact.
In this season, we go beyond traditional leadership models to examine the human dimension of leadership, how empathy, cultural awareness, and ethical responsibility shape decision-making, organizational cultures, and performance over time. Each episode brings together research insights and lived experiences, offering practical perspectives on navigating complexity, balancing performance with people, and fostering more inclusive and sustainable leadership practices.
Your host, AGYA member Dr. Hiba Rajha, guides you on this journey alongside diverse voices from across sectors and cultures. Through personal stories and evidence-based reflections, QIYADA invites you to rethink leadership not only as a position of authority, but as a responsibility to others.
EPISODE 1 – The Art of Humane Leadership
This episode explores the humane leadership of Layal M. Rajha, one of Lebanon’s influential film and TV directors, whose career, from the record-breaking feature film ‘Habbet Loulou’ to ‘Chi Yom Rah Fell’, ‘Day 6’, ‘Aal Had’ and ‘Mech Mouhem El Essem’ has been shaped by deep listening, empathy, and courage. Layal reflects on the challenges of building a voice in a male‑dominated industry, her refusal to victimize characters, and her choice to deliver subtle, inclusive messages that break stereotypes without alienation. She shares how drawing inspiration from real human stories led her to spotlight women’s perspectives, advocate for tolerance and diversity, and promote putting oneself in another’s shoes. Beyond cinema, Layal discusses leading large crews with respect in difficult conditions, remaining human during wars and crises, engaging in humanitarian and NGO work, and eventually transitioning from artistic advocacy to direct political involvement affirming her belief in film as a powerful tool for nurturing empathy, reshaping mindsets, and sustaining humanity.
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AGYA Members in Charge
This podcast series is an outcome of the collaborative project 'Humane Leadership: Exploring Approaches of Human-Centered Management Cultures in the Arab World and Germany' by AGYA members Dr. Hiba Rajha and Dr. Sarah Carol, in collaboration with AGYA alumna Dr. Luise Fischer.
Together, they explored the concept of humane leadership – a leadership style that prioritizes ethical responsibility, emotional intelligence, and sustainable impact.
The project also builds on findings from two previous AGYA research projects titled ‘ShExecutive: Redefining Inclusive Leadership Training’ by AGYA members Dr. Hiba Rajha, Prof. Dr. Sascha Hein, and AGYA alumna Dr. Luise Fischer.
Kindly Note
The Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA) provides this podcast as a public service. The authors/speakers remain solely responsible for the contents and recommendations provided in the podcast. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of AGYA or any of its funding partners.
Some content in this podcast is based on ethically conducted research within the AGYA project ‘Humane Leadership: Exploring Approaches of Human-Centered Management Cultures in the Arab World and Germany’ (2025).
QIYADA is produced in cooperation with WOUMNIA. WOUMNIA is a media platform focused on social impact and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was founded by Aziza Abbassi, a Moroccan entrepreneur and advocate for sustainability and regenerative leadership, with a particular emphasis on driving positive change in Africa.