Strategy In Session – Issue #4 From a Pandemic, to Revolution — What’s Expected from the Next Generation of Leaders!
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“Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it.” Frantz Fanon
It’s not like we didn’t see it coming…
For a long time now, the ground has been shifting from beneath, those who’ve been trying to voice out their opinions have long been dying to be heard, those who were shy and quite are starting to raise their voice.
Those who are tired, are now fed up and they will bring everything to a stand still, making the world pay attention to critical issues, issues that should have long been dealt with.
My favourite part of 2020 is not the fact that we had pandemic (Bless the souls of the departed) but, my ultimate favourite is a virus exposing the type of leadership or should I say the lack there of, especially in the African continent.
I sat, I watched, and wondered, what leadership on earth is this?
The first realisation is this: leaders in high places can actually do their job properly. Leaders surprisingly actioned things; they address the nation when needed offered reassurances in times of difficulties, and not forgetting the deployment of military when issues got out of hand.
Amazing scenes all around.
When watching all of this it does nothing but beg the question: what have they been doing all along? With the ongoing social injustice and the pressing issues, racism, facism, gender based violence and more, how were they not able to act.
One global pandemic and all of a sudden the government has funds? What happened when students needed the money durring #FeesMustFall
Where were these reassurances and affirmations when women cried for safety?
Where were these soldiers when the mass cried human trafficking?
A slow round of applause.
Everything that we knew was a problem has been exposed by the pandemic, from institutions, the government, and leaders themselves.
But everything is tied to leadership isn’t it? In a world of followers, there has never been a time to rethink leadership. Now more than ever, the quality of leadership will become one of key factors that determines the success of a country, a business or the self.
What the pandemic has taught us is the key lessons that need to be rewritten:
- People’s well being matters, not income, or big business, but people.
People are not led by machines, managed by emails or influenced by sketchy and inconsistent leadership.
People are lead by leaders. Managed by leaders and influenced by honest true and consistent leadership. Something that lacks greatly in the African continent.
If this is the case then, what’s expected from the next generation of leaders! Me and you!
“Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it.” Frantz Fanon
There is no greater guide to leadership, no book, no article or anything will ever prepare you for a leadership role. There is one universal principle enough to decide wether your leadership will be great or an absolute disaster and that’s a grand vision.
The lack of true leadership is attributed to the lack of a futuristic view of where most of the African countries are headed. Let’s take a simple example of South Africa.
- Where do you see South African in 10 years, 20, 50?
- Where do you see the future of young people, and what role will they be playing in the future? Are there any interventions in place?
- What about health care? Mortality rate interventions? Education? The economy?
The fact that there are no known answers to these questions speaks directly to the lack of vision in leadership.
No one can tell you for sure where we are all headed, how we’re getting there, and what we’re supposed to do when we get there.
This is why there has no never been a solution to #FeesMustFall initiative why? No one has a vision for education!
This is why there is no solution to Gender Based Violence, no one is working towards building a safe South Africa as a vision and I can say the same about human trafficking, just to mention a few.
So what is expected from the next generation of leaders?
A GRAND VISION!
A grand vision with commitment, with honesty, dedication and hard work.
A grand vision with no option to back out, and pointing fingers and absolutely no excuses in sight!
This is what’s expected from the next generation of leaders.
Durban, South Africa
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