These individuals are also perceived as being interested only in enriching themselves as quickly as they can by bankrupting government departments, organisations, companies and institutions. In fact, the general behaviour of a leader today is akin to that of mercenaries – whose main occupation is raping, stealing and destroying a country of its resources.
Most people view leadership in a negative way. While others dream of the day, they themselves will become leaders and “change things for the better”. I bet that as you are reading this article, a dozen or so names and faces have flashed in the mind of people who fit the label perfectly. Of course, you don't consider yourself to be one of them! Interestingly I often listen to subordinates complaining about their boss's failed leadership attributes and yet they themselves are exhibiting similar traits.
What is amazing is that those in leadership positions never describe themselves in that way, in fact, they see themselves as exact opposites. They consider themselves good leaders of high value, who care for and have advanced the interest of the organisation and its employees! Don't get me wrong, there are good leaders out there with impeccable credentials, however they are in the minority. While current leadership on display is predominantly wrong, we cannot do without leadership. Leadership is the backbone of every society.
It determines its growth, direction and development. How does a leader become so delusional (forgive the expression) about themselves and their leadership abilities? Africa and Zimbabwe in particular suffer from what I call “distorted leadership”. If we were to ask anyone from all walks of life in this city or any part of the world, what a lawyer or doctor is, we will get similar responses. However, that is not the same when it comes to leadership.
Ask a bank manager, CEO, director in a government department, a minister, a professor or lecturer, a student, or a head master who are all resident in Zimbabwe Province, what leadership is and the answers you get will leave you more confused. We cannot approach or teach leadership in Zimbabwe the same way it has been done in the western or eastern world.
One of the errors we do as African people is we take concepts that have worked in other parts of the world and apply them here carte blanche, without looking at the culture and thinking of the people where those concepts were successful and also the history that has shaped their thinking and culture. In the western world, the pre-dominant thought is that of ownership, hard work, unbridled individualism that leads to self-centredness and a pursuit of success at any cost including trampling of family values.
However, the western culture is strong in holding their leaders accountable for their actions. The Asian culture on the other hand holds the family honour so highly that leaders hold themselves to high standards so that they don't dishonour the family name. Africans used to have strong family and community values and we took pride in earning our way.
Accepting handouts was considered a shameful practice, tolerated only under unusual circumstances. However, all that changed during the colonial era. Colonial leaders in government, industry and other institutions were just and honest among their own kind, they applied favouritism and patronage to African people. During the fight for independence a culture of sabotaging and undermining government and industry authority was developed.
While this was necessary in order to achieve the desired goal of independence, post-colonial era left the African people with that culture and mind- set. That is why even today…37 years after independence we still hear people say “aha handiti ndezve government or company”. The culture of favouritism and patronage continued in independent Africa. Continued in the next issue. Nyaradzo Shato is a coach and speaker of the John Maxwell Team.
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