Self-leadership challenges the voice of fear
Our president is digging a deeper pit of disasters rather than acting in the nation’s interests
Some years ago, Professor Nick Binedell, former head of the Gordon Institute of Business Science, described South Africa as a “frontier country”; a country that is “belligerent, restless, unruly, beautiful, surprising, hopeful, difficult, challenging and different”.
That some of these epithets have come to pass is not only disconcerting, but could also be the reason why we’re once again staring into the abyss of uncertainty, anticipating the blowback from the pending arrest of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
There is no doubt that South Africa is experiencing a serious leadership crisis.
What is the nation’s leader to do when the currency is in free fall, the economy is facing a downgrade, key parastatals are dysfunctional and the nation’s most prized assets — its citizens — are facing the daily threats of crime, unemployment and deteriorating service delivery?
That leader should take charge and act in the best interests of the nation, without fear or favour.
As is evident the world over and throughout history, behind all successful human endeavours, be it inventions, business, political or sport, good leadership is pivotal.
Quality leadership is what inspires us to pursue our dreams, fortifies us to conquer the unknown, makes us resilient to rise from despair and enables us to thrive.
It is unfortunate that one of the major problems still facing our country is poor leadership. This is especially so after the “Mandela dividend” of hope, nation-building and economic growth that inspired the entire world.
Too many who currently occupy leadership positions, whether in the political or public sectors, assume the role through entitlement, influence or coercion, irrespective of whether they have the wherewithal or competency to lead.
Poor leadership has allowed the current imbroglios — among them the Gupta family’s influence, SAA, Prasa, Denel — to fester, leaving the impression that not taking decisive action is to protect personal or vested interests.
This type of leadership, which demands unquestioning loyalty and rewards compliant followers with patronage, is well past its sell by date.
As a nation, we need to take collective responsibility for landing in such a mess. I believe we have the capacity to dig ourselves out of it — if we adopt a self-leadership model prompted by critical introspection and embracing a new way of thinking about our world and our roles in it.
Self-leadership requires we citizens to make bold, independent and critical decisions about key aspects of our lives. Our rich South African history brims with examples of social activism, self-help, innovation, resilience and the ability to mobilise quickly and efficiently.
Who can forget the effect of the mass democratic movements such as the youth of 1976, the United Democratic Front and the various progressive groupings that took on the apartheid state. It is from these depths that we need to draw courage and recalibrate our efforts towards the change we deserve.
The dramatic shift in voting patterns shown by the August 3 municipal elections and the increasingly louder voices from civic organisa- tions such as Corruption Watch, Outa, Right2Know and AfriForum point to a shift in the South African psyche and a stronger appetite for individuals to challenge domination and control.
Psychiatrist and author Victor Frankl saw people as “choosers” with the capacity to make independent choices throughout their lives, depending on their attitudes, knowledge and skill levels.
The starting point is awareness, which shapes not only our interpretation of reality but also our understanding that it is possible to transform that reality.
Transformation theorist Otto Scharmer refers to the necessity for three vital connections to aid this process: open heart (emotional intelligence), open mind (access intellect) and open will (authenticity). Accessing these through introspection, we can challenge what Scharmer calls the “enemies” of the self, namely, the “voice of judgment”, the “voice of cynicism” and the “voice of fear”.
Self-leadership invokes our personal power. It is not the domain of the select few, but accessible to everyone by using our adaptive intelligence and finding new ways of interpreting the world and of living in it.
We shouldn’t underestimate selfleadership to drive the change that we deserve. Change across the world bears testimony to “people power” and, in the words of anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only the thing that ever has.”