Thoughts on leadership…

The above is an interesting quote and speaks to leadership qualities. Leadership is a loaded word, and while there is a generic definition, it is more complex. Everyone has the potential to be a leader, and we all have an idea of what leadership means to us personally.

Over the past few years there have been many changes, which threw many of us into a spin. Jobs were lost, agility became a prerequisite and innovation was a critical component for sustainability.

From a personal perspective, leadership does not denote a position of authority necessarily – you can be a leader in any position you are in. A big part of what leadership means to me is about being able to hold and steer the helm in turbulent waters. But it goes further than this – it encompasses innovation, seeing opportunities and being able to motivate your team, colleagues and peers to unlock their own leadership skills and potential.

The journey is different for every leader. It may sound cliché, but leaders are not people who have never made a mistake. I remember a CEO of a company once saying to me, “Try it out, but if you fail it’s okay – just remember to fail fast, take the lesson and move to the next project.” I think about this often – trying something new can be daunting and the fear of failure is even more so. However, if we fail to try we have in essence failed already.

I also recall vividly a female director once telling me about her journey where she said having a seat at the table is not enough – you have to have the confidence to speak up and put forth your ideas no matter how radical it may sound.

Leadership is not about being fearless, it is about having the courage to do something despite your fears and the challenges. It’s about looking at the bigger picture, being a visionary, being flexible and following through. There are different ways to achieve your goals, and that is something that leaders are intrinsically aware of.

Growth, innovation, entrepreneurship – and leadership – all require us to leave our comfort zones. And, while it has been a challenging few years, it is amazing to see that we do indeed have some amazing leaders in South Africa. If we look at some of the stories about SMMEs who have grown tremendously, or some leaders in the private sector who have successfully steered their ship in turbulent waters – we have immense talent in SA.

The future is bright for those of us who have the courage to unlock the opportunities we find!

Tashne

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