UBUNTU-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP
FOR MEANINGFUL CHANGE In the aperture of a leadership crisis, Ubuntu principles are the light, writes Cuma Velile Dube
W
e are undoubtedly in a leadership crisis, one that cuts across many spheres of our society. The leadership culture in our country is dramatically different to what we had intended it to be at the dawn of our democracy. While we may have very different views on what leadership is and which leadership practices are replicable, we can agree that a key outcome of good leadership is meaningful change. Otherwise, what is the point? It therefore follows that, at a minimum, leadership must be both effective and responsible. Effective so that change is realised. That change must be managed properly for it to matter in the lives of those being led. It must also be sustainable; if it is to be truly meaningful, it must stand the test of time. In 2015, Baken Lefa, in a paper published in Studies in Philosophy and Education, had this to say of Ubuntu: “Ubuntu is a capacity in South African culture that expresses compassion, reciprocity, dignity, harmony and humanity in the interests of building and maintaining a community with justice and mutual caring.”
THE VALUES LEADERS NEED TO DISPLAY The leadership context of the Black Management Forum (BMF) is one that seeks to drive lasting and sustainable socioeconomic change toward a just and equitable society. It is for this reason that Ubuntu-driven leadership speaks to its objectives of developing leaders who lead with humility, respect, and dignity; leaders who are self-aware,
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develop Ubuntu-driven leadership, or a leadership culture with Ubuntu principles as its foundation. Perhaps, along the way, we have forgotten what those very principles are.
A MODEL FOR MEANINGFUL CHANGE LEADERSHIP
Cuma Velile Dube
self-critical, and satisfied in the work of the organisation in pursuing an objective greater than themselves. The BMF is not always successful in developing leaders with the above values. We see many examples of how our society has fallen short of these values and has failed in electing leaders who exhibit the appropriate leadership behaviours. There may be many reasons why we have not yet been successful in transforming the country’s leadership culture over the last decade or so. One of these may be that we are possibly not on the same page regarding what it means to have and
The theme for this year’s Black Excellence Awards in the Western Cape is perhaps an opportunity to discuss a leadership model that represents Ubuntu-driven leadership that can be understood within the organisational framework. This leadership model must be one that delivers meaningful change. In short, Ubuntu-driven leadership must be meaningful change leadership, leadership that is both effective and responsible in bringing about change. What becomes meaningful, and what needs to change may vary. Those who lead and those being led must agree on what that means for them. Our intention here is simply to propose a leadership model that may transform our country’s leadership culture. Every institution, organisation, department, business, and community-based group has a role to play. The BMF’s role is to develop leaders who can deliver meaningful change that will lead to socioeconomic transformation. In simple terms, we seek to live in a country that has addressed the injustices of its past, particularly the economic injustices visited upon the black
The leadership context of the Black Management Forum is one that seeks to drive lasting and sustainable socioeconomic change toward a just and equitable society.
AFRICAN LEADER ISSUE 56 | MARCH 2022
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2022/03/15 9:10 AM
