Past Mduduzi Khoza

khoza.dc@gmail.com

072-870-0403

Leadership is the single most powerful factor that makes leaders tick and institutions shine. When the whole planet is happy, leadership is the cause. When governments succeed, leadership is the reason.

When they falter, flounder and fall, leadership is guilty. When business grows and profit margins skyrocket, leadership is the responsible factor.

When companies retrench, profits dwindle, and some inevitably close up shop, the blame sits squarely on the shoulders of leadership.

When marriages shake and plummet down to a free fall of divorce, leadership stands accused. In some instances, it needs to step up and become visionary leadership, at times you need revolutionary leadership as well as transformational and upwards leadership.

The real problems of the world are not military conflicts and civil wars, they are not food security, draughts and famines, diseases and epidemics are not the direct cause of the plights of the African continent to mention one. The real trouble of the world is “the deadness” of leadership, leadership poverty and bankruptcy.

I must be on record to say we are proud as the people of our province, to be part of the fast-rising beacon of hope, and sterling leadership that has found witness and expression through the record-breaking performance of the provincial Department of Education’s matric results of 2013.

If we don’t tell our own successes and stories, those who do might own them and tell them skewed.

The greatest and resounding manifesto rally and related activities we witnessed earlier in the month, when the top brass of the ruling party descended on our province, made ours a crème de la crème province. Halala Mpumalanga, halala! When the province rises, leadership is the reason.

To me, leadership is about seeing success, wanting success, going to success and achieving success then coming back to take the people to what you already see, know and possess.

Templating real and true leadership, Martin Luther King Jnr said, “I have been to the mountain top and I have seen the promised land”. Leaders must see and then convince us to follow them.

Leaders must see what must be, where we must be, what we must be, they must have the ability to see beyond today and have the power to influence followers to see what they see and do what they do willingly.

mThey must see more than others see, they must see before others see, see bigger than others see. Leadership is not lordship, but its service dispensed through love for the benefit of others and not the leader.

To comment or send your views on this topic, please email khoza.dc@gmail.com.