Africa needs steward leaders for the long-term sustainability of all its ecosystems

“Africa generally and South Africa in particular need to generate leadership solutions that are contextually suited for Africa rather than adopt fads or imported solutions. To this end, a South African workplace that is conducive for high performance starts with leadership that creates an appropriate environment for employees and all role-players to play their part,” says Kisima Psychological Services founder and CEO, Phyllis Ndlovu.

“In this sense, steward leadership seems the most appropriate way for leaders to navigate their role in pursuit of the sustainable well-being of all role-players in the corporate ecosystem.”

She says many leaders today are mostly preoccupied with profit generation and creating shareholder value, often to the exclusion of future sustainability. “They tend to see profitability and sustainability as mutually exclusive rather than viewing them through a collaborative lens. In pursuit of shareholder value, the focus is often on short-term solutions of ‘rightsizing’ or restructuring for operational efficiencies, not recognising that it is possible to generate profit while ensuring sustainability for future generations. When leaders shift their spectacles and realise this, they are able to think out of the proverbial box and make mutually beneficial decisions going forward.”

Key to making this shift is the adoption of steward leadership principles. “Steward leaders see profit margins as part of their purpose, not as their only purpose. They see themselves as creating shared value for all stakeholders – including shareholders, customers, employees, service providers and the communities their businesses operate in.

“When there is shared value, leaders inevitably begin to promote sustainability for future generations – beyond their tenure – handling resources in a manner that honours the past, serves the present and protects the future,” notes Ndlovu, quoting Vusi Vilakati in a book titled Leadership Excellence (2017).

She says steward leadership is about three principles, namely self-awareness; the awareness of all stakeholders in the company’s ecosystem; and the awareness of long-term impact of present-day decisions.

Part of a leader’s self-awareness is spiritual intelligence (one’s sense of purpose, the meaning one attributes to experiences and interconnectedness within one’s ecosystem) as well as emotional intelligence (self-regulation and self-management). Research has shown that emotional intelligence is a precursor to spiritual intelligence. Therefore, it is important for leaders to embark on a journey of personal reflection on these matters.

The significance of spiritual intelligence is that it also amplifies the concept of Ubuntu philosophy, something Ndlovu says has been proven by neuroscience, albeit using different terminology. “It’s about humanising each other. When we do this, we function better in corporate, so part of spiritual intelligence is our appreciation of the Ubuntu philosophy – that we are intricately connected. If we don’t see ourselves in each other, we probably won’t create great work together. If we are mechanical or transactional in our interactions with our colleagues, in all likelihood we won’t travel well together.”

This is not about creating friendships in the workplace. It is about seeing the humanness in each other enough to function at a high level of effectiveness and efficiency.

Ndlovu says the concept of time is a differentiator of steward leaders. “In the corporate world, there are so many fads or types of leadership philosophies. Like diets, they come and go. But steward leadership is unique in how it views time. As a steward leader, the concept of time suggests that when you are making any decisions, these should not necessarily be about making you shine and only win the approval of the shareholder. Rather, steward leaders tend to have the courage to make decisions that ensure sustainability beyond their tenure.

“For me, that’s what optimum leaders are: they emulate principles of steward leadership, whose centrality is about spiritual intelligence. And, I believe the continent desperately needs this leadership approach and is ready for it,” she explains.

So, how do leaders achieve this optimal leadership state?

“The reality is that most leaders right now are leading through disruption. We have normalised the fact that we are constantly disrupted. Interestingly, the brain does not function optimally in a constantly disrupted state. It tends to go into self-preservation and survival mode. So, there is a dichotomy between living through disruption and the brain’s basic architecture. Therefore, it is important for leaders to understand the neuroscience behind how their brains work and their default response to constant change,” says Ndlovu.

“By overriding the brain’s basic architecture, leaders can free up higher order thinking, allowing the brain to exert greater energy on dealing with change. This can be achieved with neuro-tools or boosters that help the brain deal better with new terrains. Combined with principles of steward leadership, these neuro-tools can help leaders leverage their capacity to live through discomfort and get to the other side with a new perspective or a new learning, thereby enhancing their capacity to lead with purpose,” she concludes.