Mwapachu offers leadership lesson

 

By  Frank Kimboy 

By  The Citizen Reporter  

In Summary

• He referred to Gardner’s emphasis on the importance of a leader having the capacity to mobilise and galvanise people to embrace a particular vision, set of values or goals.

Dar es Salaam. A thought-provoking presentation earlier this week entitled ‘Developing a Leader’s Mindset’ offered a fascinating insight into the leadership journey of one of Tanzania’s foremost public figures.

The event, organised by the UK Alumni in Tanzania (Ukat), gave members and guests the opportunity to be informed and inspired by the respected former diplomat, public official and businessman Juma Mwapachu.

The former head of the East African Community, speaking at the British Council in Dar es Salaam, responded to the theme of the evening by offering a broad canvas filled with ideas and insights related to the attributes and characteristics of leadership.

The presentation opened by reflecting upon the qualities closely associated with the iconic leaders of the continent’s liberation struggles. Mr Mwapachu drew upon the studies of John Gardner who served six US presidents in various leadership capacities to consider these epic figures.

He referred to Gardner’s emphasis on the importance of a leader having the capacity to mobilise and galvanise people to embrace a particular vision, set of values or goals. In the African liberation and post-independence context such leadership was notably displayed by an array of figures including Julius Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta, Oliver Tambo and Kwame Nkrumah.

The Arusha Declaration was then introduced as a case study of how masterful leadership can influence a society’s total philosophical understanding of politics, economics and culture.

He pointed to the writings of the socialist journalist Daniel Singer who contrasted leaders making ‘incremental’ changes with visionaries who could trigger ‘dramatic’ transformations. The point was reinforced with the assertions of futurist Peter Schwartz who suggested in Art of the Long View that changing public beliefs is more powerful than money or military power. “How does a leader reach out to rally?” asked the erudite speaker in closing his introductory remarks.

The former ambassador opened the second part of his presentation with the suggestion that a series of ‘crucibles’ will often forge and form the character of a future leader. He pointed to the Second World War as being a ‘turning point’ for figures ranging from John F. Kennedy in the United States to Abdul Sykes and other independence movement figures in Tanganyika.

The latter had witnessed the desperate bid of many nations to be ‘liberated’ and ‘freed’ from Axis occupation. They also witnessed the rise of labour movements in colonial territories and the economic weakening of imperial powers. These events proved critical in their thinking and were to influence the leadership aspirations of these future nation builders.

The social science perspectives of Dean Simonton in relation to those who shape the course of societies across time and space were then related to the mindset of leaders. In Greatness: What Makes History and Why, Simonton introduces the factors of family, education, and personality, as being key to the formation of key leadership characteristics.

Mr Mwapachu then related this to the life-changing chapters in his formative years, including the tragedy of losing his father while at school in 1962 and his student activism that culminated in leadership of the Youth League at university.

The essential element of ‘learning from your elders’ was reflected in Mwapachu’s thoughts on the ‘mentor – protégé’ relationship.