‘It is a dawn of a new era’ as some Zimbabweans would say, with the country now under new leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In trying to breakdown tenets, styles and leadership that Zimbabwe needs, our 263Chat Lifestyle reporter Lemuel Chekai (LC) had a question and answer interview with Sebastian Zuze (SZ) a leadership expert who heads the Chiedza Leadership Development Centre in a bid to understand his understanding of leaders.
LC: What is your understanding of a leader or leadership?
SZ: Leadership is an attitude that is grown and nurtured inside a person, it definitely is not a position and this literally means everyone can be a leader as long as they have a leadership attitude.
LC: If leadership is an attitude does this mean even a six year old can be a leader in their own environment? Leadership is not prescribed for any age group?
SZ: Oh yes I personally have a problem with that statement which says’ youths are leaders of tomorrow’ it’s 100% wrong they are leaders of today. We should start nurturing the leadership attitude in our kids at kindergarten age.
LC: What are the characters that instill a leadership attitude inside a person?
SZ: #1 Leadership starts by knowing yourself as an adult and pursuing what you love to do and also discovering the strengths of your children.
#2 Living with a cause for the greater good of others is another characteristic of leadership attitude. Leaders identify a sense of cause and they do not look to be thanked. People who have lived for a cause of others have always left behind a legacy. Jairos Jiri is an example whom you and I may have not seen in our life time but we have heard of him why? Because he was a leader and lived for a cause. No one is remembered for what they did for themselves but for the contribution they did to the society.
It is so unlike a leader what we see in hospitals today where doctors can leave someone to die because that person does not have any money on them. We need to grow a leadership attitude identify a sense of cause hence the need for the leadership training that we run. Be a leader have the attitude in your field of expertise. The reason why our country is suffering is because we the citizens don’t have a leadership attitude.
Leaders identify a problem and they address it afterwards they don’t look for a thank you.
#3 Leaders have goals and targets which makes it impossible for a leader to be diverted off their route. Goals and targets also come with discipline and commitment.
#4 lastly leaders are sociable and humble.
