Mandela Month may make us all think about the ways we can serve our communities better, but it also makes us think about the ways our leaders can serve better. How can we take Mandela Month beyond July and what makes a good leader? People serving vulnerable communities weigh in:
Johannesburg, South Africa (18 July 2024) — Today is Nelson Mandela Day while July marks Mandela Month. People across South Africa will be doing their part to pour a little good into communities who need it most in all kinds of wonderful ways that many organisations couldn’t be more grateful for. But what happens after today and after July? And how can we embrace the underpinnings of Mandela Day more frequently? Maybe, it starts with us seeing ourselves as more powerful than we think we are. Seeing ourselves as leaders capable of embodying Madiba’s lessons all the time wherever we have the opportunity to do so. Maybe it starts with asking ourselves what makes a good leader, and following that roadmap.
Rural education NGO The Good Work Foundation asked their young leaders and older denizens about their views on leadership as people who serve their communities all the time. A lot of what they said boiled down to the concept of something known as ‘servant leadership’—AKA, leading from the back.
What is Servant Leadership?
Espoused by author Robert Greenleaf, the seven principles of servant leadership are:
- Authenticity
- Strong communication
- Integrity
- Compassion
- Empowerment
- Continuous improvement
- Putting others first.
A strong believer in ‘servant leadership’, GWF ‘wisdom counsel’ and former teacher Maureen ‘Gogo Mo’ echoes the words of President Nelson Mandela upon his release from prison when thinking about good leadership aloud: “I stand here before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you, the people.”
For Gogo Mo, a good leader is a student of their community. Learning from members young and old alike.
“I came [into GWF] thinking, ‘Hey I’ve been in education for decades and I’ll be able to help people in the rural areas’. And then suddenly I realised that no, I knew very little. So I went and met people, built relationships and listened. I learned the collective wisdom from sangomas and trackers and others in the community; they were my teachers,” she says.
“Why do we always think we learn only at our elders’ feet? No, we can learn so much from children, young people and communities, too.”
Gogo Mo recalls a time when she was especially inspired by the youth, recounting the story of a young paraplegic schoolboy who did not have a wheelchair which made getting to the computer classes at GWF difficult.
“One day I walked in and honestly, the tears flowed. There were two of his friends who’d made him a seat with their hands, and they carried him into the classroom so he could sit down and learn. Well, that young boy has now grown up and got a job working in computers, on a service desk.
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“…I’ve truthfully learned so much from children. It’s a privilege to work with young people. Their courage and resilience really blows me away.”
For Gogo Mo, two exceptional young GWF leaders are well-worth spotlighting for their showcase of servant leadership: Hazyview Digital Learning Campus manager Fumani Mathumbu and Bridging Year Academy manager Ntsako Jane Mandlazi.
Fumani and Ntsako both believe that what makes a good leader has a lot to do with the way people become empowered through their efforts.
“For me, a good leader is someone who constantly wants to empower others by transferring knowledge and skills,” says Fumani. “It’s about giving selflessly, being open to continuous learning and always seeking improvement.
Ntsako adds:
“I see leadership as an opportunity to guide others towards a common goal while being humble enough to remember that you serve the community, and are not above or more important than its members. It’s about you creating a space where everyone feels valued and can contribute their best.
“By uplifting others, we ensure that the legacy of great leaders like Tata Mandela continues. We especially want to see those who come after us taking charge and helping to create a better future for the coming generations.”
Head of Development Gemma Thompson believes good leadership has a lot to do with a sense of social justice, inspired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Taking all this into consideration, it becomes clear that most of us have the capacity to become good leaders and spread the essence of Mandela Day further than a 24-hour period.
We all have the ability to listen to our communities needs. To empower another person through knowledge or skills we might have, and to be considerate of others’ needs. While we might not be able to run a food drive or organise a clean-up event every month, the principles of servant leadership cost nothing.
And maybe if we integrated this kind of forward-thinking into our daily lives, we might just get a lot closer to the South Africa we all want to be a part of. After all, what is Mandela Day if not testament to the power of small actions adding up?
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