Learning leadership development from African cultures : a personal perspective

This PraxisNote supports the notion that effective leadership development strategies in Africa should be rooted in the rich cultural heritage and indigenous social practices. Crucially, the paper adopts an 'ubuntu' perspective, a world-view built around five interrelated principles: sharing and collective ownership of opportunities, responsibilities and challenges; the importance of people and relationships over things; participatory decision making and leadership; patriotism; and reconciliation as a goal of conflict management. The Note looks in some detail at the implications for leadership development of these principles and briefly discusses lessons learned