What makes a good leader? This Mandela Month, Good Work Foundation (GWF), a rural education non-profit, asked some of its young leaders and older denizens what the concept of leadership means to them – and their responses bear the hallmarks of Madiba himself.
A strong believer in the philosophy of “servant leadership” as espoused by author Robert Greenleaf, GWF “wisdom counsel” and former teacher Maureen “Gogo Mo” Groch echoes the words of President Nelson Mandela upon his release from jail in February 1990: “I stand here before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you, the people.”
According to Greenleaf, the seven principles of servant leadership are authenticity, strong communication, integrity, compassion, empowerment, continuous improvement and putting others first. Similarly, Gogo Mo believes that in Africa, good leadership should be people-centric and anchored in ubuntu.
‘We can learn so much from the youth’
She says that we can learn a lot from today’s youth. “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.
“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.”
She tells the story of a young paraplegic schoolboy she encountered in rural Mpumalanga who had no wheelchair – and so found it difficult to attend the computer classes GWF presented.
“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. You know, we assume we have to learn from the oldies but no, 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.”
She singles out two exceptional young GWF leaders: Hazyview Digital Learning Campus manager Fumani Mathumbu and Bridging Year Academy manager Ntsako Jane Mandlazi. Both embody service-driven leadership, says Gogo Mo.
“Fumani is so selfless and humble, and Ntsako is all about growing people and helping them thrive. They are quiet influencers and good communicators – and that’s what makes them good leaders.”
Mandlazi, who started her journey with GWF as a student in 2014 and has grown personally and professionally within the organisation since then, believes that imparting leadership skills is an important part of GWF’s mandate – because of the profound ripple impact this has in the communities it serves in rural Mpumalanga and the Free State.
‘Leadership is about uplifting others’
“For me, a good leader is someone who constantly wants to empower others by transferring knowledge and skills. It’s about giving selflessly, being open to continuous learning and always seeking improvement,” she says.
Adds Mathumbu, who joined GWF as a facilitator in 2016, “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.”
Adds Mandlazi, “And that’s basically the essence of service-driven leadership – creating that ripple effect of positive change. As we continue to grow and learn, we must remember to pull others up with us.”
GWF’s young leaders are not only emulating Madiba’s example – the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is an inspiration, too. GWF’s head of development, Gemma Thompson, has been selected for the 2024 cohort of the Tutu Leadership Programme – which aims to grow Africa’s future leaders by offering high-potential candidates from the continent the opportunity to hone their leadership skills, guided by the Arch’s spirit of servant leadership.
Says Thompson, “For me, Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s moral compass, warmth and humour were the embodiment of service-driven leadership. Tutu has always, for me, embodied the qualities of self-sacrifice and a deep compassion for others. At the heart of his service-driven leadership was his own keen sense of social justice – a key component of his personal leadership style, which I admire deeply.”
Like Mandela and Tutu before them, GWF’s young leaders such as Thompson, Mathumbu and Mandlazi share a vision of seeing Africa thrive – and they pay it forward every day in their communities and on their six digital learning campuses.
For more information on GWF’s programmes and activities, visit https://www.goodworkfoundation.org/.
