By M Sovi

Leadership, neither for the visionless nor for the power control

You’ll rarely encounter the words good leadership and power control used together in complementary fashion. A good leader often operates at their best no matter how big the nation or company, when they understand their ability to influence and delegate are much more fruitful than their ability to control (power control). Here’s the thing – the purpose of leadership is not to shine the spotlight on yourself, but to unlock the potential of others so they can in turn shine the spotlight on countless more and soon catch the whole nation with result oriented approaches. Control is about power – not leadership. Delegating allows a leader to sacrifice their best and focus on adding value to those whom they serve.

Delegate, Delegate – Not control freaks need apply

If you’re still not convinced the art of leadership is learning that the focus point should be on delegating and mentoring not control, consider this:

Control restricts potential, limits initiative, and inhibits talent. Delegating fosters collaboration, encourages innovation and enables possibility.

Controlling leaders (power control) create bottlenecks rather than increase creativity and output. They signal a lack of trust and confidence, often come across as insensitive if not arrogant. When you experience weak teams, micro-management, frequent turf wars, high stress, operational strain, and a culture of fear, authoritarianism you are experiencing what control has to offer – not very attractive is it?

[pullquote]the purpose of leadership is not to shine the spotlight on yourself, but to unlock the potential of others so they can in turn shine the spotlight on countless more and soon catch the whole nation with result oriented approaches.[/pullquote]

Delegating and mentoring allows the savvy leader to serve where control demands the ego-centric leader be served. Delegating allows leadership to scale and a culture of leadership to be established. Leaders who understand delegating think community, ecosystem, and culture – not power control. Delegating is the art through which UNIP thrived when Kaunda was imprisoned, it’s the art through which ANC triumphed to liberation when Mandela was imprisoned, it’s the art that strengthen Martin Luther King Jr’s civil movement in the USA to victory.

Delegating is what not only allows the dots to be connected, but it’s what allows dots to be multiplied. Controlling leaders operate in a world of addition and subtraction; everything starts and ends with them, while the calculus of a leader who understands delegation is built on exponential multiplication and reigns for years long after he/she is gone.

Those who embrace control are simply attempting to consolidate power, while those who practice delegating are facilitating the distribution of authority. When what you seek is to build into others more than glorifying self, you have developed a level of leadership maturity that values delegating and mentoring over control.

Delegating is the mindset which creates the desire for leaders to give credit and feedback rather than take it, to prefer hearing over being heard, to dialogue instead of monologue, to have an open mind rather than a closed mind, to value collective geniuses than self wisdom and intellect. Mindful, that there is no known one genius who can develop a nation but a collection.

Control messages selfishness, while delegation conveys selflessness – which is more important to you? Others delegate in the positive realization that they are not the centre of the universe – they delegate for something beyond themselves in order to accomplish more for others. Bottom line – what you do or don’t delegate will define good leadership. Assuming you delegate for the right things, it’s not a sign of leadership weakness, but is perhaps the ultimate sign of leadership confidence. William Booth once said: “The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender and delegating ability.”

In no way can authoritarianism be dismissed completely but should be used only in selective instances especially where the leader is the most knowledgeable and experienced member of a group.An authoritarian style might be most appropriate but not applicable at national social -economic development level. In instances where group members are much more skilled experts, delegated ability would be most cost effective, most efficient and reliable.

[pullquote]control restricts potential, limits initiative, and inhibits talent. Delegating fosters collaboration, encourages innovation and enables possibility.[/pullquote]

Good leadership achieves true collective greatness–those who have become good leaders, leaders who changed the world, nations, cities, and lives did master the power and art of delegating. In addition, Leaders who make an impact and difference all take these four steps and HE Sata must take a retreat too to reflect and envision Zambia’s social-economic development reforms- A vision beyond 2050 can be consolidated in his 5years term.

These four steps are Key;

1. Find a place of solitude.Every great leader needs a place where they can think intensively. Somewhere away from the constant clatter of incoming information, somewhere quiet, somewhere contemplative. A blessed few leaders have the mental strength to achieve this state of abstraction anywhere–in a crowded office, or anytime during the hurly-burly of a busy day but not in the Zambian political set up surrounded by poverty slums. Solitude is the time to think consciously and extensively on the solutions to Zambia’s challenges both in the medium and long term, renew one’s strength, summon intuition, the inner power and vision for the country…Where’s your place of solitude as a leader?
2. Discover your contemplation trigger.Solitude is a worthwhile state; it’s a vehicle–a means to think clearly and deeply about matters of importance. But with all the manifold possibilities, with the myriad of issues that press in on us every day, what major and important tasks should we spend time intensely thinking about in more detail?”Contemplation trigger”: focuses on the long term majors and revolutionary transformations of a nation; for instance a focus on 5years with an inbuilt 8 major achievements can be realised with what strategies? –the case of: (1. Judicial system reforms, 2) University education and employment, 3) Link Zambia road infrastructure and city ring roads, 4) Planned housing, drainage and sewerage (no shanties ,no slums), 4) Health ,disease control and sanitation, 5) Constitutionalism, governance system and governance structure overhaul reforms, 6) Land utilization, agricultural ,Rural development and telecommunication configuration in all districts,7) Electricity or power and water development up to the village level, 8) realign and consolidate all social-economic interconnectors, systems, institutions and legal frameworks for economic emancipation), and broken them down in yearly measurable indicators…”What is the single greatest challenge we face as a country today that will profoundly affect the success of our country and policies in the next years and beyond ?” The one-year horizon works to feed into the 5 years-50 years plan in built with all 8 developments and planning dimensions. At least once a year, the nation can set aside a week’s “contemplation trigger-or call for an evaluation indaba prior to govt’s yearly retreat” to brainstorm successes and failures…..Then feed into the 5-year horizon of the vision2050 developments and planning. (Your mileage may vary but the concept remains.)
3. Get beyond instant gratification.We live in a time of instant gratification. Leadership, especially leadership in the long term, requires us to forgo instant gratification, because reflection and contemplation are the compost of great ideas and the genesis of deep commitment. Time is the most precious resource you can give to your leadership. The sacrifice of time–choosing to pause, to invest in reflection and intensive thinking –is the price we pay to build the depth of leadership that leaves behind a concrete legacy, and not just a fast-vanishing footprint. I like the “rule of 90”: give the gift of 90 days for truly game-changing ideas to take root. Does this mean abandoning your intuition and forgoing on-the-spot improvisation? Not, but like any great sports team, your no-huddle offense will deliver long-term success only with the discipline and solid foundation of well-planned, well-rehearsed, well-executed delegated team players.
4. Model more than you share.Remember, the purpose of leadership is not to shine the spotlight on yourself, but to unlock the potential of others so they can in turn shine the spotlight on countless more .A leader purely operates at their best, when they understand their ability to influence and delegate, are much more fruitful than their ability to control .Leadership comes through delegating and leading, not by controlling. Seeing it isn’t doing it. Sharing it isn’t doing it. Only doing it is doing it. Try this: Next time you see a leadership need in this country–whether it’s about how people should be treated (citizens, visitors, employees); how you communicate your long-term mission, vision or values–try modelling the change you want to see by delegating.  Be the change you desire. Don’t have time to model change and delegate? Think, “Great idea, but it’s easier and quicker to send an authority.”? That’s fine. But remember, as a leader, the depth of good leadership leaves behind a concrete legacy for generations and not just a fast-vanishing footprint on a beach, when you could be changing nation, cities and lives. HE Sata can do well, but for the best he must go on retreat for a better 2013 and beyond well refined development vision and agenda that can change Zambian lives for the better. Chasing the lizard instead of building the house isn’t good enough, HE Sata needs solitude far away NOT in Luangwa but Kabompo or Shangombo…..