Insights From The African Leadership Global Report 2024

When you hear the word “leader,” what, or should we say who comes to mind? Does it by any chance include a long list of names from the West?

The concept of leadership in Africa has switched up from Chieftains and African loyalty to corporate. Traditional models that have long drawn on Western theories cannot be isolated anymore. They are now being complemented—and even reshaped—by African principles and practices. The African Leadership Global (ALG) is a pioneering organisation focused on redefining African leadership, and they have dug into the idea of leadership in the African context, releasing its 2024 report. It brings fresh perspectives on how leadership is understood and practised across the continent. Emerging from ALG’s Stories of African Leadership (SoAL) project, the report is a compilation of narratives from leaders in South Africa, Ghana, and the UK diaspora articulating and celebrating our very own values and cultural wisdom.

“It is not unusual for visiting trainers and facilitators to bring Western models and theories on leadership to businesses based on the African continent. Sharing learning from different regions of the world is smart thinking,” said Nicola Strong, CTO, African Leadership Global. Strong’s visits and conversations traversing the continent have to date led her to believe Western leadership models dominate the learning programmes in many an African country. During one of her trips to West Africa, she settled into the rhythm of delivering a well-practised training programme.

Except this time, it was going to be different. The lively, innovative audience of middle managers suggested that they could share with Strong how African leadership worked in their organisation. Their demonstration was inspiring, forthright, considered and delivered with a joy and celebration of life. “This experience still makes me smile. From that moment, I have been fascinated by how balance can be achieved through a wider perspective of what good leadership looks like in the day-to-day operations of a successful African-led business,” observed Strong.

One of the report’s most compelling findings is the emphasis on collectivist leadership. African leaders are viewed favourably when they prioritise the well-being of family, community, and team over their ambition. A perspective that aligns with the collectivist nature of many African societies with leaders often seen as custodians of community welfare. The data show that effective leadership in the African context frequently involves putting communal needs first, a sentiment that is beautifully expressed in the proverb “I am because we are,” capturing the spirit of Ubuntu. It reflects historical leadership practices such as those seen in the Ghanaian Empire or South Africa’s history where leaders acted as caretakers and mediators. It re-centres African leadership around community.

What About The Hybrid Model Where Traditional Wisdom Meets Practical Experience?

ALG gleaned how African leaders are guided by a distinctly unique combination of traditional wisdom, practical experience, and academic knowledge. They weigh pragmatic real-world experience even as they acknowledge the critical integration of traditional knowledge. This hybrid leadership approach allows balance and the opportunity to harness the benefits of indigenous knowledge and modern expertise. If you’re thinking this gives them an edge, then you would be right. It makes them better equipped to navigate dynamic challenges in a globalised environment.

Interestingly, the research highlights that female leaders are particularly inclined to combine traditional wisdom with academic knowledge, while male leaders often utilise a blend of all three sources; an interplay between the “old” and the “new” showcases the kind of adaptability even the West would approve! Then there is this defining characteristic of African leadership – ethics aka “doing what’s right” for all. Curiously, the leaders surveyed demonstrated a strong moral compass. They prioritized the collective good versus western individualism. And this factored into their decision-making. Accountability, resilience, and integrity were not unheard of. I suppose this underscored their preference for proactive measures with leaders taking decisive action or employing empathy and listening to resolve disputes.

Conflict resolution is after all a culturally embedded process in African societies with elders or respected figures traditionally mediating. It is more about harmony than it is about punishment ergo leading with empathy the African way. The ALG report reveals how many African leaders are motivated by the need to survive and thrive in the thick of challenging economic times. In Western contexts, status or wealth may drive leadership. In Africa, leaders often pursue growth and stability as a means of ensuring communal well-being. As a result, leadership is viewed as a means to empower others and support resilience through ingenuity. The nature of this motivation is such that nearly 85 per cent of jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa exist in the informal economy. Leaders must be innovative and quite resourceful, traits that serve as pillars for sustained growth and community support where people exist alongside limited resources.

Can We Capture This Lightning In A Bottle?

One of ALG’s broader goals is to address the biases often present in AI algorithms due to limited representation from the Global South. Gathering leadership data from African contexts has the compelling advantage of expanding AI training sets to include African perspectives. It makes algorithms more globally inclusive when datasets reflect the diversity of the populations they serve. The report showcases African leadership as inherently adaptive. Still, it faces distinct challenges with a significant one being the fine art of balancing the integration of traditional values versus adapting to the demands of global business norms.

With organisations adopting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the continent, there is an opportunity to consider how African leadership principles, like Ubuntu, could redefine corporate practices. Especially with the DEI crisis currently facing the West. Another complex challenge is succession planning. Senior leaders often draw upon values and principles while younger leaders tend to blend these with a drive to achieve and gain experience. Intergenerational dialogue could be key to bridging this gap. Millennials and Gen Z should not be in such a rush to downplay or disregard this approach. If anything, as future leaders, they could uphold Africa’s heritage and embrace new ideas, crafting an entirely compelling beast of a leader. And what better way to perpetrate this narrative if not through recognising the power of storytelling?