Insights on Leadership in a Paradoxical Environment: Central Africa as a Case Study

On the invitation of the NKAFU POLICY Institute, I shared leadership insights from my past and present assignments as VP and GM of an oilfield services company, CEO for an electricity production and distribution company, an angel investor, and a community leader in Central West Africa.

Leadership is one of the most taught topics in modern times, yet despite countless publications in circulation, this topic has remained at the forefront. One of the reasons is that there is no single approach to leadership. My experience has taught me that effective leadership changes depend on the environment (context), people, technology, and most importantly culture.

I came to understand the hard way, that effective leadership in Central Africa requires taking into account the nuances of the region’s value systems. While in the Western world, respect for institutions and policies predominates, in often hierarchical African societies, respect for the Chief is dominant, hence the importance of strong leadership is even greater. While in the West I was trained to raise questions when confronted with concerning situations, in Central Africa, I had to adapt to the fact that troubling conditions are often attributed to unavoidable paranormal or supernatural actions. These different value systems call for different leadership techniques.

In Central Africa, these leadership techniques are also affected by societal paradoxes. Some of these paradoxes reinforce diversity and contribute positively to social cohesion. However, others have the potential to be negative if not properly handled. The top five paradoxes I have found to affect leadership in Central Africa are:

1. Traditional values and modern lifestyle

2. Global, multicultural mindset and local needs

3. Desire for home-grown leadership and lack of support for local leaders

4. Foreign investment and an underdeveloped business environment

5. Respect for elders and promotion of age and gender diversity in positions of influence

Managing paradoxes is a skill for any modern leader in a global marketplace, and it is even more challenging in a Central African context.

1.       One way I recommend to manage these paradoxes is to apply integrated leadership. This concept entails making tactical decisions without upsetting the cultural balance of one’s environment. In my prior roles, I was able to maintain this cultural balance by advocating for small, high-impact actions that could elicit maximum buy-in. As the African proverb goes, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven't spent a night with a mosquito.”

2.      In a context where people are more influential than institutions, selecting the right people for the right roles has been my constant worry. In this regard, the concept of meritocracy has to be contextualized to acknowledge the fabric of the society, while optimizing productivity and efficiency.  The road to success lies in creating a team of competent individuals who have the social backing and the credibility to navigate the system effectively. Great teamwork is captured in this overused African statement: “If you want to fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together.”

3.      To change our world, we should combine ancient wisdom with new technology. One of the challenges of technology in Central Africa is making the shift from primarily using technology for entertainment to using technology as an efficiency and productivity tool. In Eneo, using technology for prepaid meters, online bill payments, dematerialization, and digitization helped me make a difference in the lives of over 1.4 million customers despite high resistance to adoption due to the removal of undue personal benefits.  Today as an angel investor, I support startups focused on sustainable technological growth and development via Makoe Ventures. Industry leaders in Africa must continue to embrace technology if we are to shorten the development path of the continent.

4.      Culture can be a powerful force that counteracts and resists attempts to change, no matter how positive the change is. Oftentimes, this resistance emerges because attempts to change culture are made without consideration for the root cause of the behavior. For the last 10 years, I have been a member of social groups where rules were used to settle scores rather than promote cohesion. After months of observation, it became clear that this aggressive use of bylaws was retaliation against contemptuous leadership. As a result, when putting in place strategies to neutralize this behavior, we first addressed leadership. We also identified influential members who could act as agents of change and model desired behavior. Focusing on building a strong and supportive culture is a strategic endeavor that must be a top priority for leaders in any environment.

TAKEAWAYS

Context matters

• Leadership strategies must take into account contextual elements

• Weak institutions should be compensated for with effective leadership

Balance paradoxes through integrated leadership

• Big vision + Small, high-impact actions

• Build teams that reflect society’s fabric + Recruit for productivity and efficiency

• Familiar technology + Constructive tech-based improvements

• Be aware of existing culture + Strategically implement change