“What are the leadership lessons we can learn from some of the major events that have shaped our economy and society this year?” asks Leon Ayo, CEO of Odgers Berndtson Sub-Saharan Africa.
As an emerging market, South Africa has much to offer on the international stage. After a four-year decline, the country returned to the top 50 of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitive Index. There is confidence in our securities exchange – the same index has ranked the JSE the top securities exchange in the world in terms of regulation. South Africa’s corporate leadership in general is highly regarded, and the country is, despite government intervention, still regarded as the best gateway into Africa. It is also still a destination of choice for expatriates wanting to resettle here, and there are pockets of excellence in all sectors of our economy.
The issues South Africans have grappled with over the past year present a tremendous opportunity for corporate leaders to step up to the plate and take ownership of providing solutions to some of these challenges. That they have already done so in many cases is an encouraging development. What our country sorely needs is more ‘totem’ leaders – leaders that are highly visible, that South Africans can rally around. We need leaders who can step forward and say, “I am the leader, it is my responsibility, hold me accountable.”