Great leaders preach success, articulate their vision, mission to the teams

I recently transitioned from a county executive position I held for nearly four years to the conservation sector, where I have worked for most of my career. Public service is one of the most fulfilling and impactful services one can render to their nation and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to serve.

During a farewell event organised by my team, a colleague I immensely respect remarked that I “joined the public service as a manager and left a leader”. I thought I had gone into public service as a leader. But I’ve learned that leadership is much more than a title and is earned in every situation you face. 

Many organisations – including the government – have the capacity to deliver. So what is the missing link that leads many people to think governments do not have the capacity to do what they are mandated to do? 

In a democracy, leaders are elected – usually every five years. However, the bureaucracy that is supposed to translate the politicians’ manifestos into actionable programmes has a 60- year horizon as permanent and pensionable employees who have seen many elected leaders come and go. Getting these two sides to work in tandem is the real test of leadership. A public sector leader must be an excellent preacher, converting as many people as possible to the gospel of excellent service.

Capacity building

There are thousands of organisations and programmes whose sole purpose is building capacity. In government, it is a buzzword. Capacity building is a noble thing, but it is not a replacement for passion. Capacity without passion is like a Ferrari without fuel. Passion is manifested by a belief that the work at hand is meaningful and leads to a better overall outcome.

There are many firms with highly qualified personnel but posting dismal results. As one MP noted, there is no yardstick for measuring passion, yet without it services are mechanical and stripped out of the human element. 

Related to passion is the overall understanding of why the organisation exists. In Simon Sinek’s book, Start With Why, he argues that organisations and leaders who articulate why they exist and what they seek to achieve do better. 

In the case of Laikipia, where I served, Governor Ndiritu Muriithi spent considerable time articulating why the administration exists, what it does and how. 

The most important resource an organisation has are its people. But people need predictable processes and systems that provide a clear road map to where the leadership is taking them and how. The systems, processes and people must be like an orchestra, all performing together and in sync to produce beautiful music. There is a popular maxim that culture eats strategy for breakfast. The leader's role is to align an organisation’s culture to the strategy. This is easier said than done as culture change does not happen overnight. 

It also helps to have a family that says it as it is, where feedback is direct, unstructured, unfiltered and no punches are pulled. 

Great leaders need support and honesty.

The writer is East Africa Portfolio Director, Maliasili Initiative. @njengakahiro; [email protected]