Leadership In Africa Redefined

Leadership determines whether as a nation, business, or organisation, you are able to anticipate, cope with, and recover from unprecedented change. Leadership determines your ability to not only bounce back after a crisis, but bounce forward even further. It’s leadership from the inside out. Sadly, the leadership we often see and hear about in Africa is not this transformative, agile leadership. There is too much command and control, self-centeredness, and egotism. However, this is only one side of the story.

Africa is also home to leaders who are imaginative, adaptable, ethical, and empowering. These are leaders who are transforming the spaces they serve on this continent. These leaders and their stories remind us that leadership from the inside out is not only possible in Africa but is already making a difference in transforming this continent. If this new practice of leadership is to become the norm and not just the practice of a few amazing men and women, then we need a new narrative of leadership in Africa. Taaka Awori’s Leadership in Africa offers concrete principles to guide the practice of this transformative type of leadership. Using the stories and lessons from outstanding leaders on the continent to illustrate the inside-out leadership model, one premised on the idea that your leadership is a reflection of who you are as a person. When a leader is self-aware, living their purpose, acting in alignment with their values and managing their emotions, their leadership is inevitably stronger and more impactful.

The book groups the lessons into the themes of Leading Self, Leading Others (team-focused), and Leading in Bigger Spaces. Each chapter includes reflection questions to guide each reader on their own personal journey, as they pause to reflect genuinely on their own leadership. Awori is obsessed with leadership, and through feedback and experience, she has been able to improve her leadership abilities. Her hope is that this book will be an inspiration and a practical guide to support each reader in becoming the leader Africa needs.