Introduction

“The greatest people are self-managed — they don’t need to be managed. Once they know what to do, they’ll go figure out how to do it — they don’t need to be managed at all! What they need is a common vision — and that’s what leadership is. What leadership is, is having a vision, being able to articulate that, so that people around you can understand it — and getting a consensus on a common vision.” 

– Steve Job

Job’s quote highlights the importance of both autonomy and a shared vision for successful leadership, which is the starting point for successful management. For this to become a reality, feasible tools need to be utilized. 

Tool 1: The Legacy Audit 

Every identity has its own fingerprint that needs to be preserved. Here emerges the strategic role of Tool 1, i.e., the Legacy Audit. In practice, this tool necessitates following three steps. Step 1 is asking “if you were an ancestor watching yourself lead today, what’s the one value they’d recognize instantly?” This question sheds light on the unnegotiable value shaping the organization’s current identity. In Step 2, this question is asked, i.e., “What is the biggest ‘Corporate Mask’ or un-African leadership style you are ready to burn today?” It singles out one leadership value that does not match the identity of the team. This makes wording the Legacy Power-Phrase authentic, i.e., “I lead with [Non-Negotiable Value] to build a [Goal] for [Name of Your Organization].”

Tool 2: The Collective Ink Well

To reinforce their feeling of ownership, team members should share in setting corporate goals. This process usually has three stages. In Stage 1, Operational Alignment, one strategic bold goal is set via asking the team to type one bold strategic goal for the team this year. This is followed by Stage 2, where the Relational Capital is reinforced, i.e., “I am because we are.” This question is asked, i.e., “If one of us succeeds in this, how does it open a door for the others?” In Stage 3, Consensus Building, team members are asked to share their suggestions after validating a point made by a previous member. This creates subconscious consensus among the team members, leading to a unified vision.   

Tool 3: Digital Voices: Leading the Narrative 

 This tool necessitates auditing digital leadership within the organization. Firstly, as a leader, one should check how technology is currently used for attaining the strategic goals of the organization. Secondly, a challenge should be introduced to level up the use of technology. For instance, instead of posting an article link, authors might host a live Q&A on social media platforms.  Moreover, leaders might set up a collaborative real-time editing space for authors. Three principles need to be taken into consideration when implementing digital leadership, i.e., Accessibility and Distribution, Mentorship and Education, and Global Visibility.  For example, various social media platforms can be used to increase accessibility to the service or products presented by the organization. 

Conclusion

This article is a Call to Action, asking all leaders to upgrade their leadership practices via developing their Legacy Power-Phrase, setting their Collective Strategic Goals, and levelling up the technology used for better performance in their organizations.