Editorial
The Power Within Us
The need for good and ethical leaders has never been greater
than now. Locally and internationally, there’s a leadership crisis.
No two leaders are the same, as they manage and lead in
different ways, but at the forefront of your mind as a leader
should always be how your leadership style and principles are
influencing the people around you.
Research has shown that most successful leaders are
instinctive decision-makers. Because they’ve been making
decisions throughout their careers, in a way they become
immune to the pressure associated with decision-making and
become intuitive about the process. That is why successful
leaders often say that they depend on their gut feel when they
are faced with making difficult decisions.
Leaders can often be intimidating, and a key leadership attribute
is therefore to deflect attention from yourself and encourage
others to voice their opinions or concerns. It’s all about making
others feel safe to speak out and confidently share their views.
With the recent cases of corruption and poor governance that
have tarnished the integrity of the finance profession in our
country, this has become even more relevant. As a leader, you
have to encourage people to speak out when they don’t feel
comfortable with something that is happening on your watch.
And this is how we can rebuild trust – each and every CA(SA)
should rise to the challenge of being a true leader. The power
lies within all of us to stand up and do what is required of us.
Do read our leadership report on page 35. Obviously leaders
should do more than merely deliver performance results − they
should also inspire others.
As Thomas Kgokolo, our cover profile this month, points out,
CAs(SA) can make a great difference in our country. And
Thomas’ ultimate goal is to be remembered as someone
who gave his best to rebuild the country’s faith in business
leadership.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his Sona address that as
businesses and as a country, we can overcome all challenges
together. So, as a CA(SA) leader, your role will become more
crucial than ever − not only in being an ethical leader but also in
creating a safe environment for others to be ethical.
Gerinda Engelbrecht – Editor
