On the occasion of Africa Industrialization Day 2018, we outlined some thoughts on the state of leadership development on the continent. We do this recognizing that it is impossible to generalize in a continent as diverse as Africa with over 50 countries and over 1 billion inhabitants. Thus, we zoomed out to paint a broad stroke picture of leadership in Africa in both a historical and global context.
When we think about leadership development, we always start by exploring the context. What is the context in which leaders operate? And, therefore, what sort of leadership qualities are critical for being a successful leader? In a historical and global context, there are a number of defining characteristics which recur across the continent and demand specific qualities in African leaders.