In my years observing organisational change, I’ve noticed a persistent leadership deficit: Mandated change almost always triumphs over collaborative change when leadership values the individual over the collective.
When leaders prioritise their division, department, their board members, or their immediate careers, their decision-making becomes severely compromised.
Sure, some build tight-knit teams with high loyalty. But who are those teams actually loyal to? Usually, just each other and their specific KPIs. Why? Because that’s how modern organisations reward performance: Did your silo hit its target?
We operate as if we are isolated islands. But in times of rapid change and uncertainty, this love of individualism isn't serving us—it is a large part of the problem.
"I Am Because We Are"
I recently reflected on the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu (from the Nguni Bantu language groups). Frequently translated as "humanity toward others" or "I am because we are," Ubuntu is the belief that we are fundamentally defined by our compassion, empathy, and interconnectedness.
Many Western societies glorify the "lone hero"—the resilient individual who succeeds against all odds through sheer tenacity. We’re told to build vision boards, manifest our individual dreams, and strike out on our own.
Yet, African proverbs have warned us against this isolation for centuries:
- The Swahili proverb "Asiye na mwingine mlango" reminds us that one bracelet does not jingle.
- The Nigerian proverbs popularised originally in 1958 by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe and later in a book by Hillary Clinton remind us that it takes a village.
We prioritize the individual, even though our well-being is almost entirely dependent on the community.
The Myth of Isolation
Consider this example from outside the corporate world:
When people look to buy a house, they focus heavily on the physical asset—4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a theatre room, and private garden. But a house is just bricks and mortar. What good is a "perfect" home if the community around it is broken?
- What happens when the neighbourhood is hostile?
- What good is a park if it isn't safe for anyone to use?
- What value does your luxury home hold if you have to live inside a gated community, armed to the teeth, because systemic inequalities outside your walls have driven crime through the roof?
Years ago, I lived in a country that started building gated communities to shut out rising violence. People bought homes, guns, and safes—yet lived in constant fear. We can buy all the resources in the world, but if the whole is fractured, our quality of life remains impoverished.
Conversely, look at Moreton Bay Council in Queensland. They recently opened a community park equipped with basic amenities for homeless individuals. Council leadership broke ranks, refusing to yield to residents who simply didn't want the visual unpleasantness of tents.
They chose humanity, decency, and community first—recognising that if part of a community is unsafe and insecure, the entire community suffers.
Translating Ubuntu to Corporate Leadership
We can no longer afford to see ourselves as "lucky" or "privileged" while offering a hollow moment of gratitude that "there go I, but for the grace of God."
It’s time to not only balance individual drive with collective responsibility but mould it into a system, values and philosophy that serves all of us:
- Shift Beyond Profit and Shareholders: True leadership serves the entire ecosystem—customers, suppliers, contractors, communities, and employees alike.
- Break down the Silos: High performance shouldn't mean competing against the department next door. If your division succeeds while the rest of the company bleeds, you haven't won.
- Lift as You Climb: Success is hollow if you are surrounded by people who are struggling. Use your skills, resources, and authority to lift others as you ascend.
We are not isolated units trying to hit a quarterly target. We are part of a greater, interdependent whole. So when we want to change the current state, we need to ask how will this change impact the ecosystem we are dependent on?
It’s time for a fundamental shift in how we lead. It’s time for Ubuntu thinking.