About Transformational Leadership By Bea Hackula

For Africa to occupy its rightful position globally, Africa needs more transformational leaders in all spheres across the continent. To drive the necessary innovation in public and private sector organizations, a transformational leadership approach and transformative culture are the only way Africa can realize the change individually and at the organizational level. This will have a direct impact on the social systems.

Through transformational leadership, valuable and positive change can be realized and more authentic African leaders will emerge. In the Assertive Magazine issue on Transformational Leadership, we celebrate authentic transformational leaders who have done wonders to grow their organization and/or introduced innovative ideas and program that has set the foundation for many to follow. These are role models who are inspirational in many ways, to their followers and onlookers.

These leaders have managed throughout their leadership to transcend self-interest for the organisation’s good, with a clear vision; setting a positive example; communicating high-performance expectations; and providing intellectual stimulation for others to follow.

One thing common amongst these trendsetters is perseverance, passion and purpose. The President of Tanzania HE Saima Sululu Hassan graduated from high school but has said publicly that her finishing results were poor, and she took a clerkship in a government office at 17. By 1988, after undertaking further study, Hassan had risen through the ranks to become a development officer in the Zanzibar government. H.E. Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, is no exception- she kept on pushing the boundaries, having occupied very strategic positions and earned respect as a financial guru, including her being the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Rwanda.

Achieving gender parity in Africa has been slow, but the process is gaining momentum. Several factors such as discrimination and traditional gender norms and roles, partly account for the seeming lack of women’s representation in decision-making.

In this issue, we showcase successful women and acclaimed leaders who have excelled in various aspects of their lives with a signature of excellence throughout their careers. Consistency in excellence is what sets them apart from the rest. During a Pan African Women Empowerment Summit (PAWES) 2022 held in Zanzibar from 6 to 8 March which we were privileged to be part of, we had the honor of meeting some of these leaders and Queens of industries in person. Believe you me, when I say the conference room was filled with power – beauty with brains in abundance. We can wait to unpack the outcomes of such brilliance in our next issue.  Enjoy and continue to assert yourself to be the best you can possibly be. 

If you have not seen the Assertive Women Magazine, kindly visit https://assertivewomen.com/. You will get access to more inspiring stories than you see on our blog.

Happy reading!