Reimagining leadership as role-modelled by one of Africa’s greatest steward leaders, former South African president Thabo Mbeki.
THE PERFORMANCE CHALLENGE
Africanbank has a proud, 50-year legacy of advancing lives by banking the unbanked, serving the underserved and giving agency to the marginalised. In the process, it has adopted the mantle of a mission manifesting as a bank.
Over the past three years, this audacious journey has been about reimagining leadership, including how the leaders of this organisation show up for themselves, their organisation, and each other.
This journey began with the development of a Leadership Compact, which committed Africanbank leaders to becoming steward leaders who lead themselves, lead with others, lead through others, and lead in service of others.
This was followed by a series of leadership masterclasses, to embed these commitments throughout the organisation and to create leaders committed to lifting as they rise, empowering colleagues and communities, and being an active force for good.
THE ASK
Building on the success of the first two leadership masterclasses, Africanbank needed to dramatically expand the reach and impact of its leadership transformation journey. CEO Kennedy Bungane approached The Performance Agency with an ambitious request:
Design and deliver a third masterclass that would be unprecedented in scale, scope and impact, reaching deeper into the organisation than ever before.
Specifically, Africanbank wanted to:
Create an immersive masterclass experience for 1,000 delegates, including a sizeable group of Africanbankers dialling in virtually from around the country;
Extend the leadership journey to include the next layer of leaders in the organisation, broadening the impact of the stewardship philosophy;
Develop a programme that would reinforce and deepen understanding of the four leadership commitments: leading oneself, leading with others, leading through others, and leading in service of others;
Craft an immersive, inspiring experience that would resonate with a diverse group of leaders at various levels of the organisation;
Ensure the masterclass would translate the principles of steward leadership into actionable behaviours and mindsets; and
Incorporate elements of African heritage and storytelling to connect the bank's mission with the broader narrative of African Renaissance and ubuntu.
This was not just about scaling up a development programme. It was about catalysing a leadership revolution within Africanbank, one that would cascade the philosophy of steward leadership throughout the entire organisation and ultimately transform how the bank serves its customers and its communities.
THE SOLVE
To meet Kennedy Bungane's ambitious ask, we crafted a transformative masterclass experience that centred on the inspirational story of one of South Africa's greatest leaders, President Thabo Mbeki.
And we were honoured to have in attendance not only 1,000-plus Africanbankers, but the former President himself, accompanied by senior leaders from the Thabo Mbeki Foundation.
Our masterclass, Born to Serve, told President Mbeki's life story in four chapters, aligned to Africanbank's four leadership commitments:
Chapter 1
(I Will Lead Myself) took Africanbankers on a journey into President Mbeki's challenging formative years, lifting up the grit and resilience he leveraged at an early age to overcome adversity and lay the foundation for his future leadership. This chapter explored how Mbeki's early experiences shaped his character, his commitment to education, and his unwavering dedication to the cause of freedom and equality.
Chapter 2
(I Will Lead With Others) focused on President Mbeki's years in exile and his rise within the ANC. It highlighted his ability to collaborate, build consensus, and work effectively with diverse groups of people towards a common goal. This chapter examined how Mbeki's diplomatic skills and his capacity to lead with empathy and understanding were crucial in navigating complex political landscapes and fostering unity in the face of adversity.
Chapter 3
(I Will Lead Through Others) delved into President Mbeki's role during South Africa's transition to democracy and his presidency. It emphasised his vision of an African Renaissance and how he inspired and empowered others to contribute to this vision. This chapter explored how Mbeki's leadership style encouraged innovation, fostered talent, and created opportunities for others to lead and grow, ultimately shaping a new era for South Africa and the continent.
Chapter 4
(I Will Lead In Service Of Others) examined President Mbeki's ongoing legacy and his continued commitment to serving Africa and its people. It highlighted how his life's work embodies the principle of ubuntu and the idea that true leadership is measured by its impact on others. This chapter challenged Africanbank leaders to consider how they can lead in service of their colleagues, customers, and communities, inspiring them to create lasting positive change beyond their immediate roles.
The Born to Serve story was followed by a keynote from the former president himself, as well as a Q&A session led by Africanbank CEO Kennedy Bungane.
In addition to sharing the president’s inspirational stewardship journey, our masterclass included an interactive learning experience. Guided by our 100 table hosts, we invited every Africanbanker in attendance and online to reflect on the themes and values derived from the story.
Africanbank Exco members closed out the session with their learnings and personal reflections.
THE IMPACT
Our third Africanbank Leadership Masterclass set out to inspire, motivate, and seed a mindset shift from traditional banking to stewardship of a greater mission. In the process, we increased alignment between leadership behaviours and the bank's core purpose of advancing lives, cascaded the stewardship philosophy to a new layer of Africanbank leaders and embedded a deeper understanding of ubuntu principles in day-to-day leadership practices.
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