Whilst change takes time and it takes time to realize that change is a friend, COVID-19 engenders ethos of immediacy. Think and act anew NOW.
COVID-19 is a valley of narrow pathways. It attacks quickly, spreads like wild fire and mercilessly punishes any shred of hesitation or decision-making misstep. To deal with it, countries have two options and fence-sitting is not one of them. Adapt or succumb. Embrace attitudinal paradigm shift immediately or face implosive consequences.
As real change is attitudinal, attitudinal paradigm shift is essential preventative measure. Those who change attitude minimise fatalities and live to see tomorrow and those who opt for gross negligence and disregard for human lives by continuing to live as if today is yesterday live to suffer from the hind-sight of regret.
Leadership is a daunting calling for the devoted and righteous. It is immutable and venerable: more so during a pandemic. COVID-19 is evolutionary and resonates with leadership adaptation loop, an ecosystem in which integrated leadership style optimizes itself as a pandemic worsens.
Leadership adaptation loop is common where there is a team of leaders with diverse strategic, thought and servant leadership skills. As assumptions create confusion and worsen a crisis whereas empirical evidence provides clarity, in the leadership adaptation loop, strategic leadership is the first port of call. Firstly. because it is change management leadership.
Secondly, because to eliminate or minimize assumptions, strategic leadership fosters creative and critical thinking in order to have deep understanding of the veracity of a pandemic. This empirical task includes conducting research and /or analysing existing research data, to find empirical evidence.
The sanctity of empirical evidence is the reason why in the fight against COVID-19, medical research evidence is relied on to develop modelling strategies. As creative and critical thinking fosters systems thinking, the solution developed from empirical evidence is likely to be integrated and satisfy integrated solution efficacy test.
Integrated solution efficacy exists when all impact indicators are qualitative: leadership, human capital, resource infrastructure and ultimately, attitudinal paradigm shift. Deficiency in the first three bestows deficiency on the last one.
Development of a goal from empirical evidence is the primary task of thoughtful leadership. The purposeful (envisioned) expression of leaders to do the right thing. In a pandemic, success depends on single-focusing; ability to close off distractions and foster lucid focus.
This happens when the goal: to save lives is supreme and the mission: through attitudinal paradigm shift is pursued through precise messaging, preferably, coming from a single source.
Lastly, a pandemic presents the opportunity to elevate altruistic (conscientious) behaviour and save lives and opportunity to elevate amoral behaviour and endanger lives. The former thrives in altruistic environment, and the latter pounces when leadership succumbs to self-interests.
Altruistic environment is a forte of servant leadership. Servant leadership is humanist and ethical – a realm of selfless behaviour; the quest to sacrifice for and serve others against all odds. Servant leadership is a reminder that the foremost responsibility of a leader is to serve others.
Sy Mokadi
Learning and Development Facilitator
mokadisy@webmail.co.za