IN last week’s column, I shared the exhilarating news of completing the Humanistic Leadership Academy (HLA) Development Cohort for Fall 2024, an experience that proved to be both personally transformative and professionally enlightening.
Today, I want to take a deeper dive into the Humanistic Leadership Academy and its role in reshaping leadership and education, particularly for Zimbabwean leaders.
While my planned interview with David Pickersgill, one of the programme’s distinguished facilitators, is postponed, my research reveals that this initiative is a vital compass for human-centred leadership in our interconnected world.
The Humanistic Leadership Academy, through its various programmes such as the Development Cohort, exemplifies an ambitious vision encapsulated in its manifesto: “Creating a world that works for 100% of humanity”.
This ideal resonates deeply with Zimbabwe’s challenges and aspirations as we seek pathways to inclusive and sustainable growth.
The development cohort
The HLA Development Cohort is a co-creative experience designed by professors and leaders for their peers. It builds on the participants’ collective expertise to explore humanistic leadership and education.
Each cohort focuses on diverse themes, with the current programme addressing topics such as:
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Bulls to charge into Zimbabwe gold stocks
- Ndiraya concerned as goals dry up
- Letters: How solar power is transforming African farms
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Listening, recognition, and gratitude using the Barry-Wehmiller model of leadership culture.
Care and accountability, essential for trust-building.
Dignity and human flourishing, underpinning humanistic values.
Authenticity, encouraging leaders to operate from their core values.
Motivations and allies, a reflective journey to understand purpose and collaboration.
Capstone and commitments, integrating the lessons into actionable leadership practices.
These themes are more than theoretical. They are rooted in the HLA manifesto, which advocates for transforming business education to create fully human leaders who are competent, courageous, and caring.
Participants commit to honouring individual identity, fostering shared well-being, and stewarding a healthy planet — principles that Zimbabwean organisations can adopt to navigate socio-economic and environmental challenges.
The Zimbabwean context
In Zimbabwe, where high unemployment, youth disenfranchisement, and economic inequalities persist, the principles of humanistic leadership hold profound relevance.
Let us consider a few local examples:
Community engagement through business: Zimbabwe’s industrial park initiatives, such as those at Midlands State University (MSU), reflect the HLA’s emphasis on building organisations that strengthen communities.
MSU’s agro-business units, which include horticultural and pork production, could further adopt humanistic practices by integrating local farmers into their supply chains, promoting dignity and shared prosperity.
Transformative education: Zimbabwean universities are already implementing Education 5.0, which aligns with HLA’s mission of humanising business education. Education 5.0 focuses on problem-solving, innovation, and entrepreneurship, creating leaders who address local challenges. Incorporating HLA’s insights could deepen this approach by prioritising dignity and care in pedagogy.
Sustainable practices: The emphasis on sustainable relationships between humanity and the environment resonate with Zimbabwe’s natural resource management. For example, the eco-tourism projects in Chirumanzu can be seen as aligning with HLA’s call for sustainability while fostering community engagement.
Meet the facilitators
The Development Cohort’s success is also a testament to its facilitators. David Pickersgill’s leadership journey exemplifies the values of humanistic leadership.
His work with Barry-Wehmiller, a global manufacturing firm with a unique culture of care, demonstrates the practical application of these principles.
As the Learning Outreach Programme Leader, he facilitates transformative experiences for leaders worldwide, including collaborations with universities to foster caring and competent leaders.
Similarly, Joseph Michael Smith, a professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico, brings decades of experience in talent management, business communication, and leadership. His work embodies the co-creative spirit of the development cohort, inspiring participants to reimagine leadership and education.
Building humanistic leaders
Zimbabwean leaders have much to gain by engaging with the HLA.
Whether in government, business, or education, the principles espoused by the HLA are crucial for navigating complex challenges.
Here are some actionable lessons: Cultivating dignity and flourishing: In a society grappling with socio-economic disparities, leaders must prioritise dignity. For instance, organisations could adopt practices that ensure fair wages, equitable opportunities, and inclusive decision-making.
Embedding care and accountability: Care and accountability are not mutually exclusive. Businesses can foster a culture of care while holding team members accountable for their roles. For example, MSU’s OD Retail Shop could serve as a training ground for students to learn caring leadership in a practical setting. Fostering collaboration: Humanistic leadership encourages partnerships that amplify collective impact.
Zimbabwe’s participation in trade agreements, such as the Eastern and Southern Africa Economic Partnership Agreement with the UK, could integrate HLA principles by ensuring that trade benefits reach grassroots communities.
Embracing transformational pedagogy: Educational institutions must go beyond traditional methods. Techniques like “Auto-Ethnography” and “Quantum Leadership,” used in past HLA cohorts, can inspire reflective and innovative thinking among students.
Enrolling in the next Cohort
As the HLA opens enrolment for its next cohort, Zimbabwean leaders and educators should seize this opportunity. Participating in the programme offers access to a global network of like-minded professionals and the tools to drive meaningful change.
The Humanistic Leadership Academy’s growing list of partners, including the United Nations PRME, Ashoka, Net Impact, and the International Humanistic Management Association, underscores its credibility.
Jongwe is a humanistic leader with extensive expertise across various industries in Southern Africa, including higher education- WhatsApp at+263 788016938 or by email at [email protected].
These collaborations ensure that the programme remains at the forefront of leadership and educational innovation.
A transformative journey awaits
In conclusion, the Humanistic Leadership Academy’s Development Cohort is more than a programme; it is a movement that redefines leadership and education. Its principles align seamlessly with Zimbabwe’s goals for sustainable development, community upliftment, and transformative education.
By embracing humanistic leadership, we can build a Zimbabwe where dignity, care, and shared well-being are not just ideals but lived realities.
To aspiring leaders reading this, I urge you to consider enrolling in the HLA’s next Development Cohort.
It is an opportunity to reimagine your leadership journey and contribute to creating a world that truly works for everyone. Visit the HLA website today and take the first step towards becoming the leader our world so desperately needs.
Jongwe is an experienced business consultant with extensive expertise across various industries in Southern Africa, including higher education. — WhatsApp at +27 824083661/+263 788016938 or by email at [email protected].
