SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP AND MODERN LEADERSHIP IN SOUTH AFRICA

There are contrasts between traditional and contemporary South African leadership, but there are also commonalities. Both transactional and transformational leaders use their authority and influence to steer their teams toward a common goal.
Traditional and contemporary South African leaders share a commitment to open lines of communication. Both forms of leadership rely on clear and concise communication to get their point through and guarantee that their followers are on the same page. While leaders in the past would have communicated with their followers through tales and songs, today’s leaders use more official channels of contact including email, social media, and other digital platforms.

The requirement for decisive leadership is another feature shared by both traditional and contemporary South African leaders. Leaders in both types of government must have the intestinal fortitude to make unpopular choices when doing so is in their followers’ and society’s best interests. Modern leaders employ data and analytics to influence their decision-making, whereas traditional leaders depend on their expertise and intuition.

Finally, leadership in South Africa, whether traditional or modern, necessitates a degree of adaptation and flexibility. Leaders need the flexibility to adapt their methods and tactics to the ever-evolving requirements of their followers and the society at large. Leaders in both the traditional and modern eras face challenges, but contemporary leaders must also keep up with rapidly evolving technical standards and shifting public expectations.

To sum up, traditional and modern South African leadership are distinct in many ways, but they also have many points in common. Leaders in both types of governments need to be able to communicate well, make sound decisions, and be flexible.