Leadership Ideas Are Borderless: Conversation with Mutumwa Mawere Part 1

Noah Mangwarara, 13/01/2021

The leadership conversation between Mutumwa Mawere and Noah Mangwarara was prompted by the quest to answer the question; “WHAT IS A LEADER?”

ln the talks that ensued, a number of thoughts came up and these have been crystallized into a series with one idea explored at a time.

The starting point is that Leadership ideas are borderless since in as much as we are living in a world that has physical borders, no one has a monopoly over knowledge nor ideas.

The one with ideas cannot afford to keep the ideas to themselves. The circulation of ideas has reached levels where trying to harbor them will not help nor address the advancement of the human race.

The leader is the one who realizes that imagination has no borders because the only borders to imagination are the ones you create.

Real influence therefore doesn’t come from the confinement of ideas into your little office, whether it’s corporate, political, social or spiritual since the world is on a constant shift and following after relevant ideas that advance the cause of civilization.

The leader must have ideas that people are looking for and as such, in addition to that, true leadership comes down to empowerment of people to a point where they can readily source ideas circulating in this terrestrial space because positions and titles devoid of ideas won’t make you influential.

ln a world of physical borders, a true leader is not necessarily one with titles, qualifications, positions or a couple of years of earthly existence because age on its own when devoid of sound ideas, it will never take you far even if you have a so called powerful position.

A qualification obtained ages ago will never help anyone unless that knowledge is mixed with modern ideas that address the ills of the world and more-so, a title has never been known for producing answers to questions; ideas do.

It is ideas that rule the world; the leader ought to have their antennas high, eyes open  and ears on the ground to  tap into ideas that are free flowing.

The world is after ideas and not necessarily the person with the traditional sources of power. The one with the position will leave but the ideas will keep flowing.

ldeas are in constant circulation around the world and it is these ideas that rule supreme.

As such, a leader is then the person who applies the ideas at their disposal for the betterment of humanity.

The other topics in the series have been picked up as follows.

1. Ask critical questions

2. They all want to be Presidents; they think a President is a leader

3. Self-Governance- The starting point of great leadership

4. Develop rules of Responsibility

5. Connected for a purpose

6. Experts in talking versus Experts in delivery

7. When great minds meet

8. The mask of Leadership

9. Let reason and logic prevail

10. lf you are passionate, the world will follow

11. Stand out – be Outstanding

12. Learn as you go- be a soldier at heart