EZULWINI – “True leadership is not found in the power to control, but in the power to inspire.”
This lesson was shared by Inyatsi Group Holdings Chairman Michelo Shakantu to senior managers of the Inyatsi Group Holdings during the fourth day of the meeting at the Royal Villas yesterday.
The summit, which started on Tuesday and ended yesterday, was briefly officiated by the Prime Minister, Russell Mmiso Dlamini, and four Cabinet ministers on Wednesday.
The Cabinet team encouraged the 70 managers of Inyatsi Group Holdings in attendance about government’s commitment to creating a level playing field for investment in the country.
Drawing on the profound leadership principles of the late eloquent leadership coach Dr Myles Munroe, The chairman challenged executives to move beyond technical competence and embrace a leadership style rooted in purpose, energy and unwavering conviction.
According to Chairman Shakantu, the journey of a leader begins at the apex of purpose. However, purpose remains an abstract concept without a vision to bring it to life. He noted that many managers are technically gifted but remain ‘de-linked’ from the vision of the organisation.
“If you perform a task, you demonstrate management competency, but it does not mean you are convinced of the vision. To lead, you must have a relationship with the vision. You must show clarity, commitment and understanding. Only then are you a leader,” Shakantu explained.
The chairman outlined a specific hierarchy for personal and professional growth: Purpose, vision, conviction and inspiration.
A recurring theme in the session was the distinction between holding a position and exerting influence. Shakantu argued that while management requires logic, leadership requires energy and mental strength.
He explained that to transition from management to leadership, an individual must increase their capacity. This involves carrying the weight of the job on one hand and the responsibility of leadership on the other.
“You will only inspire when you use your name as opposed to using your title. If you still need a title to back you, you have not yet made a true impact.”
The chairman offered pragmatic advice on the personal stability required for leadership. He noted that a leader cannot be effective if they are distracted by personal financial instability.
“A leader’s salary must cover their bread and butter issues so that they have the mental clarity to focus on the vision. You cannot function well as a leader when the bank is calling every day because the mortgage was not paid. This is why a leader must keep their mental, physical and emotional faculties in order to be attentive to those they lead.”
In a dialogue regarding the scale of impact, the chairman emphasised that Inyatsi’s standard must be ‘logic-driven’, not ‘appetite-driven’. He warned that personal desires and ‘appetites’ can lead a leader into a ditch. Instead, one must subjugate personal needs to the needs of the institution.
Furthermore, he challenged the group to look beyond Eswatini. While the group currently impacts 1.4 million people locally, the goal is to produce a standard so high that it resonates across the people of the African continent.
“Leadership is a process of constant improvement,” Shakantu said. “True impact is defined when people know your name and your work, even when you operate without the backing of a official title.”
To truly transition into leadership, the chairman called for consistent enthusiasm–a 365-day commitment that persists even when personal desire wanes. By setting a new set of values and maintaining this constant energy, the senior management was urged to transform Inyatsi from being ‘managers’ into being a personal ‘institution’.
Leadership with character wins
EZULWINI – “A leader without character is like a car without an engine or wheels.”
This was an analogy shared by Inyatsi Group Holdings Chairman, Michelo Shakantu, while addressing senior managers during a recent leadership forum at the Royal Villas.
“How can you lead people if you lack the internal engine that drives the vehicle?” he challenged the audience. “Without it, you are merely a collection of body parts with a name. A car with only three wheels cannot move; leadership must be complete. You must instal the engine and then fuel the car to ensure it moves forward.”
Chairman Shakantu emphasised that leadership underpinned by strong character is the only way to deliver exceptional results. He identified knowledge as the primary component of this ‘engine’.
“The moment you stop acquiring new knowledge, your mind begins to weaken. If you are idle, your mind becomes idle. As your knowledge level rises, so does your ability to provide sophisticated and effective responses. Your level of understanding is determined by your knowledge; it is the bedrock upon which all other leadership attributes are built,” he explained.
The chairman noted that a true leader must remain teachable, defining this not as being lectured by others, but as the discipline of teaching oneself. He further highlighted discernment as a master trait that allows a leader to activate all other necessary attributes.
He also issued a stern warning against the ‘deadly disease’ of comfort.
“Comfort is a state of mind. Once it takes root, you begin to reject growth and change. It is a dangerous position for any leader to occupy.”
Turning to workplace dynamics, Shakantu urged managers not to waste valuable time attempting to reform those with persistently negative attitudes.
“Changing mindsets and attitudes is time-consuming and almost impossible,” he remarked, suggesting that energy is better spent elsewhere.
He spoke on the importance of sincerity regarding career progression. He cautioned that growth carries significant consequences and that leaders must be honest about their own capacities.
“There are certain levels in an organisation where you may need to say no to a promotion. The higher you go, the ‘cooler’ and more demanding the environment becomes. You must be careful with growth; it is perfectly acceptable to respectfully decline a role if it does not align with your focus,” he concluded.
How to manage during season of plenty
EZULWINI – Inyatsi Group Holdings Chairman Michelo Shakantu says the true test of a leader is not just how they handle a lack of resources, but how they govern an abundance of them.
He shared a profound philosophy on the dual nature of leadership: How to manage during seasons of plenty and how to survive during times of crisis.
Addressing the common misconception that leadership becomes easier when resources are plentiful, Shakantu said ‘leadership in plenty’ is the ability to govern abundance with wisdom, restraint and foresight. Without these traits, success can easily become the seed of future failure. “The day you say you are in abundance, you stop growing,” Shakantu warned. “Whether it is a first paycheck or a multi-million-Emalangeni contract, the principles of governance remain the same.”
To ensure that current prosperity lasts, he charged leaders to master four specific traits:
Stewardship: Treating resources as if they are entrusted to you, not owned by you. This shift in mindset prevents the arrogance that often follows success.
Clarity of Purpose: Remaining focused on the organisation’s ‘why’ so that wealth does not lead to distraction.
Zero tolerance: Maintaining high standards and ensuring that assets–both physical and human–are looked after even when there is enough money to replace them.
Delayed gratification: The discipline of reinvesting in the future rather than consuming the gains of the present.
The chairman defined leadership in crisis as the ability to guide an organisation through times that threaten its very existence.
Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, he recalled the moment he gathered his management team: “I told them, though the situation is demanding, we will continue to work. We were lucky construction was classified as an essential service.” This required a level of courage that he identifies as the number one ingredient for any leader in a storm.
Managing Director of the Times of Eswatini, Martin Dlamini, provided a practical example of these principles in action. He shared how the newspaper survived the pandemic despite a total collapse in incoming business.
“There was no money coming in,” Dlamini noted, “but we had to manage the money that had been brought in over the years.”
“You will only inspire when you use your name as opposed to using your title.”- Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
A vision can feed into a larger vision, such as ‘Africa’s Leading Integrated Business Partner’, which feeds off His Majesty’s vision into turning Eswatini to a First World State. That vision was given by the heavens to the King. So, the ‘Africa’s Leading Integrated Business Partner’ vision rides on other visions.
“A good leader is one that builds a business foundation that will last generations. On the contrary, a tenderpreneur’s business may give money now, but that will last for a short time. While the whole world gravitates towards instant gratification, trust the process.” – Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“To start a business, you need serious stamina and age to be on your side. Certain things are not to be attempted because nature tells you ‘you are too late’.” – Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“It is very possible to work under a vision and eventually become a billionaire yourself.” – Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“As the vision grows, it demands your total attention. If you don’t give it attention it falls back to just an idea.” – Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“Before the idea develops to a vision, you will have failures, event to the point of getting discouraged and giving up.” – Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“There must be fertile ground created for the idea to germinate. Remove thorns and clear the ground for it. Before that process, you will plant something that will die.” – Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“The simple matrix called discipline is a very scarce resource. To get to a point of discipline, there is serious adjustments that you need to do. That is not a one-day process.” – Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“This vision will take us to Africa; though half of us may not be here by that time, I am hoping that the values will guide those who will still be here. We ought to prepare ourselves, so that the next generation will not go out with the mentality of quick fixes.” – Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“You will not find your purpose until you have gone through a process. You can’t discover a purpose until you discover a process. The process must be a very long one.” – Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“A gift is only supported by character, whose tenets include resilience, tenacity and patience. Some of you are good in your competencies and education qualifications, but you do not have character to support it.”
– Inyatsi Group Chairman Michelo Shakantu
“A leader must be able to look himself in the mirror and gauge himself if he is where he should be.” – Lidwala Managing Director Dr Thokozani Nkambule
“Conviction is unwavering belief.” – Paul Lwiindi
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