When we use words like ‘humane’ to communicate a universal vision of leadership, what are we really trying to say? We are trying to capture a style of leading that represents a shift from egocentric to allocentric, which focuses more on others than on self. A leadership that is transcendent. A style that is both aspirational and realistic; recognising the challenges of humanity in the workplace as well as the hopefulness.
Packed into this positive concept of humane leadership are the magical elements of ubuntu, the African philosophy of humanness. This moral virtue represents a doorway into self-realisation, which enables individuals to “prize communal or friendly relationships with other persons”, writes University of Pretoria Professor Thaddeus Metz. It also highlights the very best type of leadership that is being called for at an inflexion point in the world’s history when most leaders in business and society seem to thrive by displaying the worst human characteristics.
GIBS alumnus Kerushan Chetty and associate professor Gavin Price explain that within this single word is a powerhouse of meaning that encompasses empathy and humanity, “emphasising interconnectedness, respect and the importance of community”. Chetty and Price’s timely study into ubuntu as a leadership style affirms that a humane approach to leading “has the potential to nurture a positive organisational culture marked by trust, respect and mutual support”. This, in turn, empowers employees, reduces conflict and encourages collaboration while fostering a “sense of psychological safety” and inclusivity.
This affirms that beneficiaries of leadership styles deemed humane, and in keeping with ubuntu principles that value human beings and treat them with dignity and care, are instinctively inspired to be more and be better, irrespective of their economic or educational context. Similarly, this extends to the classroom.
Beyond the classroom
At GIBS, we strive to infuse this humane energy and approach into our educational and research agenda.
GIBS has a proud history of connecting with society in different ways, beyond what one would expect from a traditional business school. We might do more than most, but we are still evolving. Currently, we are expanding our focus on humane leadership to consider the digital environment and the human-digital link, which is of vital importance around the world as societies grapple to understand how the pervasive use of technology can both enhance and challenge our humanity. We do so with a variety of partners, including October Health, a technology-based organisation whose mission is “to change the way mental well-being is seen, and delivered”.
We ask these questions both in and beyond the classroom. We tackle hard questions through our Centre for Business Ethics, exploring how organisations and universities can contribute to humane leadership and eliminate the obstacles preventing us from connecting with our humanity. A particular area of focus is gender-based violence (GBV) in the workplace. GBV is not just a South African problem; it is a challenge in other parts of the world, such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, as captured in a recent Financial Times article by Pilita Clark.
GIBS established an anti-corruption coalition within the Centre for Business Ethics to address other challenges – such as corruption. Furthermore, all our post-graduate students have to complete a programme called Human Behaviour and Performance, which challenges them personally. Our master’s students do a year-long programme that requires them to engage about sustainable development initiatives with a non-profit organisation. Our MBA and MPhil students must also complete an Environment of Business course, which deals with geopolitics, political economy and how businesses can engage more authentically to help solve social and environmental problems. On the executive education side, programmes such as Nexus get people deeply engaged through highly immersive learning experiences.
Similarly, the work we do in the Enterprise Development Academy connects to the spirit of ubuntu through programmes such as the JPMorganChase-sponsored green entrepreneurship initiative, which works with survivors of GBV. The valuable skills they learn enable these students to become truly empowered and to discover more of their potential beyond the debilitating narrative of their abuse.
We also work with the National Business Initiative in South Africa, with Nottingham Trent University in the UK on the We-Dare programme, and with the Cherie Blair Foundation, to explore ways to leverage access to digital platforms and innovation to advance the rights of women in Africa, especially in the world of business and entrepreneurship.
All these initiatives demonstrate elements of humane leadership. More than that, they instil in the learning process the tantalising possibility of a transformational ‘Aha!’ moment, which rips off the blinkers and changes the student forever.
Evolving with humanity
The question is: how do you measure an ‘Aha!’ moment?
While it’s not always easy to determine our impact as a catalyst for leadership change, we have a glimpse into our effectiveness through the proxy measurement contained in the Financial Mail’s annual business schools survey. Over the past decade, participants have consistently said that if money and geography were not an issue, then GIBS would be their first choice of business school. Employers have unswervingly ranked GIBS graduates as the leaders they prefer to hire. That’s a pretty outstanding result on both fronts. Still, the next phase is to double down on that reputational advantage and measure the extent to which our alumni reflect this ubuntu ethos.
Humility is ingrained in humane leadership, so our invitation to alumni and current students is to engage with us on their experiences of humane leadership.
