‘Leaders must be recognised’ Mr Isaac Kwesu
Isaac Kwesu

Isaac Kwesu

Business Reporter
Zimbabweans should start recognising leaders who achieve growth and success rather than celebrating survivors of the current economic environment, Zimbabwe Institute of Management honorary fellow and Chamber of Mines Zimbabwe chief executive Isaac Kwesu said.

He said this while addressing the Zimbabwe Institute of Management 2016 northern leadership awards last Friday. “We must move away from celebrating the survivors to celebrating the achievers defined by growth and prosperity. We must not have pride in resilience but growth and success,” said Mr Kwesu.

He said true leaders are the ones who thrive in times of crisis and produce demonstrative results. “The true leadership capacity of a person is tested during times of crisis. Performance under stress can show how quick witted or level headed a person is. The current situation demands a change in the mindsets of leaders.

“We need to think outside the box. There has to be a paradigm shift if we are to make headways. Crisis provides a unique opportunity to create a transformative change in your organisation. It is now time to innovate, to understand your business and meet the needs of your consumers,” said Mr Kwesu.

He said business leaders have to make a conscious effort to develop capacity within their organisations to innovate and adapt. “In other words, we need to move away from our comfort zones to pursue business unusual. Leadership is not only about position experience, knowledge and education.

“It’s also about our willingness to experiment with possibilities to help solve problems that no-one has encountered before “The award tonight recognise women and men who have made a mark in the way they steered their businesses in such turbulent times.

“The fact that you are still operating is enough proof that we are all making an effort to disengage from long held beliefs of doing business and surviving,” he said.

Meanwhile Securico managing director Divine Ndhlukula won the Private Sector Leader of the Year Award while the managing directors of RioZim and First Mutual Life Assurance Company Ltd Bhekinkosi Nkomo and Ruth Ncube were first and second runner-ups respectively.

The Public Sector Leader of the Year Award went to Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority chief executive Engineer Gloria Magombo and Great Zimbabwe vice chancellor Professor Rungano Jonas Zvobgo.

TelOne managing director Mrs Chipo Mtasa was the first runner-up. Businessman and Zimbabwe Football Association president Dr Phillip Chiyangwa was the biggest winner after he got the Most Influential Leader of the Year Award.

Dr Chiyangwa said Zimbabweans should not be overly obsessed with impending elections to the extent of putting their plans on hold but should take advantages of opportunities that are available.

“They say money is a visitor and if it has not visited you, you should ask yourself why? There are a lot of opportunities in the country and instead of waiting to see what happens after the elections you should be focused on what you can do to better yourself or your businesses.

“What happens if you wait and after the election nothing changes?” he asked.

The ZIM awards were held under the theme “Business unusual, Swim or Sink”.

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