By Sizwe Dlamini
Those of us who attend formal business events can attest that it is not every day that an audience will listen attentively to a keynote address until the very end.
Well, Thursday, December 12, 2024, was one of those rare moments when MTN business clients could not move an inch as Muzi Siyaya, the Managing Director (MD) of Ubombo Sugar Limited, shared insights on dynamic leadership.
Siyaya made his presentation at the MTN Eswatini Business Luncheon at the Happy Valley Hotel, where he was the keynote speaker.
The extroverted leader opened by defining dynamic leadership.
“Dynamic leadership offers a comprehensive framework for understanding and practicing effective leadership in diverse and evolving contexts. While it shares similarities with situational and adaptive leadership models by emphasizing the importance of context, it stands out by considering a broader scope. Situational leadership focuses on the immediate team, while adaptive leadership extends to organizational and external factors but neglects a critical variable — the leader’s own identity. Dynamic leadership bridges this gap by incorporating the leader’s identity, their role, organizational dynamics, environmental factors, and current challenges, creating a truly holistic approach to leadership,” he explained.
Siyaya, a former MTN Eswatini employee highlighted ten key traits for leaders in this ever-evolving time.
1. A Dynamic Leader Must Understand The Context
Siyaya began by stating that the world has increasingly been volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) since the last days of the Cold War. The MD noted that the challenge is that the leadership paradigms have not evolved at the same pace, often relying on outdated methodologies rooted in hierarchical decision-making and rigid planning. He noted that for leaders to thrive today they need leaders who are innovative and can appreciate the change in context.
“To succeed, organizations must cultivate leaders who are adaptable, innovative, and capable of thriving in ambiguity — qualities essential for navigating the dynamic environments in which they operate,” he stated.
2. Self-Awareness
The solution-driven MD believes self-awareness is central to dynamic leadership, stating that leaders must prioritize self-awareness, including recognizing their shortcomings, understanding how they impact others, fostering curiosity, developing learning agility, and refining communication skills. He stated that leaders must be able to take feedback, even when negative, something he frankly admits that he battles with.
“It is difficult for leaders to accept feedback, I also battle with this a bit. When my bosses tell me there are areas where I have come short, I find myself wanting to debate them, yet sometimes we just have to accept, and reflect without questioning,” he said.
3. Resilience
Siyaya noted that it is imperative for dynamic leaders to have a strong ego, but not a big ego. He said leaders with strong egos are not fragile, when things aren’t going well, they do not panic. He described leaders with big egos as those who are arrogant and do not listen.
Reflecting on his experience at USL, Siyaya highlighted the importance of resilience, particularly in times of crisis. He shared how he successfully navigated labor unrest by employing patient and strategic leadership, which reduced the likelihood of future strikes as he is now working with the labor union, not against them.
4. Flexibility
Siyaya then spoke about the importance of adaptability and understanding, emphasizing that effective leaders must be able to adapt to change and fully grasp the dynamics of their operating environment. He advised new leaders to take time to learn about the organizational culture before implementing significant changes.
“A dynamic leader embodies flexibility as a core trait, recognizing that effective leadership hinges on the ability to adapt continuously to evolving circumstances. Such leaders are not only open to change but are driven by a proactive motivation to embrace flexibility in all dimensions—socially, intellectually, and emotionally.”
5. Leadership is about lighting the path, not controlling the journey
The USL MD says there has been a major misconception regarding leadership, and that is leaders should always lead from the front. He says dynamic leaders must have the ability to discern when to lead from the front and when to follow.
When to lead from the front:
- During crises or emergencies requiring quick decisions
- When there is no clear direction, and someone needs to step up
- When you have relevant expertise or experience others lack
- When you identify an opportunity others haven’t recognized
- In command-and-control organizations where the system waits for instructions
- For compliance or safety issues
When to follow:
- When someone else has more relevant expertise or experience
- When you’re new to a team or organization and still learning
- When someone else is already leading effectively
6. Set a Compelling Vision
A clear and forward-thinking vision is essential, Siyaya noted, encouraging leaders to foster creativity within their organizations, and allowing employees to express themselves.
“As a leader ensure that you do not have a vision that does not align with the organization’s strategic growth. The Vision, Mission Statements, and Values must talk to the organization,” Siyaya shared.
7. Focus on People and Culture
The human-centered leader said one of the challenges that many organizations face is recruiting appropriately. He noted that research from McKinsey reveals that currently, 20 to 30 percent of roles are occupied by individuals who aren’t the best fit.
“In today’s uncertain economic environment, leaders must prioritize aligning top talent with high-value roles. Properly align people with the right positions, fostering a culture that promotes inclusion, celebrates success, and emphasizes wellbeing alongside performance. Build your brand by communicating your achievements and value proposition, and recognize and celebrate individual successes,” the MD said.
He added that dynamic leaders must also focus on the development of talent and capability through empowerment, delegation, and coaching. “It’s important to engage and motivate the middle management layer, which is often overlooked while attention is focused on senior leaders and high-potential talent. Dynamic leaders must engage with lower-level staff.”
8. Influence
According to Siyaya, a dynamic leader must be capable of influencing at multiple levels, utilizing the power of networks both within the business and externally. He noted that in an ever-evolving world marked by increasing regulatory scrutiny, pressure to deliver results, shareholder concerns, and employee challenges, it is essential for a leader to communicate effectively, remain visible, and project the right image of the company. He said for leaders to be influential they need to be responsibility driven, not title driven.
“The problem with titles is that they create distance between you and the people you want to lead and influence,” he stated.
9. Humility
The experienced leader said one of the overlooked leadership traits is humility. He reiterated that humility should never be confused with weakness. “It takes strength and character to prioritize the needs of others. To become a truly great leader, it’s essential to nurture humility in our lives. This also means being humble enough to acknowledge our mistakes and embrace our vulnerabilities with transparency and authenticity in front of our teams.”
10. Embrace Technology
Concluding his presentation, the USL MD said that a dynamic leader must fully embrace technology. “Effective leaders must also grasp the broader potential of technology, planning a strategic shift in the workforce as needed, addressing skill gaps that need to be filled, and seeing the positives that it holds to business,” he said.