TITLE: IT’S HOW WE END THAT MATTERS, Leadership Lessons From an African President
AUTHOR: MARTIN KALUNGU BANDA
PRICE: K150, 000.00 (Hard Cover), K100, 000.00 (Paper Back)
PUBLISHER: Author House
PAGES: 171, Chapters – 17
By Emmanuel Mwamba
My favourite author on leadership, Jo Owen stated that:
“There has been a long search for the alchemy of leadership; we all want to find the elusive pixie dust that we can sprinkle on ourselves to turn us into glittering leaders. Few of us however, are likely to become the ideal mix of Nelson Mandela and Lord Nelson.”
Martin Kalungu-Banda has preoccupied himself with leadership principles and this shows in his work.
His latest book; “It’s How We End That Matters- Leadership Lessons from an African President,” fits into what seems to be his lifelong commitment to help us become good or great leaders. He makes us stand on the shoulders of giants that have walked this narrow path and helps us learn lessons from their experiences.
Martin’s earlier bestseller; “LEADING LIKE MADIBA – Leadership Lessons from Nelson Mandela” presented us with leadership intrigues that Mandela tackled and resolved. The book offered us the essence of leadership and helped us understand its crucial features through the eyes of one of Africa’s famous son.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Martin is a consultant in organisation and leadership development for Presencing Institute (Boston), and the Commonwealth Business School (London). He is also a Core-Faculty Member of the University of Cambridge Program for Sustainability Leadership.
He was a lecturer and initiator of a course of Business Ethics at the University of Zambia.
This book his based on the experiences drawn from his most famous political job – as Special Consultant to President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa between the periods 2005 – 2008.
IT’S HOW WE END THAT MATTERS – Leadership Lessons from an African President.
Like his earlier book, his latest project takes a similar format. He discusses leadership principles or its essence by telling us a story of an encounter, an event, a function, or a discussion and explains the principles or solutions to each story through a tail-end he calls; “Food For Thought”.
In his latest book, he has juxtaposed Mandela with Mwanawasa.
But this book is different. It is a very personal book for Martin. The experiences, feelings, frustrations, or sense of loss or achievements as told in the book, are his own.
When President Mwanawasa decided to re-create the position of Chief of Staff at State House, he offered it to Martin.
Earlier, Martin’s team had conducted workshops on Servant Leadership for Cabinet Ministers and Permanent Secretaries in 2003.
Martin felt that a Chief of Staff ought to be someone who knew the President before his rise to that office, who could relate to him as a colleague so that he could be challenged as a peer. He felt that a Chief of Staff needed to engage the President, despite his overwhelming authority, in a genuine dialogue.
Martin didn’t see himself as that man.
He recognized that this office needed a person to coordinate the work of the President with his advisers, cabinet ministers, interest groups and the public.
In the end, Mwanawasa and Martin agreed that he becomes “Special Consultant” performing the functions of the Chief of Staff. Initially he was to do this job for a period of one year until Mwanawasa had found someone suitable for the job. Martin stayed for three years.
In this book, Martin deliberately chose to reflect stories on the positive side of Mwanawasa stating that “I believe that we human beings do not inspire one another by looking at each other’s weakness. It is the creative side that uplifts us, showing us new and better ways to live.”
Martin chose to narrate the stories by referring to these events and telling them in a conversational manner as he vividly remembered them.
This dramatization of events makes the book refreshing to read and portrays them in a natural manner.
But one would ask – Is this book about Mwanawasa? Or is it about Martin Kalungu-Banda? Or is it about leadership?
After reading all the chapters I realized that the book encompasses all these elements as the author wants us to discover and reflect on “our own leadership style and practices”.
It’s a soft book; tender in the manner it handles the difficult life of Mwanawasa, from his controversial first election, to his poor health, his relationship with his ministers, his views about his predecessors, Dr. Frederick Chiluba and Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, or Cooperating Partners. The book also handles Mwanawasa’s relations with his wife, Maureen and his children.
It also touches on policy issues and his political desires. Martin was privileged to be given by Mwanawasa a written document outlining the vision and values that guided his presidency. He was asked to learn them by heart and has the guidelines have been reproduced in this book.
To exemplify and make leadership principles or lessons come to life, the author picks on numerous stories that are sensitive, that are hilarious, that are serious, that are reflective, and that brings humanity to what it is to be a leader.
For example, the book tells of a story when Ntembe, the youngest daughter of Mwanawasa, abruptly decided to steal the limelight of the 2005 African Freedom Celebrations. Without her parents knowledge or approval Ntembe walked in a frolicking manner, up-to the Master of Ceremony and TV personality, Doreen Mukanzo. The young lady surprisingly, negotiated to be given an opportunity to do a performance.
Doreen joyfully gave the young lady an opportunity. Ntembe performed a rendition of “Kano Nkaku Gette” accompanied it with a serious dance!
She got a long standing ovation at the end of the performance from the packed audience.
The following day, Mwanawasa shared with Martin informing him that he hoped that Ntembe would keep her free spirit even in adulthood.
The book also portrays a Mwanawasa that was pained by strong press reports and editorials against him and his government.
Mwanawasa was reputed to have a hot temper. He held on to his views so strongly sometimes that he couldn’t hear the voices of others.
Martin tells many stories on this matter. But one case comes to mind. Mwanawasa hosted a meeting at State House with Civil Society groupings on the protracted constitution making process. In the meeting, Reuben Lifuka, Vice Chair at Transparency International and Martin supported the calls for a Constituent Assembly.
Although Martin was from State House he supported the position of Civil Society Organisations on the Constituent Assembly in a prominent manner. Mwanawasa curtly interrupted him “Mr. Kalungu-Banda, you are misleading the meeting into thinking that people’s will is any calls that people make…” Mwanawasa always called him “Martin”. Therefore his official tone to him indicated a deeper disapproval.
Although many perceived Mwanawasa to be stubborn and unyielding to advice, Martin found this to be sometimes a mere misunderstanding. In the book, he demonstrates that he helped Mwanawasa change his views on a few cardinal issues. Martin also feels that Mwanawasa merely held on to some views or principals so strongly that he could not see himself abandoning them.
In one case, Martin tells of a story. He had organized a meeting for former Heads of State from the Region to a workshop on HIV/AIDS. He invited Mwanawasa to officiate it. But he agonized on whether to invite Dr. Chiluba owing to the frosty relationship between the two.
When he finally approached Mwanawasa to discuss the matter, he was met with strong questions from Mwanawasa; “Who is being invited?” “What is the position of Dr. Chiluba?” “Martin fairness is a concept you must learn about……the fact that the State has taken Dr. Chiluba to court does not mean that he has lost his status as a former president.”
In another case while Martin was away. Upon his return, he found that Mwanawasa had issued a scathing attack on first president, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.
In the Cabinet Meeting that day, some Ministers congratulated Mwanawasa for his strong remarks against Kaunda with one aptly encouraging him “you put him in his place”.
Martin was grieved. After the cabinet meeting, he accosted Mwanawasa about his unkind remarks about Kaunda. And Martin further expressed surprise and was baffled that some of Mwanawasa’s colleagues had even congratulated him over such negative remarks against the founding father of the nation.
After much persuasion, Mwanawasa agreed to make the apology to Dr. Kaunda. Since his reprimand against Kaunda was in public, it was decided that the apology would only be only be suitable if it was made publicly too.
This resulted in the famous statement made by Mwanawasa at the press conference. He unreservedly apologised to Dr. Kaunda for the remarks he had made the previous week and stated that Kaunda was the father of the nation. He said the first president’s place in history was guaranteed and did not depend on what he said or did now. He emphasized that Dr. Kaunda had earned this position by successfully leading the country from colonialism.
Other interesting chapters are those dealing with Mwanawasa meeting or talking to ordinary people. This is when the author discusses the different personas leaders tend to have. They are usually friendlier, more honest in person and in private, than when they are in public and engaged in their official duties.
In this case, Martin highlights private or ordinary persons that included Maimbolwa Zimba from Zambia National Commercial Bank, Jean Phiri and a lovely couple Dr. Kachinga Sichizya and Dr. Veronica Sunkutu.
Jean Phiri a secretary at State House had never met the President! The story leading to how she eventually met him after Martin mentioned it to the President is emotional. It resulted in a gesture that benefited all staff. They received personal Christmas goodwill and wishes from the President.
The couple Dr. Kachinga Sichizya and Dr. Veronica Sunkutu had abandoned lucrative contracts and opportunities in South Africa, Australia and Europe and came to Zambia to settle and contribute in their own way, to the growth of this country. Dr Sichizya who is part of Zambia’s only neurosurgeons and his wife a radiologist, returned and the couple is now stationed at the UTH.
When Martin shared the sacrifices of this couple, Mwanawasa immediately demanded to speak to them. Martin called Dr. Sichizya (who is his personal friend too) from his mobile phone and handed the phone to Mwanawasa.
“Dr. Sichizya, this is Levy.” A startled Sichizya retorted “Which Levy is this?” “Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, the President” came the stern reply!
A happy Dr. Sichizya kept on talking about this phone call, a small gesture from the President that truly made him feel appreciated and the couple’s sacrifices worthy of note.
Martin has a way of telling the stories that captivates you and frequently stuns you when the punch line is delivered or when the proper meaning finally dawns on you.
While travelling to Kigali, Rwanda, Martin had an opportunity to sit with the President so that they could catch up on work. “Martin have you been to Kigali?” He had not been to Rwanda.
Mwanawasa bent in a low voice “I hear there are beautiful women.” Martin had to recover quickly wondering where the President was taking the conversation. “Yes Sir, they have very beautiful women. My young brother just got married to one.”
After a moments silence, the President delivered his punch line “But you know that there is HIV/AIDS, don’t you?”
The stories are numerous. They are historical and give insights into Mwanawasa’s rule.
The 2006 Elections is portrayed as a difficult, agonizing and harrowing experience that describes a three day cliff-hanger for both Martin and Mwanawasa (and probably all members of his administration).
When the urban election results started pouring in, Mwanawasa was trailing PF leader, Michael Sata.
After two days, Mwanawasa phoned Martin and broke the bad news.” I think the people of Zambia have rejected us. I have just been talking to my secretary asking her to begin to pack my personal items from the office.”
It was only the third day when the full picture emerged after results from the rural areas began to change the status quo that there was welcome relief and an upbeat Mwanawasa phoned Martin to come get back to work and help him deliver on the new mandate.
In this book, maybe by working as Special Consultant, Martin was distant enough to do a professional job and give his client a fair assessment but he was also close enough to experience leadership and its challenges firsthand.
He also answers his own questions about leadership. What makes a leader great? Is it the wall of academic credentials? Or is it the charisma or popularity? Or is the eloquence? Or is elements from all these?
It’s also a book that would help aides and colleagues of a leader. How can one give good advice without descending to sycophancy owing to the weight of such an office as the presidency?
How can a gulf be bridged between the governors and the governed? How can the apparent double life of a leader be united into an authentic persona reflecting his/her personal values stripped of artificiality that protocols, regulations and procedures bring about?
This book has also helped bring forth many lessons using the experiences of the two on; courage, believing in yourself, honesty, the humility to say sorry, family values, and other issues that confront leaders or those things that make or break a leader.
His work with Mwanawasa must have been a profound experience that Martin has even developed a set of leadership qualities he has aptly called “the LPM Way of Leadership”. He has identified universal qualities that can be seen in leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi including Mwanawasa and others.
The values include those on; truth telling, courage and respect for others.
CONCLUSION
This is a small volume. But the book has taken the path of Martin’s earlier work. It is inspiring, earthy and a sure handbook for persons pursuing their dreams.
It has an obscure design and might be hard to spot out on the bookshelf. I wondered why the cover design was not made more attractive.
Martin’s earlier book had an attractive jacket. It had a beaming Nelson Mandela in a bright red shirt clenching his fist standing out from a dark background. Or did Martin hope to exploit the famous image of Mandela whose face is recognizable across the world?
Or did he wonder what to put on the front page of his new work? It just struck me that the book appeared to have been designed down to make it subtle or inconspicuous.
Martin is working on his third book; “On the Wings of Others; How to Access Life’s Greatest Opportunities.” after enjoying reading this new book, I look forward to this upcoming project.
(Contact us at editor@zambianewsfeatures.com)