Name: Prof Christiaan Daniel Jacobs

Title: Founder

Organisation: Higher Learning Africa (HLA)

Prof C D “Chris” Jacobs (DEd, PhD), is an author, researcher, registered psychologist with HPCSA, Member of the Academy of Art and Science, South Africa, futurologist, founder and CEO of Higher Learning Africa (HLA). He was a Director of Studies at one of the largest private educational group’s in West Africa, former VC at a Private University in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria and retired as Deputy VC (Academics) at the University of Africa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Prof Jacobs completed the following two comprehensive online publications in January 2025:

• E-Book “ Nigerian Schools Embracing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Revolution in a New Education Metaverse’’ (Prof C D Jacobs, 380 electronic pages) (2025).

• E-Book “ Nigerian Universities Embracing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Revolution in a New Higher Education Metaverse’’ (Prof C D Jacobs, 4 200 electronic pages (2025).

My leadership quest in 2025 – 2028: To empower leaders and administrators in education and Higher Education, with knowledge and skills to thrive in an ever-evolving digital (AI-driven) new Metaverse. Secondly, to mentor administrators and leaders in integrating AI and mixed-reality technologies into daily core operations at schools or Higher Education institutions. “I aim to bridge the gap between traditional Leadership Models (s); and a Future – Ready Leadership Model, addressing changing leadership roles, underpinned by new leadership style (s) in an AI-dominated education and Higher Education Metaverse (domain or landscape). I believe that with the right AI tools, aligned to mentorship; educators and lectures, leaders and administrators at education and Higher Education institutions. can adapt and lead the transformation of the Metaverse.”

Prof Jacobs (PhD, DEd) [email protected]

WhatsApp +27 (0) 678155347 5 Rattray Avenue. Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Prof Christiaan's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

As the founder of Higher Learning Africa (HLA) in 2020, with offices in Nigeria and South Africa, I am responsible for leading and managing a team of ten internationally exposed, qualified and experienced consultants delivering online and face-to-face courses, consultation and mentorship programmes to school and Higher Education leaders inside and outside Africa.

This leadership and management task, are challenging, albeit both daunting and rewarding. The success formula of my leadership in HLA is based on a solid foundation of a trust relationship with every employee and client (school and Higher Education leader, manager and other stakeholders). From my leadership experience, I observed that the concept of trust becomes meaningless and obsolete; if it is not embedded into a solid moral or foundation of ethics, driven by values and clearly communicated, via internal or external mechanisms or systems.

As more schools and Higher Education institutions are embracing the idea of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Revolution, in a new education and Higher Education Metaverse (2025), HLA had to rethink and reimagine the contextualization of the phenomenon of trust, based on communication in the endeavours of our consulting business processes and actions.

Having coined the latter idea, HLA’s core leadership team, accepted that in a new technology Education and Higher Education dispensation, the traditional meaning of the two concepts, trust and communication still have strategic meaning and implications for leadership in our business, and are providing impetus for our work relationships with employees, clients and other role players.

HLA's Leadership Agenda is grounded in:

1. Building Trust and a Strong Quest to be Transparent: I share information openly and honestly with my team as a responsible leader. This includes both the good and the bad and leading by example. I strongly believe in demonstrating the behaviour and work ethic that I expect from my team. I keep my promises and follow through on my commitments. I believe that reliability is key to building trust. In the execution of my leadership role, in HLA, I tend to showcase empathy. Therefore, I am genuinely interested in my team members’ well-being and show understanding and support.

2. Enhancing Communication: I make sure to listen to my team members’ concerns and feedback without interrupting. I communicate goals, expectations, and any changes. Ambiguity can lead to confusion and mistrust. I strive to embrace and foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. I offer feedback that is both constructive and specific, actionable, and focused on improvement rather than criticism.

The following tips should be useful for aspiring leaders to enhance trust, via communication in the workplace.

1. Regular Check-Ins. I schedule regular one-on-one and team meetings to keep communication lines open. For this process, I implement different communication channels (e.g., email, chats in-person) to ensure everyone stays informed.

2. Celebrate Successes. I continuously recognise and celebrate the achievements of my team to build morale and trust.

It took me a long time to trust my team and execute the strategic plan and SMART Goals for HLA. I overcame this phase of distrust, after applying the ideas of Oliver Sacks (9 July 1933 - 30 August 2015), a renowned neurologist and author, who emphasised the importance of trust and hope, which culminate into the vision of a sense of a future for an organisation.

He believed that hope allows leaders to transcend immediate circumstances and find psychological and spiritual meaning, which is crucial for trust and leadership in HLA. One of his notable publications that I recommend for leaders is: "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat". This book explores various neurological disorders and the resilience of the human spirit, offering valuable insights into how leaders can inspire, support and trust their workers and colleagues, through challenging times.

Sacks viewed trust as a means to empower individuals and help them rise above their immediate surroundings. A relevant declaration from him, that aligns with leadership, trust and hope, is:

"We need hope, the sense of a future; the freedom to get beyond ourselves...in states of mind that allow us to rise above our immediate surroundings and see the beauty and value of the world we live in." This statement, highlights the importance of trust and hope in leadership, as it encourages leaders to foster a sense of future and possibility (trust and hope) for their employees.

A message for leaders to take from Sacks's above view on trust, hope, and leadership is that trust and communication are ongoing efforts that require consistency and genuine care to create a work environment of hope that is aligned with a clear view of the future. The latter view highlights the important task of a leader to lead with inspiration, trusting his or her workforce and assisting them to bring hope for the future.

This sense of hope is important to Sacks, as it gives us a “sense of future,” regardless of our circumstances. Having a sense of the future allows me to generate meaning of my leadership role in HLA

Leadership Take Away and Lesson: “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Peter Drucker.

Recommended Business Book: I highly recommend “The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything” by Stephen M.R. Covey. This book delves into how trust is a key driver of success in both personal and professional relationships. It provides actionable insights for leaders on how to build, maintain, and restore trust in the work environment.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

The generic meaning of the concepts' vision and mission in the real - world of business can be elucidated as follows:

a. Vision: A vision statement is a forward-looking declaration that outlines what HLA aspires to achieve in the future. It serves as a guiding star, providing inspiration and direction for me as the designated leader to navigate stakeholders (education consultants) to optimize the execution of their work roles.

b. Mission: A mission statement defines the HLA’s purpose, core values, and primary objectives. It explains why the HLA exists and what it seeks to accomplish daily. In the real - world of business, vision and mission statements provide a clear roadmap, help align strategic goals and motivate employees by giving them a sense of purpose. The mission also communicates HLA's values and objectives to clients, partners, and the broader community.

My Vision and Mission as a Leader and Manager of HLA:

Personal Vision: To be a transformative leader who inspires growth, innovation, and excellence in Education and Higher Education across Africa, fostering an environment where every learner, educator, student, lecturer, researcher, administrator thrives in the epoch of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a New Metaverse (2025 – 2028).

Personal Mission: To lead HLA with integrity, empathy, and a commitment to encourage lifelong learning, empowering my team to drive impactful educational and Higher Education changes and create opportunities for all in an AI-driven Education and Higher Education Metaverse (2025 - 2028).

Core Vision and Mission for HLA

To be the leading consultation agency in Africa, revolutionising education and Higher Education through cutting-edge technologies and innovations, aligned to a Metaverse where schools and Higher Education institutions, can seamlessly integrate AI tools to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. The execution of the vision and mission of HLA is aligned with the quality leadership of the founder, as a means to empower individual members of the team, to assist them in rising above their immediate surroundings to see the bigger picture of the consultation landscape of HLA in an AI - dominated education and Higher Education Metaverse.

Leadership Take Away and Lesson: "We need hope, the sense of a future; the freedom to get beyond ourselves...in states of mind that allow us to rise above our immediate surroundings and see the beauty and value of the world we live in - Stephen M.R. Covey”.

Recommended Business Book: "Vision, Mission, Values, Aspirations, Do They Matter?" John Smith. 2021 This book delves into the significance of having a clear vision and mission for businesses and organisations, and how they can drive success and alignment within the company.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

On the surface, this question looks elementary to answer. Reflecting on the idea of empowering the team members of HLA via my personal leadership style (s) and example of leading in a complex and changing Artificial Intelligence (AI) - driven and dominated education and Higher Education Metaverse, I found it difficult to answer the question off the cuff.

I had to do in-depth research and action research to come up with the following answer how my team sees my leadership role, including style (s); and examples to empower them to execute their job roles and tasks, reaching set agreed achievement targets related to an annual Performance Appraisal process.

The team came up and reached a consensus on how I as the leader and manager of HLA, can empower them to become efficient and effective team members delivering quality consultation services to school leaders and Higher Education leaders in a work environment characterised by AI - dominance in a new challenging Metaverse.

In the conversation and interviews with team members of HLA, the concepts of resisting change and empowerment came up as factors that can become stumbling blocks or hindrances in the ideal or vision of empowering staff via quality leadership. Empowering team members is a fundamental aspect of effective leadership, especially in a rapidly evolving environment dominated by AI and new technologies. Here’s an in-depth explanation of practical steps, how I as the leader of HLA, strives to empower my team.

Practical steps to empower my team:

1. Provide Clear Vision and Direction: I communicate HLA's vision, mission, and goals to ensure everyone is aligned and understands their role in achieving them.

2. Foster an Open Culture: I create an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas, feedback, and concerns without fear of judgment or retribution.

3. Encourage Autonomy: I allow team members to take ownership of their tasks and projects, giving them the freedom to make decisions, engage and innovate.

4. Offer Opportunities for Growth: I provide training, mentorship, professional development, and career advancement opportunities to help team members enhance their skills and advance in their career paths at HLA.

5. Recognise and Reward Efforts: I regularly acknowledge and reward the hard work and achievements of my team to boost morale and motivation.

6. Lead by Example: I demonstrate with excitement and passion the values, work ethic, and behaviours, I expect from my team.

7. Support and Encourage: I offer continuous support, encouragement, and guidance to help my team members overcome challenges and achieve their potential.

Leadership Take Away and Lesson: “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” – Ralph Nader.

Recommended Business Book: For a comprehensive understanding of how to empower your team and drive organisational success, especially in an AI-driven environment; I recommend “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t” by Simon Sinek (2020). This book delves into the importance of leadership in building trust and creating environments where teams can thrive via tangible empowerment.

By implementing the above seven strategies (as practical steps and principles), I experienced that I mostly succeeded in empowering my team at Higher Learning Africa (HLA) to deliver top-quality consultation services and navigate the complexities of an AI-dominated educational consultation landscape, effectively. At HLA empowerment of team members are more than just a slogan on a T-shirt. It is high on the agenda and a priority.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

One of the most influential mentors in my life has been Viktor Frankl, the renowned Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. His profound insights and teachings have significantly shaped my leadership philosophy. During my early years as a leader in education and Higher Education, I faced numerous challenges that tested my resilience and ability to inspire my teams. It was during this time that in undergoing my internship as a Psychologist, I came across Viktor Frankl's book, "Man's Search for Meaning".

Frankl's experiences in the Auschwitz concentration camp, Poland in WWII and his development of Logotherapy deeply resonated with me. His emphasis on finding meaning in suffering and his belief in the human capacity to choose one's attitude in any given circumstance, provided me with a powerful framework for my leadership, to navigate difficult situations.

I recommend Viktor Frankl, because his teachings on finding meaning and purpose in life are timeless and universally applicable. His work has not only impacted my leadership style (s) but has also helped me guide my teams through challenging times, by focusing on the bigger picture and the intrinsic value and quality contribution that HLA was making in the education and Higher Education domain, in an African context. Viktor Frankl's contributions to Psychology ,and therefore human behaviour, particularly through Logotherapy, have had a lasting impact on my mental health and emotional intelligence as a leader.

His ideas encouraged me to foster a personal belief, mental and emotional stability, in challenging leadership situations, where I could find personal meaning and purpose, which is crucial for maintaining motivation and well-being.

Note:

• Personal Details of Victor Frankl Date of Birth:25 March 1905 Date of Death: 2 September 1997. Qualifications: Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology. Viktor Frankl was imprisoned in Auschwitz, Poland from 1942 to 1945 during World War II.

• Favourite Quote “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

• Viktor Frankl Outstanding Publications "Man's Search for Meaning" "The Will to Meaning,” "Man's Search for Ultimate Meaning"

• Relevance of Logotherapy for Modern-Day Leaders: Logotherapy's focus on finding meaning in life and work is particularly relevant for modern-day leaders. It emphasises the importance of purpose-driven leadership, which can lead to higher levels of engagement, satisfaction, and productivity among team members in HLA.

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5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

My leadership exposure and experience stretching over many years in education and Higher Education, brought me to the realisation and a reality check that leadership is indeed as much about what you don't do as it is about what you do. What I experienced; and that I want to share with aspiring leaders, is a valuable lesson to maintain focus as a leader in several key strategies of a business or institution.

A progressive leader should maintain leadership focus by:

1. Avoid Micromanaging: Trusting my team to carry out their tasks without constant oversight allows them to grow and fosters a sense of ownership and accountability.

2. Limit Distractions: I prioritise my tasks and delegate responsibilities appropriately to ensure that I focus on strategic initiatives rather than getting bogged down or tied down by day-to-day operations.

3. This is a difficult one for leaders as we tend to be available for everyone! Say "No" When Necessary. It's important to recognise your limits as a leader and not over - commit or over-promise. By saying no to less critical tasks, you can focus your energy to the most impactful areas.

4. Stay Aligned with Core Goals: As the leader of HLA, I constantly refer back to the organisation's mission and vision, to ensure that my efforts and those of my team are aligned with our long-term objectives, as stated in Question 1, above.

5. Empower My Team: By empowering the team of HLA to make responsible decisions and take initiative, this strategy allows me to focus on a higher-level of strategic planning and leadership inside and outside Africa. The benefit of empowering my team, provides me sufficient time to do more relevant action – research on the role of the AI Revolution and how it impacts on education and Higher Education.

6. Maintain Work-Life Balance: I understand the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Taking time to recharge or reenergise my mental, cognitive and physical abilities, this self – empowerment allows me to stay focused and effective in my leadership role.

In my role as a leader, I maintain focus by resisting the urge to micromanage and instead empowering my team to take ownership of their work. I prioritise tasks based on its strategic importance and make a conscious effort to limit distractions. By saying ''no'' to non-essential tasks and staying aligned with the core goals of HLA, I ensure that my efforts are always directed towards achieving our long-term vision. Additionally, I recognize the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance to keep myself energised and focused.

Avoiding distractions at all costs that can negatively impact my mental health and emotional intelligence, eroding the quality of my leadership and leadership example. By self-improvement and developing my leadership skills by participating in relevant CPD activities, these life – long activities assist me to proactively help me as a leader, to avoid creating a toxic work environment based on a weak, toxic and poor leadership example. In my experience as a leader (and a psychologist), I found that the following psychological concepts can erode the quality of a leader’ s impact on realising the objectives of a business:

• Gaslighting: This is a form of emotional manipulation where a leader makes someone doubt their own reality, memory, or perceptions. In a leadership context, gaslighting can undermine trust and create a toxic work environment. Leaders should strive to foster open communication and validate their team members' experiences to avoid this.

• Dunning-Kruger Effect: This cognitive bias leads people with low ability to overestimate their competence, while those with high ability underestimate their competence. In leadership, it's crucial to promote self-awareness and seek regular feedback to counteract this effect. Encouraging continuous learning and humility can help leaders and their teams stay grounded.

• Imposter Syndrome: This is a psychological phenomenon where individuals doubt their accomplishments and have a constant fear of being exposed as a fraud. Leaders experiencing imposter syndrome might struggle with anxiety and burnout. Leaders need to recognise their achievements, seek support, and foster a culture where team members feel valued and confident.

• That Johari's Model or Window: I use this Model as a point of reference to improve my leadership role in different situations. This is an innovative and unique approach, and leaders should take cognizance of other Models to enhance their leadership development and progress. I do believe the application of the Model in understanding your leadership role is a first and innovative approach regarding leadership. *

Note:*

1. "Johari Window." This model, created by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in 1955, is used to help people understand their relationships with themselves and others. The name "Johari" is derived from the combination of their first names. The Johari Window consists of four quadrants that represent different aspects of self-awareness: Open area, Blind area, Hidden area, and the Unknown area. By increasing the size of the open area, individuals can improve their understanding of themselves and their relationships with others.

2. Application of the Johari Window in HLA’s Leadership Paradigm: It is a useful Model for understanding and improving leadership focus. It consists of four quadrants: Open Area (Known to Self and Others): These are the behaviours and actions that both you and your team know and can be adjusted for additional input. These are leadership issues your team members are knowledgeable about, including yourself. Blind Area (Known to Others, Not to Self): These are the behaviours and actions that others see but you as a leader might not be aware of.

For instance, if your team feels you are not giving them enough autonomy. Hidden Area (Known to Self, Not to Others): These are the behaviours and actions that you as a leader are aware of but your team might not see. For example, your personal efforts to stay updated with the latest AI trends. Unknown Area (Unknown to Self and Others): These are the behaviours and actions that neither you as a leader, nor your team are aware of. This could include unconscious biases or unexplored potential areas for improvement.

By applying the Johari Window, leaders can gain insights into areas where they need to improve focus and address issues that might be hindering their leadership effectiveness. It also helps in fostering open communication and self-awareness within a team.

Leadership Take Away and Lesson: “It’s only by saying 'No' that you can concentrate on the things that are really important.” – Jack Welch.

Recommended Business Book: For a comprehensive exploration of focus and the importance of what leaders should and should not do, I recommend “The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving the Wildly Important Goals” by Sean Covey, Chris McChesney, and Jim Huling. This book delves into how leaders can maintain focus on critical goals while avoiding distractions and unnecessary tasks.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

The unprecedented events of recent years, such as the COVID-19 Pandemic, the AI Revolution of 2024, the ongoing Russian-Ukraine War, and the Israel-Gaza conflict, have profoundly impacted leadership roles across the globe. These events have highlighted the necessity for leaders to be adaptable, strategic, and prepared for uncertainty.

Despite HLA’s best efforts in strategic planning, we often find ourselves unprepared for such disruptions. Therefore, as leaders, we must embrace a multifaceted approach to planning and execution, based on scenario creation; setting or creating best and worst scenarios for education and Higher Education 2025 – 2028.

Relevant strategic planning should be aligned to short-term and long – term planning, aligned to SMART Goals, that include:

• Scenario Planning: Develop multiple scenarios to anticipate potential future events and outcomes. This approach allows leaders to be better prepared for various contingencies.

• Modelling Techniques: Utilise advanced AI modelling techniques to simulate different business scenarios and assess their potential impact on a future – ready business.

• AI Tools and Big Data Management: Leverage AI tools and Big Data management to gain insights, predict trends, to make informed business decisions.

• Financial Projections: Conduct thorough financial projections to ensure the business remains financially stable and capable of navigating economic and other uncertainties.

• Aligning Actions to SMART Goals: Clearly define the business objectives and ensure they are specific and well-articulated.

• Measurable: Establish measurable criteria to track progress and assess business success.

• Achievable: Set realistic and attainable goals to maintain motivation and momentum in a business

• Relevant: Ensure the goals align with a business’ mission and vision.

• Time-bound: Set deadlines to create a sense of business urgency and prioritise tasks.

• Consistency Plans and Scenario Alignment: To ensure strategic consistency in a business, it is vital to develop plans aligned with different scenarios. This involves: Regularly reviewing and updating your strategic plan based on emerging trends and events. Involving key stakeholders in the planning process to gain their buy-in and support. Establishing robust communication channels to keep everyone informed and aligned of business endeavours. The review should culminate into a progress report on the execution of the SMART Goals “ as – is,” to keep every employee informed if the business are reaching targets, overshooting targets or not achieving or reaching agreed and set performance targets.

• Quality of Service Delivery and Tangible Outcomes: Leadership is not just about setting strategies and goals; it’s also about ensuring the quality-of-service delivery and tangible outcomes. This requires: Continuous monitoring and evaluation of performance. Implementing feedback mechanisms to address issues promptly. Fostering a culture of integrity, quality and excellence and continuous improvement ( Leadership based on the Kaizen theory comes to mind, as the idea of Lean Six Sigma, that was implemented by the leaders and managers of Toyota, Japan to improve the quality of their motor cars).

In HLA, the expression If you fail to plan, you plan to fail, is seen as a caveat. As the leader of HLA, I keep in mind that every consultant, due to his or her uniqueness and individuality; plans differently and find it difficult to execute their tasks and reaching set targets for a week, month and even in years ahead, following a strict linear approach.

To proactively address this challenge, as the founder and leader, I implemented a theoretical framework, based on Geiger’s Growth Curve and the Dunning-Kruger Syndrome. When setting strategies and road maps, it’s important to consider Geiger’s Growth Curve. This curve helps in understanding to lead and manage effectively in the growth phase of HLA.

Taking cognisance, recognising and addressing the Dunning-Kruger Syndrome, this cognitive bias is crucial for realistic self-assessment and effective leadership in HLA. In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, AI plays a pivotal role in strategic planning. AI-driven insights enable leaders to make data-driven decisions, optimise processes, and enhance operational efficiency.

Embracing AI is essential for staying competitive in a new Business Metaverse, assisting consultants with a personal road maps to reach set goals and targets as agreed on in line with a contracted timeframe. The implementation of AI tools to assist with the execution of the assignments of the consultants, provides the leader a realistic overview to see if HLA is on track and meeting the expectations of its clients in schools or Higher Education institutions.

Leadership Take Away and Lesson: : “Amid the chaos, there is also opportunity.” – Sun Tzu. My all-favourite and all-time references, that stees or navigates and drives my leadership actions under difficult circumstances and can serve as a leadership lesson for aspiring leaders; I personally coined as the ''The Robots are Coming! Are You Ready?''; and secondly, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” — Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910). If you want to change the world it all starts with changing yourself.

Recommended Business Book: For an in-depth understanding of modern business planning and the role of AI, I recommend “Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence” by Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans, and Avi Goldfarb. This book provides valuable insights into how AI can transform decision-making and strategic planning.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

First things first! I will refer him or her to my answers given to the above Questions 1 - 6. Young leaders who are struggling to delegate are usually struggling with leadership confidence challenges, lack of experience, a strong fear of failing and looking bad in the eyes of the boss, mistrusting his or staff to whom they delegate too; and a lack of understanding institutional business protocol and processes.

This is an interesting question as many young leaders are hesitant to delegate tasks to fellow employees for obvious reasons. Young leaders who struggle to delegate must develop leadership confidence, trust and effective communication with those whom tasks are delegated too. Young leaders, who struggle to delegate and attempt doing all the work on his or her own, become the victims of burnout, and develop emotional problems that can become psychological problems. My advice for young leaders who is struggling to delegate, is:

1. Recognise the Importance of Delegation: Understand that delegation is a critical skill for leadership. It enables you to focus on strategic priorities and empowers your team to grow and take ownership.

2. Know Your Team: Take the time to understand the strengths, weaknesses, and interests of your team members. This will help you delegate tasks to the right people.

3. Communicate Clearly: Provide clear instructions and expectations for the task at hand. Ensure that your team understands the objectives, deadlines, and any specific requirements.

4. Trust Your Team: Trust is essential for effective delegation. Believe in your team’s abilities and resist the urge to micromanage. Allow them the autonomy to complete tasks in their way.

5. Provide Support and Resources: Ensure your team has the necessary resources and support to complete the task. Be available to answer questions and provide guidance as needed.

6. Give Constructive Feedback: Offer feedback that is specific, actionable, and focused on improvement. Recognise and celebrate successes to boost morale and motivation.

7. Learn from Experience: Reflect on past delegation experiences to identify what worked well and what didn’t. Use this knowledge to improve your delegation skills over time.

8. Set Realistic Expectations: Be realistic about what can be achieved, or not.

The above points, highlight the importance of delegation, as it encourages young leaders to foster a sense of delegating certain tasks to a team member (s) and aligning or relating the process of delegation to a team members’ job description, his or her set tasks and targets (T&T) for the year. Following the points as steps, makes the delegation process for the younger leader more transparent, fair and easier to manage and control, as the leader is staying in charge of the execution of the delegation process. Both parties can gain valuable experience from this delegation modus operandi.

Leadership Lesson : "Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done, because they want to do it." - Eleanor Roosevelt.

Business Book Recommendation: "The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever" by Michael Bungay Stanier. This book provides practical advice on how young leaders can improve their delegation skills by focusing on asking the right questions and empowering their teams, via responsible delegation strategies.