To be a good leader, several things need to be realized. Listed below are a few qualities of good Leaders.

Good Leadership Strategies

A good leader possesses various characteristics which include being a good follower and being a good influence on other people.

  • A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader “walks the talk” and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.
  • A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader. People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action or cause. Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal. This kind of leader will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.
  • A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction a leader needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from team members.
  • A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during times of uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanor.
  • Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose. Storms, emotions, and crises come and go and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head.
  • A good leader, as well as keeping the main goal in focus, is able to think analytically. Not only does a good leader view a situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. While keeping the goal in view, a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it.
  • A good leader is committed to excellence. Second best does not lead to success. The good leader not only maintains high standards, but also is proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas.

African women in perspective.

Women Leaders in Africa.

 The battle of women rights in Africa is a battle that has been fought for almost a century. Our great Grand Mothers fought persistently for the rights of women, and today, we have equal rights as men. Due to this fight for women’s rights, women have now been able to take up positions in the work force that were previously occupied by only men. Placing Africa in perspective, there are several women who took up important positions, early into the victory of this fight. Some of the women include the following:

West Africa

1.  President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Liberia, she was Secretary of State of Finance between the years 1972-73 and 1977-79, she was also Minister of Finance from 1979-80 . In 1980, she became President of the National Bank and worked for the World Bank from 1980-85.   She was the Leading member of exile-government of Amos Sawyer in United States of America from 1990-92. She held several high positions before she finally won the presidential election in November 2005. She serves as a great female leader as the position of the president is a very important and highly respected position

2 From 1975-77 Angie Brook-Randolph served as Liberia Assistant Secretary of State of Liberia 1956-73, she also worked as a Delegate to the UN from 1955. In 1956 Vice-Chairperson and 1961 chairperson of the Committee of Trust and Non-self Government Territories, she was also 1961 Vice-President of the Committee on Information on Non-Self-government Territories, 1962 Chairperson on the Commission for Ruanda-Urundi, 1965 Vice-President, 1966 President of the Trusteeship Council and 1969-70 President of the United Nation’s General Assembly and Judge in the Supreme Court from 1977. She lived (1928-2007). Within the course of her life, she worked in so many different fields for her country. She now serves as a role model for many young girls in Liberia.

3. Luzéria Dos Santos Jaló, Guinea Bissau 1986-1995, she worked in several offices of her country’s Ministry of Finance, including the Bureau of Studies, the Department of External Debt, the Department of Budget and Investment, the Revenue Department, and the General Inspection of Finance. She also served as President of the Institute of Women and Children from 1999-2000.

South Africa

4. In 1977-79 Dr.  Gwendoline C. Konie, Zambia.  She was Ambassador to Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland 1974-77 and to Belgium, European Union and Germany 1992-99/2000. She was also former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and of the Cabinet Office. In 2000 she founded the Social Democratic Party and in the following year she announced her candidacy for presidency. The

decision to run for president is a decision that is normally taken by strong willed people irrespective of whether you lose or win. Any woman who runs for presidency should be forever, highly esteemed. It is because of women like Gwendoline that many young women are going into mainly male dominated fields. She helped instill courage in the young generation of girls.

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5. Prime minister Luisa Diogo of Mozambique. She served as  minister of finance from the year 1994 up until 2004. She was appointed prime minister in Feburary 2004, becoming the first woman to ever hold that position. According to the TIME magazine, which ranked Diogo as one of the top leaders and revolutionaries in the world. She leads a government that was once written off as  a failed state but that now posts economic growth rates of an Asian Tiger.

6. The vice president of Zimbabwe Joice Mujuru is a well respected politician in Zimbabwe. She asumed this office as of 6 December 2004. She became the youngest cabinet member in president Mugabe’s cabinet in 1980. She was appointed minister of tele communications and introduced many innovations to the tele-communications industry in Zimbabwe.

East/Central Africa

7. Agatha Uwillingiimana  was prime minister of Rwanda from 18 july 2010 to 7 april 1994. she gave her life up to save her children during the genocide in Rwanda. She is a true African Female Leader and Hero.

8.  Princess Elizabeth Rukidi Nyabongo of Toro, Uganda Also known as Elizabeth Bagaya, she was Ambassador-at-Large 1971-1973, to Egypt and Ethiopia1973-74, Minister of Foreign Affairs 1974, Spokesperson for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Europe 1980-86, Ambassador to USA 1986-88. In 1989 she refused to be transferred to France. When her brother was reinstalled as King Patric Olimmi Kaboyo II in 1993, she officially took the office of Batebe, chief advisor, which she had been installed to in 1966. When died in 1995 she became one of the guardians for hisson Iguru IV (b. 1993-). She was Ambassador to Germany 2006-08, the Vatican 2006-07 and Nigeria in 2008. She is daughter of King Sir George David Kamurasi Rukidi III of Toro (1927-65) and was married to Prince Wilbur Nyabongo, who died in an airplane crash in 1986. (b. 1936- )

9.Elisabeth Domitien was prime inister of the Central African Republic from 3 january 1975 to 7 april 1976. She publicly denounouced president Jean-Bedel Bokassa’s plans to name himself emporer. Although she was dismissed for that reason and later tried and convicted of covering up extortion during Bokassa administration, she is still rememberd by her country has a courageous Female.

North Africa

10. Princess Lalla Salma of Morroco, as First Lady, is the first to be publicly seen and acknowledged by the Moroccan people. She is seen in public more often than all other First Ladies in Morocco. She is the founder of a cancer prevention association and she has been involved in HIV/AIDS PREVENTION IN Africa. She has traveled for this cause and also to promote women empowerment.

11. Nabiha Gueddana is a Tunisian politician of Professor of Medicine. She served as secretary of state for social advancement from 1989-1992. She also served as Secretary of state for Women Affairs and the Family from 1992 to 1993. In 1993-94, she was a professor of Preventative and Social Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tunis. In 1994, she took up the office of President and Director-General of National Office of the Family and Population, Ministry of Health.

12. Nadia Al-Gindi – she is the best paid Egyptian star, she is known for her amazing belly dancing and clothing. She had her first role in Jamila al-Jaza’iriyya /Jamila the Algerian (1958) and first starring role was in the biography Bamba Kashar (1974). She usually plays femme fatales and social climbers but later in life played patriotic and courageous heroines.  Films she starred in include al-Batniyya (1980), al-Khadima/The servant 91984), Muhimma Fi Tall-Abib/Mission in Tel Aviv (1992), al Jasusa Hikmat Fahmi/The spy Hikmat Fahmi (1994) and Imra’a Hazat Arsh Misr/A woman shook Egypt’s Throne (1995)

Middle East

13. First lady of Syria, Asma al Assad received the award for Arab First lady on August 27 2008. It was given to her by the Institute of Arab women leaders in co-operation with the Arab league. The award was granted in appreciation of the First Lady’s initiative in human development, and patronage of several national projects that aim at enhancing the development process in Syria. One of her projects, the children discovery center MASSAR which reflects a deep vision for future needs, a future that would be shaped by the young people.

14. Naila Al Moosawi, she was educated at the Aviation College in Dubai. She is the first Female air traffic controller in the United Arab Emirates. She is also the first Female CEO at the Emirates National Oil Company.

15. Rania al Abdullah- she was born in Kuwait. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The American University in Cairo. She worked in the banking and information technology industry. She is Married to King Abdullah of Jordan and has 4 children. She is also involved in charity work especially the Jordan River Children’s Project established in 1995. She is the first Arab woman to launch a child abuse prevention project. She is the President of the Jordan Society for Organ Donation. She is the Head of Jordan Blood Disease Society and International Patron of the Osteoporosis Foundation. She holds an Honorary Doctorate from University of Exeter 2001.