Presenting new perspectives on leadership. Challenging established theories.

1. Leadership within a
Ghanaian context
Local entrepreneurs’ perspective
:: Claudia Antwi ::

2. Objective
 Present new perspective on and meaning of leadership
 Provide a different approach to becoming an good leader; the skills a
good leader should possess and how (s)he should behave

3. Methodology
 Qualitative methods - capture participants’ own
perspectives and how they make sense of and add
meanings to their lives
 Micro-storia - focus on people and their incoherent everyday life
that are often excluded and neglected by other research
methods
 Secondary research - Extensive research through books,
articles, journals and archives of Ghana to acquire
knowledge of the culture, politics, economy and history

4. Study objects
 Business owners of SME’s => 3-40 employees
 A mix of age (28-52 yrs), gender, entrepreneurial areas
(Grochery, electronics, construction company, retail)
 Less likely to be biased by existing Western leadership
theories

5. Study context
 Political freedom in 1957, struggled with malfunctioned
political leaders
 Known for its cocoa, gold, democracy, peacefulness, and
being the birthplace of former UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan
 28.5% in 2005/2006 of the Ghanaian population defined as
poor (U.S. Department of state, 2008)
 Diversity: over 36 different tribes; Akan the largest, approx.
60% Christians, approx. 100 ethno-linguistic groups ->
subdivided into numerous cultural and linguistic units

6. continue…
 Family a primary social unit => values determined by the
orientation around the maintenance, continuity and the
functioning of the family group
 Success of Individual member is nothing if not shared with the family
 The family per-se limits, influences, and in some cases determines the
individual’s activities in society
 Remittance flow important part of the Ghanaian economy
and Ghanaian households
 International remittances to Ghana was $4.25 billion (2007) => largest
source of foreign exchange for Ghana (The Bank of Ghana)

7. Naomi - a local grocery store owner
“It takes money to
open a business, it
takes hard work to get
money, if you are lazy
then there is no
chance of making it.
But if you work hard
you can have a
chance to hold your
head above water and
make it in the world”.

8. 3 Prominent leadership theories
 Transactional leadership
 a system of rewards and punishments to achieve desired
performance
 Transformational leadership
 shape and share visions which provide direction, meaning, focus
and motivation to achieve desired performance
 Trait approaches
 inherit qualities and traits that make people better suited to
leadership

9. Limitations
 Most leadership theories are North American in origin
 Short-sighted and inappropriate in cultures which differ
significantly from the American and European culture
 Differences in societal and economical conditions a problem
when African organizations/businesses are confronted with
Western values on what constitutes an effective organization and
leadership

10. Yaw - a local electronic repair shop owner
“One thing about
Ghanaian leadership is
that it depends on how
you are as a
person...your past
experiences, It is
sometimes a person’s
habit, not what they
are born with that
determines how they
lead”.

11. Ghanaian context I
Societal conditions Organisational practices
 Collectivistic  Particularistic behaviour
 Meaning through social => kinship ties
relationships  Organisation an extention of
 Strong family bonds - extended family
extended family  People have value in their
 Obligated to helping the own right not a means to an
group which they belong end

12. Ghanaian context II
Economical conditions Organisational practices
 Developing economy  Survival
 Colonial legacy => Flexibility, creativity
 Poverty  Entrepreneurial spirit
 Low education  Hardship/Hardwork
 “All in the same boat” , “We
 Democracy
are all equal” mentality
 SME’s  Drive to bring forward a
 Remittance flow creation

13. Leadership context (Macro)
Economical Cultural
conditions conditions
Social Enviromental
conditions conditions
Leadership
perception

14. Kojo – Local handcraft
shop owner
“Listening to advice is important
because you learn from other
people’s mistakes and successes.
It gives a sense of direction in life.
Without a direction it’s like a car
with no stirring wheel, you sit in it
and don’t have any way of
getting to the place you want to
go. In life you need control like a
stirring wheel”.

15. Leadership context (Micro)
Humane/
compassion
Hardship/
triumphs Leadership Family
Life
Experiences

16. Characteristics I
Trait leadership theory
 Inherent traits
 personal innate characteristics, leaders are born and not made

17. Ghanaian locals’ viewpoint
 No people with unambiguous inborn traits which automatically
excel them to good leaders
 Keyword: Compassionate = encompasses other important
qualities such as being an advisor and friendlike
 These do not come as intrinsic personal traits, but ascends from experience
of hardship
 The compassionate characteristc => acquired through
experiencing what other people have gone through
 Without these experiences of adversity a person will neither be capable of
understanding the true essense of people and life nor understand how to
deal with people, a leader is therefore not born, but formed over time

18. Characteristics II
Transformational leadership theory
 A leader, an advisor and motivator for their followers in order
to stimulate and inspire followers to achieve outstanding results
 increasing organisational productivness through “happy” employees,
hence people become means to an end in an organization

19. Ghanaian locals’ viewpoint
 Keyword: An advisor = somebody who will use their experiences in
life to give guidance to help people out of their hardships, this is
vital for a good leader or manager
 This is however not limited to organisations and not a means to achieve a
higher organisational performance
 People have value in their on right and are more than a business
and wealth

20. Characteristics III
Transactional leadership theory
 People motivated by reward and punishment, a transaction
 The prime purpose of a subordinate is to do what their manager tells
them to do

21. Ghanaian locals’ viewpoint
 A good leader puts people before a business and uses his/her
position of power to better the lives of others
 A good leader: knowledge gained through life is not meant for
him/her alone, but for all who will find use in it
 It is a leaders duty to embrace this reality and recognize their responsibility first of
all as a human being.

22. Samuel - a local shop owner
“You have to be nice
to your workers and
have a nice
relationship with
them. There has to
be a good
foundation for the
relationship because
the foundation is the
seed and it grows
from there.”

23. Sum up

24. Key leadership skills
in a Ghanaian context
Clear
Openness Respectful of
High morals and Advisor , Peopleoriented Build communi-
and honesty Sharing family ties,
humane mentor and – people before «Friendlike» cation of
– no hidden knowledge values and
attitude rolemodel wealth relationships tasks and
agendas obligations
goals

25. Behaviour of a good leader
in a Ghanaian context
 Take care of employees’ need
 Provide guidance and direction
 Leader regarded as extention of extended family
 Consider employees personal lives and have
understanding of their life situation
 Practice good values and ethics
 Open and honest attitude
 Strong family values and people skills

26. Master thesis :: 2008
Presenting new perspective on leadership