Building trust in a diversified society: The essence of leadership

Abstract

When leaders inspire people, there is a solid self-confidence, but not one that walls others out. Leaders are about whom they are and can open themselves to others. They are in sync with their inner self through disciplines that keep them honest, knowing, and open. The first and most demanding obligation of a leader is the Socratic injunction to “know thyself.” The accelerating pace of the commercialization of science, technology and academia, together with the diminishing traditional value system has led to the abuse of authority and power of leaders in all spheres of life. It is difficult find a leader that portrays the qualities of leadership in society. Trust appears to be a primary attribute associated with leadership. Part of the leader's task has been, and continues to be, working with people to find and solve problems, but whether leaders gain access to the knowledge and creative thinking they need to solve problems depends on how much people trust them. When followers trust a leader, they are willing to be vulnerable to the leader's actions. Honesty consistently ranks at the top of most people's list of characteristics they admire in their leaders. In times of change and instability, people turn to personal relationships for guidance, and the quality of these relationships is largely determined by the level of trust. This paper outlines the challenges facing the leadership of South African academia through quantitative and qualitative survey and outlines the qualities that need to be instilled in a diversified society through the restoration of trust.