Sue Covelli-Buntley and Poyee Chiu of UpSpiral Leadership interview Katleho Mohono, a leadership development facilitator, coach, and speaker. As one of the founding members of the African Leadership University (ALU), he helped establish the institution’s culture, development strategy, and curriculum. Recently, he co-founded NiaDelta, a leadership and education consulting firm that seeks to inspire purposeful change.
[00:36] Introducing Katleho Mohono
[06:01] Katleho’s Passion for Creating Change
[12:42] Dealing with Dichotomy
[18:24] How to Influence People
[21:42] Challenges and Successes in Leadership Development
[28:22] Lightning Round: A Series of Brief Questions
[37:53] The Flip: “Leadership is a Solo Act”
Born and raised in South Africa during the 90s, Katleho grew up at a time when apartheid was ending. He had more access to opportunities that would have otherwise been unavailable a decade before. From a young age, he saw the transformational impact of prominent figures like Nelson Mandela. His early experiences had a profound effect on him, leading him to become passionate about leadership. Coincidentally, he also realized that he was a persuasive communicator.
Katleho’s schooling years were an interesting phase for him. Although his family wasn’t wealthy, he was able to attend a private school. His neighbors teased him for being more well-off. Meanwhile, he couldn’t quite fit in with his classmates’ lavish lifestyle. This confusing situation taught Katleho how to deal with dichotomy. Instead of taking sides, he is able to take different vantage points. He encourages the practice of empathy instead of judgement.
Another way to deal with contradicting situations was to get comfortable with paradox. It’s all right to have incompatible concepts in the same space. Oftentimes, our preconceived notions hold us back from opportunity and growth. We need to be curious about one another and let our biases go. Ask questions because you’re interested, not because of your own agenda. Curiosity can change how we communicate and work with others.
As Katleho matured, he realized that leadership was about inspiration rather than coercion. Leaders are so passionate about a cause that it encourages others to join in. The drive that they have is on full display, inspiring the people around them to be part of the movement. Now, Katleho is on a mission to help others become the best version of themselves through coaching and training.
When asked what leadership trait the world needs the most, Katleho chose facilitation. A leader should be able to bring people together for a common goal. However, leadership is not solely an individual’s responsibility. There is too much emphasis on individual characters that we forget to focus on the community. We should seek to empower a leadership ecosystem that elevates not only leaders, but the leadership trait itself.
Learn more about Katleho and his leadership development work by visiting his website. Connect with him on LinkedIn. For more information on becoming an excellent leader, visit the UpSpiral Leadership website, and remember to tune in on the next episode!