Absolute integrity is a non-negotiable

The art of leadership is the ability to inspire people to follow you; to emulate your determination to succeed; and to perform to their maximum potential.True leaders are strategic thinkers impassioned with a vision and resolute in their determination to fulfil it. They earn the respect of their employees for being highly competent, highly motivated, and persons of unquestionable integrity and ethics.

Great leaders lead by example, setting the standard through action, not policy. They focus on performance and output, not input and regulation. They empower and motivate, facilitating inclusive debate but decisive decision-making.

They recognise the value in listening rather than speaking, in debating rather than dictating, in empathy rather than sympathy. They appreciate that employees are partners and value creators to be empowered, not disciples to be exploited or deployed without due consideration.

True leaders surround themselves with people who challenge their ideas. They build successful teams, comprising successful players, who they recognise and reward for their significant contributions.

Absolute integrity is a non-negotiable!

Great leaders constantly challenge old ways of thinking and doing, encouraging disruptive dissent as a catalyst for continuous innovation. They recognise that the only sustainable competitive advantage a company or team ever has is its ability to learn more quickly than its competitors, advocating Albert Einstein’s view that one cannot solve a problem using the same thinking that created the problem in the first place.

As highlighted in the case study of the ancient West Bank city of Nablus (Palestine), great leaders must walk through walls to challenge conventional wisdom. They recognise that human beings are fooled by randomness through acquired biases or memes.

Great leaders are motivated by sustainable value creation – not money. They constantly ask the question: “What value am I creating, and is my product or service still relevant?”

They recognise the need to continuously reinvent themselves, and appreciate the value inherent in looking through the Johari window.

Strong leaders are highly disciplined individuals. They do not break promises or renege on commitments, recognising that small actions are harbingers of large intentions. This thinking is in keeping with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s Broken Windows theory.

Exemplary leaders capture the hearts and minds of their co-workers through their competence, commitment, work ethic, integrity, delivery and humility. They are excellent communicators, impassioned with a can-do attitude, who see opportunities where others see challenges; see success where others see failure.

They earn the respect of their colleagues, employees and stakeholders through actions rather than title. They walk the talk, leading by example in everything they do. They interact and listen democratically, but act decisively.

Evaluating my own style of leadership, I approach everything I do in life with absolute discipline and determination. Titles and CVs mean little to me – attitude and delivery mean everything. Inputs and policy mean little to me – output and impact mean everything.

From a very young age, my father – who has been a great source of inspiration to me during my life – made two things very clear to me:

   1. The world is a very small place, and a tarnished reputation cannot be polished. The most sacred aspect of self is integrity. Never let that slip.
   2. Nothing comes without both working hard and smart. While my professional achievements are humble, I have worked hard to ensure that I always deliver what I have promised and exceed the expectations of my stakeholders.

Given my belief that great leaders earn the respect of their employees and colleagues, I introduced a performance evaluation process in the office, which involves my personal assistant submitting a detailed evaluation of my performance directly and confidentially to my Board. It has been a humbling and eye-opening experience for all.

From a personal perspective, I was profoundly grateful that the review was forwarded to me by my Board.

I seek out people who challenge me both on a professional and personal basis. I am passionate about learning and growing. I appreciate that I have two ears and one mouth, to be used in the appropriate ratio.

I believe in empowering the people around me, in teamwork but individual accountability. I never give up, and rarely accept ‘no’ for an answer.

I believe that anyone can learn a skill if they have discipline, determination and basic intelligence. I am never afraid to say I do not know or do not understand. I am never afraid to acknowledge that I have made a mistake.

I empower my employees – I do not aid them. I engage my board – I do not report back to them.

I view my investment companies as partners – not investments.

I evaluate my performance in terms of long-term sustainable value creation – not growth in my bank account. I work hard to see the world through my stakeholders’ eyes, rather than my own unique perceptual framework. I am obsessive about delivering on commitments made, whether personal or professional.

Once someone has earned my respect, I will move mountains and oceans to assist them where I can. Nothing is more important to me than integrity and corporate governance.

I constantly question the conventional wisdom, looking for new ways of doing things. I believe in getting a job done, not fulfilling a job description. I arrive at meetings punctually and prepared. I focus on delivery, not politics and profile.
I behave professionally and with integrity. I am mindful of my fiduciary responsibility to all my stakeholders.

These are exciting times. The leaders of yesterday are not the leaders of tomorrow. We have an opportunity to rewrite the rule books; to redirect our efforts away from consumption-based development to sustainable development.

I feel incredibly privileged to be alive to participate in building this hopefully new and innovative society.

In keeping with the ideas of two great philosophers, I am a firm believer that one needs to climb a mountain to appreciate the view (Nietzsche); and that one only accelerates and elevates one’s learning through challenging circumstances (Proust). ▲

Tracey Chiappini-Young

Chief executive officer

CIDA Empowerment Fund

 Biography: Tracey Chiappini-Young CEO of Cida Empowerment Fund

In her capacity as chief executive officer of the CIDA Empowerment Fund (CEF), Tracey is responsible for deal origination, investment analysis and valuation, deal structuring, negotiations, and the monitoring and management of investments.

She sits on a number of Boards of companies in which CEF has an equity stake, ensuring that CEF continues to enjoy mutually beneficial relationships with its BEE partners.

Tracey joined CEF as the chief investment officer in November 2004. She has a wealth of experience in the investment industry, having spent eight years as both a research analyst and portfolio manager at HSBC, BOE Asset Management and empowerment breakaway, Quaystone Limited.

In 2003, Tracey established the how2help (h2h) initiative and wrote the first of a national series of books called, how2help, A guide to worthy causes in Cape Town.

She subsequently released Durban and Johannesburg editions in 2004 and 2005 respectively. The primary objective of h2h is to empower individuals to become more involved in development work.

Tracey has a Bachelor of Business Science degree (Honours in Finance) from the University of Cape Town, as well as an Associate degree in Applied Science from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

She is a qualified chartered financial analyst and is currently completing her EMBA through TRIUM (LSE, NYU Stern and HEC Paris).