Analysis of a Visionary Leader-Charles Kali

1. Introduction

Charles Kali was born into uncertainty and poverty in a small village of Mahlanyeng near Maseru in 1955. Despite these conditions, he and his five siblings were not abandoned by their parent and these unfavorable conditions laid the foundation of  his strong sense of family, purpose in life and responsibility.

During this period, his country Basotholand was parting from the Britain in 1966 and this change brought about the change of its name to Lesotho.

Much of their foods were imported even though most households lived as subsistence farmers and they earned from small manufacturing, the sale of water, minerals and tourism. The road in their city and towns are very poor which becomes in-accessible after raining. The main occupations of the youth remain as herds even in the freezing winter conditions and the young girls had to walk long distance to gather and fetch wood and water.

With all these challenges in the area, Kali had to fend for his family with the help of his mother after his dad died because according to tradition being the first male child made him “man of the family” even at that tender age. He never allowed himself nor his family to be defined by poverty so he was committed to making sure that his family and other Africans like himself would end the cycle of poverty endemic in Africa. He did not allow material poverty restrict his or anyone else’s vision of the future and these motivating forces contributed to shaping Kali Charles Thaanyane into the phenomenal man he is today. We will examine his vision, values and the map he set forth to make the change and challenges he proved were worthwhile.

2. What is the picture?  A good vision includes a picture of what "now" looks like and what "then" will look like.  How did the leader you read about regard the "now?"  What did he envision for the "then?"

Charles kali was born into a poor family and a poor country where developments were very low and being the bread winner for his family even at that tender age, he did not allow that to limit him from his vision of bring change to his community and people. He was committed to making sure that his family and other Africans like himself would end the cycle of poverty endemic in Africa so he did not allow material poverty restrict his or anyone else’s vision of the future. He also believed that knowledge and information, combined with hard work, patience and focus, will always produce positive results.

Kali was determined to make a difference and he believed he was created for a purpose to help not only his family but everyone in his community and country to break the back of poverty. He envisioned that he could improve the lives of the people in Lesotho and develop them through education to enhance them with business skills for them to be able to work and set up their businesses. This is the vision he had for his himself, family and the people of Lesotho.

Due to his vision, he established a training and management consultancy, and a fashion design school where women acquired marketable skills which encouraged them to take control of their own lives. He also established a business school that offered externally accredited marketing courses, business studies and computer skills which thousands of students pass through and many have gone on to hold high positions in corporations and others started their own enterprises.

Moreover as a result of his vision to improve the lives of his people, he employed many people and also helped them to establish their own businesses.

3.  What change was expected?  A good vision includes a new way of doing things.  What did this leader expect to change?

The main challenge Kali was confronted Kali was same as what confronted Lesotho thus how to break cycle of poverty by using the resources he knew people had, to create wealth that benefited not just a few but all. As he did not allow himself to be defined by poverty, he was also determined that his family and many other people in Lesotho and other African would rise above the cycle of poverty endemic to Africa.

He wanted his people to be empowered for them not to depend on him but for them to be able to support others. By this he wanted to build a sense of self-esteem in them through education and also to enable them set up businesses.

Kali also wanted to persuade them to take responsibility for their economic situation and to develop a mindset that corresponds to success not failure.

Finally he wanted to change the perception that men had to do all. He was committed to gender equality to empower women to support themselves, family and country as a whole.

4.  What values grounded the leader?

Kali possessed and exhibited the following values which made his people believe in his vision and were willing to break from their old ways to enable them alleviate poverty.

Fairness: Kali was regarded everyone to have equal opportunities irrespective of gender. As men were dominant in his community he also wanted to empower women so he established a training and management consultancy and a fashion design school where women are encouraged to take control of their own lives by acquiring marketable skills.

He was also fair to his helpers because when he became successful and established his own mini-market, he retained links with many of them and helped them grow their business

Proactive: Kali’s did not wait for things to happen which his achievements in education and business attest to. He always took the bold step to engage in activities which he thought would shape his life and that of his people. He started buying and selling business and enrolled in a school with the hope of redefining his life. He was very happy to take the initiative in engaging in activities that would better their lives.

Partnership/ Collaborator: He always loved to work with people and encouraged all parties to work together because he believed in “all are responsible, all have a voice, all must give and all must get, no matter how small each one’s contribution or gain is”. He also advised that “if one does not have a knowledge or skill, one has to call on those who do and build respectful relationship with them”. In his businesses he regarded his helpers or workers as partners and even made the workers own shares in his business.