Edited by Rica C Viljoen, Vusi Vilakati and Joyce Toendepi
How do we lead in Africa today, authentically, ethically, and with transformative impact?
The African Leadership book offers a bold, timely response. This pioneering volume brings together multiple African voices. These voices challenge inherited models of leadership. They also illuminate a more grounded and contextually relevant approach.
Drawing on indigenous philosophy, Ubuntu-centred leadership intelligence, archetypes of wisdom and lived experiences from communities across the continent, the book reveals how Africa’s leadership story reflects resilience, renewal, interconnectedness and possibility.
Reimagining leadership through African perspectives
African Leadership emerges throughout the book as both a philosophy and a practical framework for societal transformation.
Across its chapters, readers will discover:
- Leadership as custodianship, anchored in shared destiny and communal ways of being.
- Ubuntu intelligence and groundedness as vital competencies for leading in a fractured yet interdependent world.
- The dynamics of identity, agency and decolonisation. The book also explores how double consciousness shapes contemporary African Leadership.
- Modern challenges and opportunities, including digital ecosystems, ethical innovation, migration governance, biodiversity and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
- Archetypal frameworks of African wisdom that offer powerful lenses for leadership development and coaching.
Written by respected academics, practitioners and thought leaders, this book blends rigorous scholarship with practical insight. It invites current and aspiring leaders to reflect, reimagine and act with deeper consciousness, courage and collective purpose.
Furthermore, the book positions African Leadership as a critical contribution to global leadership discourse. At a time when the world looks to Africa for fresh vision, the African Leadership book positions the continent not at the margins of leadership theory, but at its centre.
The book suits leadership professionals, HR and OD practitioners, business schools, policymakers, scholars and anyone passionate about Africa’s future.
About the editors
Dr Rica C. Viljoen is an organisational development scholar, consultant and global thought leader. Her work bridges systems thinking, African wisdom and leadership practice. She pioneered tools such as the Benchmark of Engagement (BeQ™) and the Integral Values Map. Businesses and academic institutions widely use these tools. In addition, she is an accomplished author and international facilitator. She integrates indigenous knowledge, Spiral Dynamics and psychoanalytic perspectives to support leaders navigating complexity across Africa and the world.
Dr Joyce Toendepi is a senior lecturer in Industrial Psychology and People Management at the University of Johannesburg. She is also an expert in strategy, governance, systems thinking and African-conscious leadership. Moreover, she challenges assumptions and inspires inclusive leadership rooted in social justice, collective intelligence and Afrocentric values. Her research and teaching advance responsible leadership, grounded theory and transformative change across diverse organisational and societal contexts.
Dr Vusi M. Vilakati is a scholar, organisational consultant, leadership coach and ordained minister. His work blends leadership theory, spirituality and African consciousness. With more than two decades of experience across corporate, civic and academic settings, he supports leaders in building ethical cultures, navigating complexity and fostering human flourishing. Furthermore, his interdisciplinary research spans leadership, theology and identity. He also teaches widely on African-centred leadership development.
- PUBLISHER | KR Publishing |
- Recommended Retail Price | R430.00 |
- ISBN | 978-1-991272-58-4 |
- Classification | Inspiration |
