Business leaders are not made overnight. Leadership is developed over time through education and by being around those who are leading, as well as by gaining experience, discipline and learning from both success and failure.
If we want to ensure that our youth have what it takes to lead in the world of work, they should be taught how to lead and become entrepreneurs at a younger age.
Something I have learnt throughout my career journey, especially in enterprise development, is that you are only fully qualified if you can apply your knowledge. We are qualified once we complete our education, however, what we take away from that knowledge is what will determine our ability to find opportunities.
Leadership is the ability to pursue and identify opportunities, solve problems, communicate with others, and make decisions that will benefit society.
Always ask yourself these questions: What gaps exist in my community? What problem can I solve? How can I improve an existing product or service? What skills can I develop that will remain relevant in a changing economy?
These are just a few questions that can open young people’s minds to look into their future. Whether it is becoming an employee who solves problems, a professional who provides solutions, an entrepreneur who starts a business and creates jobs, or a future business leader who can contribute meaningfully to the economy.
Learning does not only happen in the classroom. Our youth should be allowed to be part of projects and initiatives, participate in internship programmes, get involved in community initiatives, and interact with people who are working within the business sector. Through this they will learn lessons that are not found in textbooks.
Young people should be able to build confidence, work as part of a team, and learn effective communication, as well as be responsible and know what it takes to make things happen in the real world.
Furthermore, continuous skills development is crucial, especially with evolving technology in the workplace and the transformation of running a business in today’s world.
Young people need to position themselves within the dynamics of rapidly changing technology, the digital economy, financial literacy, communication, entrepreneurship, project management, and critical thinking, among others. These skills are progressively important for remaining relevant in the modern economy.
We should also change the way we think about failure. Failure should not always be seen as the opposite of success. Sometimes, failure can help a person grow and learn from past mistakes. When a young person fails at something, they should try to learn from their failure, reflect on what went wrong, and improve. This does not only apply to entrepreneurship but to effective leadership too.
Youth development into business leadership is a shared responsibility that involves parents, schools, colleges, universities, businesses and the government.
Educational institutions in particular, should help bridge the gap between pupils learning in classrooms and practical exposure. Students should be taught how to handle real-life problems and develop solutions, turning ideas into action.
Ultimately, becoming a business leader is not simply about occupying a senior position or holding advanced qualifications. It means adding value for others and making decisions that can impact people around you by solving problems and creating opportunities.
Therefore, to have successful business leaders in the future, we need to start shaping the young people in our homes, classrooms, workplaces and communities today. We need to prepare them to think differently, take initiative and create solutions so that they can positively contribute to the future of our economy.
– Phillip Kambonde is the manager of enterprise development at the Namibian College of Open Learning.
