Back from Kenya, it’s taken a few days for me to let the last two weeks sink in. It was an amazingly productive trip for me. I learned more than I shared, for sure, and came away with new relationships and opportunity that guarantee regular returns for years to come.
The sweeping change in Kenya is requiring more leaders than are currently available and they need to grow them fast to realize the vision of the new constitution. Government is becoming decentralized to 47 counties (similar to our states) and the constitution stipulates that organizational leadership is a prerequisite to holding office. The expectation is that people and many businesses will return to and develop in the rural areas, but at this point in time there is concern about capability. KIM exists to fill that need.
Barack Obama once referred to Kenyans as a resourceful people. That’s always an advantage when one must problem-solve and it was affirmed by my US-centric observation that Kenyan leaders know what to do to be successful. But those that know “how to be”, to quote Frances Hesselbein, are rare. KIM is an exception, based on the senior leadership I met. But during the Gazelles workshop and various meetings I attended, I observed that not enough thought is given to the core values, purpose and competencies that should guide and drive decisions. To me, that is the personal purpose of any leader.
I’ve committed to help KIM take on this challenge by assisting them with identifying and collaborating with individuals and institutions that can benefit from a partnership to meet it head on. If you’d like to hear more about the story and the opportunity, please let me know. In the meantime, I’ve hit the US ground running!
