Assignment: Analysis of a Vision Paper Choose one of the .pdf Case Study files that has been provided for you. Thoroughly read the Case Study. You may also refer to Chapter Seven of your eBook for support in creating vision statements. Upon completion of reading the study, write a 5-10 page paper analyzing the vision of the leader involved in the case study. Structure your paper in the following manner: 1. Introduction 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?" 3. What change was expected? A good vision includes a new way of doing things. What did this leader expect to change? 4. What values grounded the leader? 5. What "map" did the leader set forth for making change? This would include the meaning the change has for his people as well as the purpose for the change. 6. What challenge did the leader prove was worthwhile? In other words, how did the leader challenge his people to make a change for the better? 7. Summarize your paper. Introduction Some of the world’s most respected leaders share in common several personality traits. The most recognizable traits is the ability to inspire a shared vision, achieve change, and encourage behaviours and skills which are necessary to accomplish the stated objective. Good leaders must have the confidence in themselves to empower others to contribute and succeed. In today’s society, in order for a company to be productive and effective, it is fundamental that leaders continuously share their vision which in turn will drive employee performance. According to Northouse (2015) “a vision is a mental model of an ideal future state. It offers a picture of what could be. Visions imply change and can challenge people to reach a higher standard of excellence. At the same time, visions are like a guiding philosophy that provides people with meaning and purpose (Northouse, p.149). When a leader is articulating their vision, it must clearly set a direction and purpose, as well as inspire excitement and commitment, displays the organization strengths, belief, values and culture and challenge people to go beyond themselves. The purpose of this paper is to examine and analyze the vision of the leader in the case study of Kali Charles Thaanyane; Leading the way from poverty to prosperity in Lesotho. Background Kali Charles Thaanyane was born in 1955, in a small hill-side village of Mahlanyeng, near Maseru the capital of the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho bordering South Africa. The people of Lesotho was known as Basotho because they had the protection of Britain and was never colonised, probably because of the harsh mountain terrain made it difficult for colonisers to reach. When Kali was a young boy, various changes started to occur across Africa when independence from the British took place and the Apartheid regime had conflicts with internal political parties. Lesotho provided shelter to many activists from the ANC party and faced some violent ramifications as a result of this. The Basotho people were mostly Christians who had strong traditional beliefs, customs and worked hard in their basic lives as subsistence farmers. Kali’s family was no different, they were stricken with poverty and insecurity but had a strong sense of family, duty and responsibility. When Kali father died, he knew he had to share the burden with his mother of raising his younger siblings and never shied away from his duties. Kali had a deep love, respect and devotion to his mother, Mary. Like any other parent, Mary sacrificed to provide for her family and gave her children opportunities she never had such as a good education. In the roughest times, Mary was able to be positive, encourage, support and create happiness for her children. With these values growing up, Kali developed a vision to raise his family and other Africans above the poverty cycle epidemic facing Africa. In this vision, he was determined to use education as a starting point to bring himself and his family out of material poverty. Kali entered university on a part time basis, while working in the mines as well as other various jobs to support his family, and in 1984 he received a diploma in Marketing Management. In keeping with his vision, Kali moved on to start a small food trading enterprise which later diversified into several different businesses which assisted people in his local community to succeed in running efficient sustainable businesses. The Vision Kali Thaanye shared the same vision of the great leader Nelson Mandela. Leaders, through their actions and words, must have the ability to draw their followers into a common vision by urging them to follow direction in order to achieve the objective. The great South African president, Nelson Mandela once said “everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do” (Forbes, 2013). Kali admired Mandela for his determination to rid all traces of Apartheid, his fearlessness, and his ability to forgive. Kali’s envision changing the mind set and attitude of his people from negative perceptions and to build self-esteem, be independent, self-sufficient and take responsibility for their economic situation. Values of the leader Kali Thaanye mother groomed him to be a good leader from an early age. He exercised decision making when he took over the household planning. Over the years, he have exhibited typical traits such as strength, enthusiasm, charisma, humility and vision. In my opinion he remained grounded because of the following values he displayed: 1. Respect- Kali had much respect for others regardless of their race, gender, age, nationality, and levels of wealth. Treating others with empathy, dignity, compassion; and the ability to earn the respect of others was his main skill. For example, he applied in his various businesses gender equality through female involvement in education and business sector 2. Making a Difference- Kali’s business operations and personal efforts lead a way in making a positive impact on the people of Lesotho. He is a do-er and doesn’t just sit back and wait for things to happen 3. Integrity- In his capacity of leader in some business memberships he held, Kali demonstrated fairness, courage, ethical principal and democracy. He aimed to build strong professional organisations in Lesotho which involved utilising the local people 4. Courage- He needed to be courageous in order for his vision to come through. He acted boldly in the face of adversity and possessed the strength to fight for justice and equality 5. Humility- He believes in introspection and supports the points of view ad insights of others which can assist to provide greater perception. The Challenge Being a leader is a challenging job. On a daily basis multiple demands are placed on a leader, requiring them to impart vision, initiate change and make difficult decisions. In order to handle these challenges, leaders must be adaptable and flexible. Kali Thaanye faced many challenges in accomplishing his vision not only for his large family but for the people of Lesotho 1. How to get the people of Lesotho from under the poverty line and use the resources he knew the people had to produce wealth 2. How to build a sense of self-esteem in these people and to respect themselves, their vision and dreams 3. How to develop a mind-set that connects to long-term success 4. Making the people self-dependant Kali overcame adversities by using his strong characteristics and strengths. He was persistent, dedicated, tough, and selfless then with these qualities he slowly began to break down barriers. His strategies to overcome the challenges were 1. Through his business ventures, he was committed to develop his employees embracing them as partners and given shares in the company. He encouraged gender equality, where females were treated equally on the same level as men 2. He was a pro-active, disciplined individual who believed through hard work, patience and determination will always produce positive outcomes 3. He gauged the characters of the people he dealt with. Not everyone understands on the same level, so persuading each required using his negotiating skills in some situations 4. Integrity, discipline, and commitment must be applied to any problem or dispute Conclusion Reference Northouse, P. G. (2015). Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice, 3rd Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781483324166/ Mfonobong Nsehe (2013). 19 Inspirational Quotes From Nelson Mandela- Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2013/12/06/20-inspirational-quotes-from-nelson-mandela/#79f0d5067101