Leadership magazine launched

With the launch of a new magazine, aptly titled Leadership, Botswana’s publishing landscape has changed. The magazine, as it’s blurb proclaims, “shares stories of those who have been there and done that, and learnt the hard way.” It highlights the importance of leadership in fostering innovation, growing businesses, managing crises and nurturing talent.

 
“Time and again, we are asked what legacy our generation will leave behind for the next generations, and the answer is simple; leadership. Only if we understand and exploit our leadership resources across all industries and sectors, both in private and government setups, will we be able to put Botswana on a pedestal in these era of a rising Africa,” said publisher Thapelo Letsholo.

 
Letsholo added; “Every edition will feature CEO interviews, leadership profiles and articles from opinion leaders, entrepreneurs and ‘best in class’ organisations – people with cutting edge ideas who turn them into reality. These are the people with a vision for the future that will inspire ground breaking economic growth for Botswana, and outline what it really means for our communities.”

 
The quarterly business magazine prints between 5000 and 10 000 copies and its retail price is P29. 00.  The first edition (printed and online version) features a collection of the country’s finest business leaders which include Botswana Development Corporation Limited (BDC)  Managing Director, Bashi Gaetsaloe, as the cover story, CEO of Liberty Life Lulu Rasebotsa, Botswana Accountancy College’s Michael Lesolle, Mascom’s Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego, and entrepreneur extraodianaire, Lesego Mathware, who all described the concept as a step in the direcftion for the country’s entrepreneurial development.

 
Gaetsaloe, opined; “One of my favourite quotes is; ‘leadership is a gift given by those who follow.’ The challenge is, are we really worthy of this gift because our country faces some very serious challenges, and if no leaders step up to the mark and make a difference, then we are going backwards.” Gatsaloe offered some suggestions; “Leadership is all about managing contradictions. You have to be a sprinter, while at the same time train for a marathon and that is a real contradiction. If you come from the world of strategy like I do, people will tell you to pay attention to detail and still focus on the big picture. Leaders are asked to deliver within those contradictions, step up to the plate and hit a homerun.  As a country our diamonds are going down, our population is growing slowly, the quality of our  education is declining, we do not have power and water  yet we are required to create industry, create jobs and attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This is what leadership was born to do, to step up and say I can and I will do it. Today I am happy to be associated with this magazine as it’s an example of leadership at play. When this idea was presented to me, I told the publisher I wasn’t interested in a magazine that will sell a few copies and disappear but rather, prefer something that will win.”