Public Seminar | Professor Derick de Jongh
The Brian Picot Chair in Ethical Leadership | Aritahi and School of Management welcomes Professor Derick de Jongh (from SA) to present a public seminar
Distinctive contours of African vs Western leadership theories: The Case of Chief Albert Luthuli
Derick's seminar will highlight a prominent leadership example from an African context and discuss how effective leadership is not a monolithic concept, as it is often modelled within Eurocentric frameworks. This talk may be particularly relevant if you are interested in leadership, culture and context, the embodiment and practice of different philosophies, or more broadly in the decolonisation of research and management practice.
Date: Thursday 7 May 2026
Time: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Format: In person, and via Zoom (tea, coffee and light refreshments will be served)
Location: RH1007, Level 7, Rutherford House, 23 Lambton Quay, Pipitea
Zoom Meeting Link: https://vuw.zoom.us/j/99393716255
Abstract
This seminar aims to critically examine the distinctive philosophical and practical contours of African leadership theory in relation to dominant Western leadership paradigms, using Chief Albert Luthuli (first recipient of the Nobel Peace prize in Africa) as a central case study.
The seminar will analyse how Luthuli’s embodiment of African leadership philosophy (“Ubuntu”) emphasizing consensus-building, communal ethics, moral authority over coercive power, and sacrificial service contrasts with individualistic, transactional, and often hierarchical models prevalent in Western leadership thought (e.g., trait, transformational, or situational theories).
Key elements of the seminar will include (1) epistemological differences between African and Western leadership frameworks, (2) evaluate how Luthuli’s non-violent, integrative approach challenged colonial and apartheid structures while redefining political leadership, and (3) assess the contemporary relevance of African leadership concepts in global governance and organizational contexts.
The seminar will foster a decolonized understanding of leadership effectiveness, moving beyond Eurocentric benchmarks to appreciate culturally grounded agency and moral resilience.
About the Speaker
Professor Derick de Jongh is the Founding Director of The Albert Luthuli Leadership Institute (ALLI). He also founded the Albert Luthuli Centre for Responsible Leadership (ALCRL) at the University of Pretoria in 2010. He holds a Doctorate in Commerce (Corporate Social Performance). He also founded the Institute for Corporate Citizenship (CCC) at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in 2001. His expansive academic career includes numerous presentations at international symposia on the topic of responsible leadership, corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporate citizenship and corporate responsibility. Derick is founding member of the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI) as well as a founding member of the 50+20 “Management Education for the World” initiative. Derick is a former member of the World Business School Council for Sustainable Business – a UN PRME, GRLI initiative. His current areas of research interest include leadership and complexity, collaborative leadership, leadership for a sustainable future and leadership for health in Africa.