Olamide Orekunrin is a doctor in West Africa and the Founder of the region’s first indigenous emergency service, Flying Doctors Nigeria (De Flight Medics Ltd).
One of the most insightful speeches I heard last year was by Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. He spoke on how technology is changing leadership.
In a rapidly changing world, nothing is guaranteed. The world we currently live in is drastically different from the world that our parents grew up in. The global economy, the geopolitical landscape, the environment, and technology are subject to constantly shifting conditions that reinforce and transform one another in a web of complex, even chaotic interactions. It is completely unpredictable, yet interconnected.
His speech centred on the fact that this bold new world requires a new breed of world leader. He argued that techno-politicians: politicians with an astute understand of how change, technology and flexibility, are best placed to function effectively as modern leaders.
The techno-politician must first understand the role of innovation and talent, which is the economic currency of the world today.
Secondly, he/she must recognise that many problems no longer occur in national silos, but are global in nature and require global solutions, co-operation and compromise to solve.
Mostly importantly, the techno-politician must be ready to experiment and change course when things don’t work out.
The world has changed for good. Leaders must be able to reacting real-time to situations that they have never encountered before. The era of sacred cows is over. Techno-politicians question everything.
As Africa continues on its journey towards independence, peace and prosperity, I have no doubt we will need hundreds of young, dynamic techno-politicians to provide direction, inspiration and transformation.
