Alumni

"If you set your bar, set it as high as Mandela"

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Malesela Maubane (Polokwane Chapter Convenor)

“If you set your bar, set it as high as Mandela.”

These were the words of the Reverend Mauti Pataki, addressing Unisa alumni at the Polokwane Alumni Breakfast that took place on 17 May 2019 at the Fusion Boutique Hotel in Polokwane.

He encouraged alumni to continue to acquire knowledge (setting their bar) and aspire to be in harmony with their consciences. Unisa graduates should be principle-centred leaders and must aspire to use their internal values as basis of their external actions. Principle-based leaders influence the ethical actions of those in the organisation by transforming their own behaviour first.

“Ethical leadership is leadership that is directed by respect for ethical beliefs and values and for the dignity and rights of others. It is thus related to concepts such as trust, honesty, consideration, charisma, and fairness.”

Pataki continued to say that the ethical leader understands that positive relationships built on respect, openness, and trust are critical to creating an ethical organisation environment. “The underlying principles of ethical leadership are: integrity, honesty, fairness, justice, responsibility, accountability, and empathy.

“Ethical leaders honour and respect others even if they are unemployed or earning a low salary they can still aspire to assist others by their working together in an environment of mutual respect and setting a good example.”

Organisations suffer when leadership does not set an ethical tone at the top. The employees may be ethical but acting ethically requires an ethical leader who supports such behaviour, not a leader blinded by ambition or greed. He believes Unisa alumni represent a certain value system and therefore need to pay it forward by servicing humanity. “You have training even when you are unemployed.”

Malesela Maubane was elected as the new Polokwane Chapter Convenor. He is a Chartered Public Relations Practitioner (CPRP) and President of the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA). He has more than 16 years of corporate experience, with over seven years relating to public relations and communication management within the South African local government (municipal) sphere.

His contact details are as follows:

Email: malesela.mau@gmail.com

Twitter: @MaleselaB

LinkedIn: za.linkedin.com/in/mmaubane/

His vision for the chapter is to aspire to contribute to change in the socio-economic standing of Unisa students and surrounding communities. “This will in the long run change the country and the continent’s narrative through collaborative efforts.”

*By Lynette van Niekerk
Events Coordinator
Department of Institutional Advancement

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Publish date: 2019-06-14 00:00:00.0

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