If we see the connections, we can lead from a place of wholeness

I was born and raised in Kenya, and in 1995 I came to South Africa. My first role here was with a Christian NGO in KwaZulu-Natal that focused on leadership development in universities and colleges. It was during that time that I fell in love with the idea of developing leaders who could create real, lasting impact. After several years in the nonprofit world, I wanted to expand my understanding of how organisations worked beyond the social sector. That’s what brought me to Johannesburg, and it’s also where I discovered systems thinking.

Systems thinking changed everything for me. It’s a way of understanding how things connect: how organisations, people, and structures all interact as parts of a living whole. Around that time, very few people in South Africa were focusing on this area, so I found myself drawn to it almost naturally. I decided to pursue a Master of Commerce in Organisational Management Systems at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. That degree gave me the theoretical foundation I needed to turn curiosity into a lifelong calling.

My background in systems thinking opened doors to business school education. I began teaching at Stellenbosch Business School, then moved to Henley Business School. I’ve also taught at Wits, UJ, and the University of the Free State. Across all these experiences, my purpose has been consistent: to help people and organisations see themselves as systems. When you see the world through that lens, you start realising that everything (leadership, strategy, sustainability) is interconnected. Nothing exists in isolation.

I bring African indigenous knowledge into my teaching. In Africa, we’ve always understood systems, just not in the Western academic sense. Our ancestors used storytelling, proverbs, and communal reflection to make sense of life. Sometimes, I’ll even recreate an African fireside in class. We’ll sit in a circle and share stories, linking them to leadership, strategy, or change. It breaks down barriers and creates a reflective, collaborative space where learning feels alive. I’ve found that people remember stories far longer than slides.

One of the biggest challenges I see in African business education is our over-reliance on Western models. We’ve been conditioned to see global accreditation as the ultimate measure of quality, but those frameworks often overlook local context. There’s a tension: we want to meet international standards, but we also need to stay true to who we are. At Henley Africa, we’ve made significant strides in bridging that gap, integrating African cultural perspectives while maintaining global credibility. But across the continent, there’s still a long way to go.

In 2021, I contracted COVID-19 and spent seven weeks in ICU. It was the most humbling and transformative experience of my life. When you come that close to losing everything, your priorities shift. I emerged with an immense sense of gratitude for life, for family, for the small things we often overlook. I also rediscovered my love for solitude and nature. In October this year I was officially awarded my PhD with a specialisation in Business Administration from the University of Free State. To don the red robes feels deeply meaningful, not just as an academic milestone but as a celebration of life itself!

Most of my time is spent at Henley Business School, where I am an adjunct member of faculty. My work centres on leadership development, change management, strategy, and sustainability all through a systems lens. I love seeing that moment when a student realises that leadership isn’t about control but about connection. When they see their organisation as a living system, one that breathes, adapts, and grows, they start to lead differently. They become more reflective, more humane.

If my journey from Kenya to South Africa, from biology to systems thinking, and from ICU to renewed purpose has taught me anything, it’s this: we are all part of a living system, and when we learn to see those connections (in business, in life, in ourselves) we begin to lead from a place of wholeness.