Manqoba Mngqithi: A position is the lowest point of leadership

Following significant changes in the technical team during the off-season at Chloorkop, with Steve Komphela returning and Romain Folz also appointed “assistant coach”, Mngqithi left reporters bemused with his response on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking at the launch of the MTN8, the 53-year-old insisted that how he was addressed in public was not important. 

"We must move away from this obsession of positions guys. This is killing our country in many ways – positions are not the most important thing," said Mngqithi.

"In my opinion, a position is the lowest point of leadership. What is more important is the level of influence in everything you do, and I'm never a fan of positions and I'm never perturbed when I see all this.

"Because I liken it – in our country we've got different positions and names, and maybe tomorrow I will also get a new position and we will get so excited and incensed sometimes.

"But positions usually, for me... The work has not started, according to some writers, they say the first thing you have to worry about as a leader is the permission – do you get permission to lead from those you lead? 

"And the permission you will only get if a person believes, as a leader, you possess the qualities of leadership, which is your intellectual capacity, your selflessness, your trustworthiness, sternness, and all these other qualities that makes somebody say, 'I'm happy to be led by this guy.

"But this position thing is not the most important thing."

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