7 LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM AN EXPERT WILDLIFE TRACKER

What does it take to achieve leadership mastery? Renias Mhlongo shows the way …

Reading time: 2 mins

Wildlife tracker Renias Mhlongo is a unique person. He possess a skill set refined over a lifetime to rightly earn him the recognition as a true expert in his field.

But he also has unique human qualities too. And it’s the combination of these qualities together with his skills which places him in a league of his own.

I recently spent time with Renias in the field. My goal was to understand what leaders can learn from expert wildlife trackers.

This is what I discovered.

  1. He knows what he is good at.

Renias for example is brilliant at anticipating an animal’s direction. Knowing his strength is a big advantage. It helps him find the animal with minimal wasted effort.

Equally, he readily admits what he’s not good at and is quite happy for others to compensate for what he lacks.

  1. He loves what he does.

It’s so obvious when you are with him. This keeps him energised and engaged.

What I noticed is that he equally loves the work as much as he does finding the animal. He finds the process deeply rewarding. This is important because it keeps him going when times get tough. Whether it’s hot, cold or uncomfortable he just keeps going.

It is this perseverance which allows him to be more successful more often.

  1. He balances rational thought with creativity.

Renias has the wonderful ability to be both literal and imaginative at the same time. He is highly skilled at the detail and the big picture and zooms in and out of these two modes effortlessly.

It’s true creativity in action – interpreting the minutia but also fully zoned into the signals and information from the environment around him.

  1. He is constantly learning

Despite his experience Renias never believes that he’s arrived.

He is intensely curious and possesses an insatiable desire to know and understand more.

Losing the track does not derail him. It’s part of the process. An opportunity to learn and discover where the animal is going, what it’s doing and how to get back on track again.

  1. He radiates conviction and confidence

Renias is positive to a fault. He simply believes he will be successful.

This is contagious. It inspires confidence and strengthens the resolve of younger trackers.

It also creates safety. Even in dangerous situations –when the animal charges or shows aggression, he displays calmness and common sense throughout.

  1. He loves teaching others.

Renias is a patient, dedicated teacher … devoted to growing the next generation of wildlife trackers.

This means growing their skills. But also, filling them with confidence and exposing them directly to opportunity.

  1. He is humble.

This is a signature feature of his personality. He does not track to impress others.

His humility also means he has tremendous compassion and empathy for the animal  … and it allows him to ‘put the animal in his heart’, as he likes to say.

I was deeply inspired by my time with Renias.

Watch the video here

 

What would it take to achieve mastery in leadership I kept asking myself? 

This led me to the formulation of a few questions as a good place to start. 

Here they are …

  1. Do you know what you are good at and do you play to your strengths?
  2. Do you love what you do?
  3. Can you simplify complex things and bring other people along with you?
  4. Does your reward come from doing the work and not just what the work produces?
  5. Are you competent in both the detail and big picture thinking?
  6. Are you curious, constantly seeking new ways to learn and grow?
  7. Do your words and actions inspire hope and confidence?
  8. Do people feel safe around you?
  9. Are you actively growing the next generation of leaders?
  10. Do you have your own personal ego in check?

Download the 10 questions here

Good luck on your journey. Stay on the trail and keep tracking success.

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