What does being a good leader mean to you? Join Mpume-Ncube-Daka as she chats candidly with Dr Thembi Xulu, CEO of South African National AIDS Council.
Dr. Thembi Xulu, a Medical doctor, and a public health professional by training. She holds a diploma in obstetrics and another one in HIV/AIDS medicine, this was driven by the love that HIV shouldn’t be transferred to unborn babies by their mothers. She studied for a Master’s in public health and management. She joined the board of directors at the age of 30, and she went to the Institute of Directors to equip herself. She is a special kind of Dr who is skilled in governance in the non-profit sector. She is currently the CEO of the South African National AIDS Council, as well as the Chairperson of the South Africa Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism.
Our conversation today is around leadership and for Dr. Thembi leadership is a blessing that was given to her and allows her to build, grow and create other leaders. This means she has to create an environment that enables others to emerge as leaders by being able to express ideas that are explored in the best interest of the organisation. For her, leadership means being clear on roles and goals and ensuring that her team is confident to express their ideas in a safe space where they know they are protected and covered by her. Dr. T also shares that furthermore, leadership for her also means that as much as she may be clear of where her and the team are headed, she can’t be too rigid in how she approaches things, thus she will make changes along the way as best as she could to the benefit of all involved.
