Hello, Transform360 community!
In November 2025, the eyes of the world were all looking to South Africa as we hosted the world leaders at G20. Motorcades swept through our Johannesburg, and the air was thick with high-level diplomacy. But beneath the fanfare and the photo opportunities, a different conversation was happening amongst South Africans - what do we do when leadership is missing?
We often look at these grand stages and assume the people at the podiums have all the answers. Yet, if recent years have taught us anything, it is that titles do not equate to effectiveness. We have seen global paralysis on climate change, hesitant responses to economic instability, and local challenges that seem to persist despite endless indabas.
The G20 gathering was a mirror. It reflected the state of leadership globally and locally. For you, the middle manager steering a team through the day-to-day reality of South African business, this summit was a masterclass. I hope you paid attention! It showed us that waiting for a "savior" at the top is a flawed strategy. Leadership happens in the middle, right where you are sitting.
This post explores what the G20 dynamic taught us about influence, collaboration, and resilience, and why your role as a middle manager is more critical now than ever before.
The Vacuum of Leadership
When we talk about the "absence of leadership," we aren't just criticizing politicians. We are talking about a systemic hesitation to make tough calls. In many organizations, this manifests as a "wait and see" culture.
The G20 struggles with this. Twenty voices, all with different agendas, trying to agree on a single path forward. Sound familiar? This is the daily reality for a middle manager. You are caught between the strategic directives of the C-suite and the operational realities of your team.
When executive leadership is absent or unclear—much like when global superpowers reach a stalemate—the vacuum must be filled. In a corporate setting, if you don't step up, stagnation sets in. Teams lose morale, projects drift, and productivity plummets.
Lesson 1: Collaboration Over Ego
The G20 is, in theory, the ultimate exercise in collaboration. It brings together diverse economies—from the established powers of the G7 to the emerging markets of the Global South. The only way they achieve anything is by finding common ground amidst wildly different priorities.
For a middle manager in South Africa, the lesson is clear: Silos are the enemy of progress.
We work in a diverse business landscape. You might be managing a team with vastly different cultural backgrounds, languages, and generations.
- Build Bridges: Just as diplomats work the corridors to build consensus, you need to work across departments. Do not just stick to your lane.
- Active Listening: The most effective leaders at these summits aren't the loudest speakers; they are the ones who understand what the other side needs. Listen to your team’s frustrations and your peers' challenges.
- Common Goals: Remind your team why they are doing the work. Alignment creates momentum.
Lesson 2: Decisive Action in Uncertainty
Global summits are notorious for producing long declarations but little immediate action. This hesitation is often born out of uncertainty. Leaders are afraid to make the wrong move, so they make no move at all.
In the South African business context—where we deal with currency volatility, infrastructure challenges, and shifting regulations—uncertainty is the only guarantee. You do not have the luxury of waiting for perfect conditions.
The 70% Rule
The Marines have a concept often cited in management theory: if you have 70% of the information and are 70% confident, act. Waiting for 100% certainty usually means you are too late.
- Make the Call: If a project is stalled because of a minor detail, make a decision to unblock it.
- Own the Outcome: If you are wrong, pivot quickly. Your team respects a manager who tries and adjusts more than one who is paralyzed by fear.
- Shield Your Team: Your decisiveness provides a safety net for your staff. It allows them to focus on execution rather than worrying about the "what ifs."
Lesson 3: Resilience is a Team Sport
South Africa is hosting this summit because we are a key player in the global conversation, representing African resilience and potential. We are a country that knows how to bounce back.
Resilience is about adapting and endurance. At the G20, nations support each other through trade agreements and mutual aid. No economy stands entirely alone.
As a manager, you cannot carry the burden of resilience alone. You need to foster a resilient culture within your team.
- Psychological Safety: Create an environment where team members can admit mistakes without fear of retribution. This is how teams learn and bounce back faster.
- Celebrate Small Wins: When the macro environment is tough (like high inflation or load shedding), focus on micro-victories. Did you meet a deadline? Did a client give positive feedback? Celebrate it.
- Resourcefulness: South African managers are masters of "making a plan." Encourage your team to find creative solutions to resource constraints rather than using them as excuses.
Leading from the Middle
It is easy to look at the motorcades in Sandton and feel small. It is easy to think, "I'm just a middle manager; I don't have the power to change the economy."
But that thinking is wrong.
The grand declarations made at the G20 will mean nothing without implementation. Who implements strategy? Who hires and trains the talent? Who ensures the product gets to the customer? You do.
Your Leadership Matters
Do not wait for permission to lead. The absence of leadership on the world stage is a call to action for the rest of us.
We need leaders who are present, decisive, and empathetic. We need managers who can translate high-level strategy into daily action. We need you to show up for your team, stable in this volatile world.
Do not wait for the "perfect" economic climate.
Stepping Into 2026 With Intention
As this year winds down, it’s tempting to look outward and wait for signs that things will get easier. But 2025 has shown us—again—that clarity doesn’t come from the world. It comes from the people willing to lead within it.
If there’s a thread of hope for 2026, it’s this: leadership is shifting into the hands of those who choose to show up. Those who collaborate rather than compete. Those who act when others hesitate. Those who build resilient teams, not through pressure, but through presence.
Your influence—steady, local, human—is where transformation begins. And if you want to strengthen that foundation for the year ahead, we’d love to support you in preparing your leaders for what’s coming.
If you're planning leadership development for 2026, or want to explore a customised journey for your teams, you can reach David directly here:
📩 Email David: david@transform360.co.za
Here’s to a year ahead shaped shaped by those willing to lead through it.
Best wishes to you.
The Transform360 Team
PS - We'd love to hear how 2025 was for you - hit reply and tell us.
