A new leader for a new era ought to be the overriding cry in almost every sphere of leadership. Great leaders know how and when to pass the leadership baton in real time instead of moaning about how the newcomer stands to fail the system if the baton were passed. Such paranoiac misjudgment will under no circumstances advance the cause of the human race. A Stone Age mindset has limited capacity to function in the space age; this is a well established reality, which is indisputable.
In the field of athletics, an important equivalent to leadership succession is obtainable, notably from the relay exchange zone. This is the 20-metre stretch of marked track lane in which incoming and outgoing track members in a relay must pass the baton. It is this specified zone within which the exchange takes place and it constitutes a very important part of the race.
It is built on very strict and tight rules, which must be adhered to by every athlete. The competition is either won or lost at this point. The exchange is made with runners at full speed; this requires high levels of focus and intentionality and every effort should be made never to drop the baton.
A number of things are likely to take place at the exchange. Handing the baton too early before getting into the exchange zone leads to disqualification. The same applies to handing the baton long after the set zone. When this happens, the team breaching the rule is disqualified. Even if the baton is dropped on the last lap, the rule still stands: Disqualification ensues.
Holding the baton for too long leads to the team losing ground; such failure to observe the exchange zone means the baton is passed too late after which the baton holder has grown weary. The one who takes over almost certainly goes at the same reduced speed, which doesn’t inspire confidence and in turn leads to ultimate failure, not only of the individual team member, but the whole team.
Throwing the baton, probably out of frustration or to cover up lost ground, is not allowed. It is another basis for automatic disqualification.
The baton must be passed strategically; the responsibility lying with the oncoming runner to place the baton on the hand of the outgoing runner. On the same token, the outgoing runner should ready themselves to receive the baton while in motion to facilitate continuity.
The outgoing runner never looks back, but he has ample trust the oncoming athlete will hand over and at the right time. It is a dilemma if there is delay in handing over; the baton must be passed without fail.
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Sticking to the rule book is imperative at the point of exchange. The rule book entails not encroaching onto the lane of others. It is built upon the premise that when your lap is over, you hand over to the next.
It is not a relay if one runner keeps holding onto the baton and fails to hand over to the other awaiting their turn to contribute to the greater good of the team. It is against the rule book of a relay if the runner continues to run while holding the baton with others subsequently running alongside.
Don’t run a relay race alone; if your lap is over, pass the baton. Why should the whole team be disqualified because of your failure to pass the baton to the next person on line?
Talking continually about the baton and how it feels like to pass it on without engaging in the act of handing over is never going to help the team. It is pertinent that the team members be on the track; readying themselves to run their lap. It doesn’t matter the shape of the baton, the critical point is to pass it on.
No matter how good the athlete is, races are not won independently of others in the team. What’s critical for them is to play ball and hand over the baton. In the event that the incoming runner feels that they are so good and want to continue running because the outgoing runner isn’t good enough, such is never going to add value to the team. In such a case, disqualification is imminent. The leadership baton must be handed over from one runner to the other in a smooth transition. The ongoing leaders bring new energy and focus. They are coming in at strategic points where they urge the team towards the finish line. A great team with talented leaders can be defeated by an average team at the exchange zone. The handing-over is more critical than the decision to clutch onto the baton. This is the lesson that was mastered by the biblical Moses, who upon seeing that his time was up did the honourable thing of handing over the baton of leadership to Joshua.
In as much as he could have desired to go the full stretch into the Promised Land, he realised the importance of putting into effect this least understood concept of leadership.
The exchange zone in political, organisational, spiritual and secular leadership is as important as in a relay race.
Leadership transitions are actually more important than in the athletic arena. Failure in the field of athletics is limited to a few hours unlike in human leadership where the after effects of such delay, failure or disqualification entail negative impact to a whole generation. Transitions ought to be well managed if ever the team is to remain on top of its game.
It doesn’t pay dividends to crowd the track with runners who are never going to hold the baton probably because the person presently holding the baton refuses with the baton. Such leaders cease to be team players, but instead turn themselves into clowns in the eyes of spectators. Instead of encouraging and supporting such leaders, the followers end up laughing probably at the display of such lunacy.
The dilemma before us is one where the older leader asks the new leader to touch the baton and have a feel of it, but it’s never relinquished. An obsession and illusion is created of having the baton, culminating in the focus to getting it instead of covering the greater track lying ahead. Unfortunately, the race cannot proceed unless the baton holder offloads the selfish mindset and do the honourable thing of passing it on.
And this has to happen within the leadership exchange zone.
