"I am because we are." The Ubuntu idea from southern Africa sees people as shaped by their relationships with others. For decades it has been discussed as an African way of leading. A new study asked how well it travels.
Renier Steyn and his colleagues surveyed employees in South Africa and the United Kingdom. They asked how much Ubuntu leadership employees saw in their managers, and how satisfied, committed and well they felt at work. First, the team made sure the questions meant the same thing in both countries.
Two results stood out. South African managers showed clearly more Ubuntu leadership than managers in the UK, which fits the idea that Ubuntu is more at home in its African setting.
The second result surprised the researchers. They had expected Ubuntu leadership to matter more to employees in South Africa. In fact, its link to satisfaction, commitment and well-being was just as strong in Britain.
The authors conclude that Ubuntu leadership works well beyond South Africa. Its principles, they write, reach past their cultural roots and are just as relevant elsewhere.
Earlier, Mzamo Mangaliso described Ubuntu as a real advantage for companies, rich in compassion and a sense of community.
Sources
Steyn, R., et al. (2026). Ubuntu leadership across cultures: A comparative study of its prevalence and outcomes in South Africa and the United Kingdom. Journal of African Business. https://doi.org/10.1080/15228916.2026.2670888
Mangaliso, M. P. (2001). Building competitive advantage from ubuntu: Management lessons from South Africa. Academy of Management Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.2001.5229453