The concept of collective leadership in organisational terms refers to:
mutual responsibility for proper running, guidance and overall leadership of an organisation in accordance with the stated principles. Collective leadership is a mechanism to ensure that the organisation moves in a cohesive and homogeneous manner in its struggle to convert its stated objectives into realistic and attainable goals. It is a tool to ensure that the organisation focuses on its mission with an atmosphere characterised by less or effectively no internal hurdles.
We can best apprehend the principle of collective leadership if we understand the concepts of an organisation and leadership. A political definition of an organisation is the coming together of people from different backgrounds, who share a particular ideological conviction and political perspectives and as such become organised in a formal movement to struggle for the realization of their shared objectives. Leadership simply means using whatever power is vested in one to influence; in revolutionary terms such influence should be to transform society for the better. It is within this context that it becomes an ethical and political obligation that binds every member at whatever level of an organisation to take responsibility for programmes that are geared towards the attainment of organisational objectives. This is what we mean by collective leadership.
Our inference should be that every member of the organisation is a leader in revolutionary terms as he/she does not only advocate the interests of an organisation he/she is affiliated to, but also represents the views of a particular class in society. The term responsibility is an integral feature of collective leadership, as leadership per se starts with a pledge by oneself to assume responsibility for actions that go along with it.
The six core principles of collective leadership
The principles mentioned here should not be seen as the "alpha and omega" of our reflections on the question of collective leadership, but be viewed as being central towards the conceptualization of this question. They are familiar concepts in the Mass Democratic Movement and we often refer to them in passing.
Organisational communication: Leaders in an organisation have a democratic obligation to account on their actions, to report on significant developments in order to ensure proper information flow within the organisation. This is important to ensure that members understand the political direction of the organisation and capacitates cadres to defend the movement. It is only when members are involved in shaping a particular perspective that they will go out to pioneer its implementation.
Communication should deliberately unite and organise people to remain mobilised. Lack of communication on the other hand, is damaging and dangerous to the well being of an organisation, because it brings about rumour mongering, disorientation and disgruntlement. It provides fertile ground for the counter revolutionary forces to operate within a movement, thus further polarizing it.
James and Grace Lee Boggs in their book entitled "Revolution and Evolution in the Twentieth Century" have this to say on leaders who undermine inputs from other comrades: "The idea of human being moving simultaneously like a school of fish with no ideas in their heads and without struggling among themselves over these ideas, actually provides the basis for a totalitarian dictator who manipulates people as masses, turning elections into plebiscites which deliver mandates to the leader". (Boggs, 1974, p.217)
Unitary leadership and cadreship: All of us in an organisation can possess leadership qualities. This is a good thing, as a revolutionary movement must contain a cream of leadership in all its layers. But there will be cadres who will through an election are entrusted with a responsibility to lead the organisation and thus deserve respect of all of us, no matter how intelligent we think we are as compared to the elected leadership. We must regard them as unitary figures in the organisation that help to bind the organisation together. Our duty as fellow cadres is to ensure that we strengthen their capacity in building organisational unity.
We can take a leaf from the constitutions of any organisation within the Tripartite alliance: a democratic constitution empowers the national leadership to be responsible for running the affairs of an organisation in between the Congresses. During the term of their office, the national leadership needs to act decisively on certain critical developments and thus it is not feasible nor in the interest of effective leadership to always seek mandate on whatever issue. Democratic centralism gives space for leaders to exercise creativity in their leadership.
However, respect given to leadership is not given, but must be earned. To this end the ethics of integrity are crucial towards the realisation of the latter. If we adhere to this principle we shall minimise and ultimately eradicate factionalism, groupings and the tendency for being other "comrade's comrades".
Organisational discipline: It indeed requires organisational discipline to understand the application of the principle of "democratic centralism".
Organisational discipline is above all a revolutionary obligation and the principle advocates adherence by every member. Organisational discipline ensures that members become loyal in defending and implementing decisions of the organisation. During discussions about particular issues some members might feel dissatisfied on a particular conclusion as supported by the majority, but once it becomes an organisational position, each and every member has a political obligation to rally behind it. The same applies even though some were not even part of the forum that decided on such a position.
All members have a duty to communicate and implement organisational decisions.
Organisational discipline also advocates that we have to raise issues constructively and internally. This principle is against seeking media gimmick and as once said by comrade Netshitenzhe on the issue of "false popularity". (Netshitenzhe, 2000). The notion here is that there is a large space in a revolutionary movement for us to raise differing opinions and thus rushing to raise issues in the media without first raising them internally is detrimental to the well being of our organisations.
Managing internal contradictions: The basic principle of collective leadership is cultivating a culture of open debates within an organisation.
Leaders must never be immune from criticism; they should be humble enough to listen to comments and opinions of other comrades. Every member of an organisation is responsible to level criticism that will assist in building the movement. It is only when we listen to each other's criticism that we shall move forward as a cohesive force that builds on its strength and seeks to improve on its weaknesses. Criticism and self-criticism is the way in which individuals who are united by common goals can consciously utilise their differences and their limitations, i.e., "the negatives in order to accelerate their positive advance." (Boggs, 1974, p. 133).
Cadres should continuously reflect upon themselves in a quest to improve on their revolutionary activities, as a necessary condition for positive criticisms from fellow comrades. Criticism reflects internal contradiction within an organisation. Internal contradictions are in themselves dialectical in nature. Revolution creates new basis for tension, new unities, which split again into dualities. In the dialectical process of development, opposite forces can be brought together in unity. (Bogg, 1974.p. 220-221). This theory should inform us whenever we manage contradictions within the Alliance.
Political education and revolutionary ethics: We should acknowledge that comrades do not grow at the same pace in terms of political maturity. The collective approach to the question of political education should be that comrades must never take an advantage of each other's weaknesses but instead complement each other. The COSAS slogan of "each one teach" one is pertinent to this issue. In this current conjuncture the question of knowledge and skills also play a crucial role. Comrades have a responsibility to share skills among each other; and we must all be willing to learn. At one stage SASCO converted its departments into "collectives" in order to encourage the spirit of comrades working with each other in a less hierarchical but complementary manner.
Coming to the question of ethics one needs to pose some controversial but equally important questions such as: Is there not a fast developing trend of comrades finding it somehow "boring" or de-motivated to discuss political issues? Is there also not a "paradigm shift" of comrades looking upon, treating and relating to each other according to material and social achievements?
Comrades have a responsibility to behave in a manner that portray revolutionary values, both within and outside the movement and to counsel and advise rather than mislead each other with corrupt practices.
Solidarity and Internationalism: One of the pillars that made us emerge victors against apartheid was solidarity both at a national and international level. Solidarity however is not the thing of the past; in fact it holds a key to winning the current global struggles. This is one principle that advocates for selflessness and sacrifice not only for visible and immediate day to day struggles within our vicinity but also for others remotely. It needs cadres to be aware of the global nature of the struggles so as to withstand cynical criticisms in the name of "charity begins at home". Comrades need to be educated that the struggle is integral and intertwined and therefore the liberation of others is one's liberation.
We should not deceive ourselves with an ambition to build a perfect revolutionary movement or cadre. We should not only acknowledge that comrades do not develop at an equal level but even that the human factor is also responsible for certain deliberate false ambitions and counter revolutionary tendencies. There is also an issue of faceless infiltrators who will always strive to bring polarity in the revolutionary movement. But as cadres of the movement we should always pledge to strive for political maturity that is informed by revolutionary principles.