Empowerment promotes engagement and mobilisation of aspiration. It allows maximal utilisation of all qualities, skills and experience brought by members of any group. The result of such empowerment and utilisation is an incredible increase in the effective sounding of the group note and the ability to ‘make a positive difference’ in world affairs. In his book The Soul of Politics Jim Wallis says,

“Real social change is not just about great leaders, it’s about releasing the aspirations of millions of people. The truly great leaders know that they are servants of ordinary people and of the God of history.” (3)

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has always seen herself in the role of servant leader. Nelson Mandela would begin his first speech in Cape Town with the words: ‘I stand before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people.’ (4) And in front of a crowded stadium at his first Soweto rally, he would declare, ‘I am more convinced than ever before, it is not kings and generals who change history. It is the masses of the people.’ (5)

While South African people were to prove him right, their empowerment could only have been achieved alongside and as a product of an empowered, humble and ‘servant-oriented’ governance group.

“It is empowered and empowering leadership which inspires a group to greatness, mobilising as it does the aspirations or ‘higher needs’ of group members. All true leaders or governance groups have a two-way relation with the group they lead, and this engagement produces transformation in both leader and led.” (6)