One of the major and critical challenges of the future – with regard to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) – is ensuring the requisite leadership for the mining industry, says University of Pretoria (UP) mining engineering department head Professor Ronny Webber-Youngman.
As a result, several leadership initiatives for the mining industry are currently under way at the university, with Webber-Youngman adding that the institution believes the “current twentieth century leadership theory is largely redundant or inappropriate for the twenty-first century.”
Webber-Youngman explains that the philosophy of the programme is to expose students to experiential situations, which should teach them intrapersonal and interpersonal skills.
Recognising the challenges graduates face when transitioning from students to progressing to future managers and leaders, the department incorporated ‘softer skills’ to its educational offering.
“We realised that our students are generally well educated in technical knowledge, but often lack self-awareness, communication skills and the ability to work in multidisciplinary settings and groups.”
Consequently, the department now hosts the UP-Mining Engineering Leadership Academy, which seeks to expose final-year students to these essentials before entering industry. Psychometric assessments and real-life case studies are used among other techniques to “hone well-rounded leadership habits”.
The second need the department saw fit to address was the fact that twenty-first-century leaders would have to adapt to a new set of skills required to be successful in the 4IR. “The leadership theory from the previous century is two-dimensional and aimed at achieving a work/people interface,” he explains, adding that the leadership development programme at the department is “designed to go beyond these theories”.
The vehicle to accomplish this new journey is the 4.0D Leadership Model, developed by senior researcher Dr Johann Uys and incorporated in the Murray and Roberts Research Chair in Industry Leadership 4.0. The development of the model was greatly assisted and guided by Webber-Youngman.
UP’s 4IR programme is conducted with the collaboration of the Murray and Roberts’ Mining Engineering Leadership Academy for Students (M&R MELA).
“The Academy grooms young and emerging leaders in line with the fourth-dimensional model.”
Webber-Youngman adds that the M&R MELA has been expanded to include other sectors as well. “All industry leadership development programmes are designed in the context of the 4.0D Leadership Model and aligned to organisational specific needs and requirements. The programmes are stratified in levels of complexity and are relevant and appropriate to participants’ roles in their respective organisations.”
Additionally, from this year onwards, five postgraduate students – four honours and one postgraduate doctoral degree student – will be conducting research projects with specific reference to leadership in 4IR and its related challenges, specifically those pertaining to the adoption of new technology in the mining industry.
Lastly, the department has also expanded the final year students’ Mine Design curriculum to incorporate certain leadership aspects of the 4.0D Leadership Model.
Webber-Youngman concludes that this will expand student’s exposure to leadership on an experiential and practical application level, as part of their industry and career preparation.