From Problems to Possibilities: A new leadership conversation for Zimbabwean organisations

By Paul Nyausaru

Across Zimbabwe’s corporate boardrooms, public institutions, NGOs and SMEs, one leadership pattern is deeply entrenched: meetings are dominated by problems.

Declining revenue.
Low productivity.
Staff disengagement.
Policy non-compliance.
Resistance to change.

Leaders gather to analyse what is not working, to diagnose weaknesses and to correct deficiencies. While this approach may appear responsible, it often leaves organisations trapped in cycles of frustration, blame and fatigue. Over time, the culture becomes problem-saturated.

Yet in a national context where resilience, innovation and adaptability have been repeatedly demonstrated, one must ask: are we overlooking the strengths that already exist within our institutions?

A growing body of global leadership practice suggests that sustainable transformation does not begin with what is broken, but with what is working. This philosophy is rooted in Appreciative Inquiry, a strengths-based approach to organisational change developed by David Cooperrider.

At its core, Appreciative Inquiry proposes a simple but powerful idea: organisations move in the direction of the questions they repeatedly ask.

If leaders constantly ask, “Why are we failing?” they cultivate anxiety and defensiveness. If they ask, “When have we been at our best?” they ignite ownership and possibility.

This is not about ignoring challenges. Zimbabwean organisations face real pressures — economic volatility, skills migration, resource constraints and rapid technological shifts. However, focusing exclusively on problems can narrow thinking and drain morale. When leadership attention is fixed only on deficits, the narrative of decline becomes self-reinforcing.

Appreciative Inquiry offers a different starting point. Instead of beginning with fault-finding, leaders identify moments of excellence within their organisation’s history. When did teams collaborate effectively? When did customer satisfaction peak? When did innovation emerge despite limited resources? By studying these high points, organisations uncover the conditions that enabled success — and then intentionally design systems to replicate them.

The approach follows what is known as the 5D cycle: Define, Discover, Dream, Design and Destiny. Leaders define the focus area, discover existing strengths, dream collectively about future possibilities, design aligned systems, and commit to action. It is structured, strategic and practical.

In the Zimbabwean context, this approach resonates deeply with our cultural philosophy of community and shared identity. Many of our organisations thrive not because of perfect systems, but because of relational trust, informal collaboration and collective resilience. These are assets that often go unrecognised in formal management frameworks.

Consider a typical performance review conversation. It often begins with gaps: missed targets, behavioural concerns, policy deviations. Now imagine a different opening: “Tell me about a time this year when you felt most effective and engaged in your work.” The tone changes. The employee becomes reflective rather than defensive. The conversation shifts from correction to growth.

This reframing is particularly relevant for Human Resources and Organisational Development practitioners. Too often, HR is seen as the department of compliance and discipline. Yet HR can play a far more strategic role — as cultivators of capability and stewards of culture. By embedding appreciative questions into recruitment, leadership development, team interventions and strategic planning, HR can help reposition organisations from survival mode to growth orientation.

Zimbabwean businesses have repeatedly demonstrated ingenuity under pressure. From entrepreneurs who pivot in challenging markets to institutions that sustain operations despite limited resources, stories of excellence are abundant. The challenge is that these stories are rarely studied with the same rigour as problems.

Leadership, at its essence, is the management of attention. What leaders consistently highlight becomes amplified. When mistakes are spotlighted, fear increases. When strengths are recognised, confidence grows. When possibility is articulated, people move toward it.

Reframing leadership from problems to possibilities does not require large budgets or complex restructuring. It begins with intentional questioning. In the next management meeting, instead of asking only what went wrong, ask what went right. Instead of analysing why engagement is low, explore when engagement was high and why.

Such small shifts can have profound cultural impact.

As Zimbabwe continues to navigate economic and social transformation, our organisations will require more than technical competence. They will require leaders capable of inspiring hope grounded in evidence, mobilising collective intelligence, and building on what already works.

The future of leadership in Zimbabwe may not lie in fixing what is broken alone, but in amplifying what is strong.

When we shift the conversation from problems to possibilities, we do more than change language. We change energy. And when energy shifts, performance follows.