—Systemic change begins with personal change—
As the inaugural Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), General William "Kip" Ward has a unique perspective of the challenges and issues facing African people as they aim to build strong, productive, and healthy communities.
While serving as Commander of the AFRICOM, General Ward established the nation's newest and most uniquely positioned interagency geographic command. The responsibility of the command was enormous. Comprised of staff representatives from State, Commerce, Treasury, Homeland Security, and other U.S. Cabinet departments and agencies, the command was responsible for all U.S. defense and security activities on the African continent and its island nations.
As a leader who was mission-focused and believed everyone had a part in that General Ward promoted the value of forging relationships, creating partnerships, engaging regional cooperation, and ensuring sustained security engagement in protecting and pursuing U.S. national interests.
Before he commanded AFRICOM, General Ward served in a number of different roles, including Deputy Commander of the United States European Command where he was responsible for the command's day-to-day activities. General Ward has had a distinguished career in the armed forces, commanding at every level from platoon to geographic command.
General Ward is a decorated combat veteran and master paratrooper who learned the importance of teamwork and supporting other members of the team to ensure every mission was completed. General Ward has been honored for his selfless service to his nation and continued efforts to protect America's interests at home and abroad.
At Africare, an NGO that works toward improving life quality for people in Africa, Ward is the Secretary of the organization's Board of Directors. Africare's core expertise include engaging local African communities, building infrastructure to facilitate a stronger sense of community, driving behavioral change within locals, and innovating public-private partnerships. The NGO has participated in and organized many programs in an effort to curb the AIDs epidemic, improve nutrition across the continent, ensure locals have clean drinking water, etc.
A retired General doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to. What he does, he's going to do for his reasons, not for trends or as a dilettante. Kip committed to a challenge many consider unreasonable and impossible (I know because they tell me): avoiding flying. As a General, he's held the fates of a nation and hundreds of thousands of troops in his hands. When he speaks about his experience, I hear him speaking at a life level. He spoke about his many opportunities to fly for business and pleasure, but not taking them. He could have. Besides his choice based on his motivation, he could have flown. He didn't. Yet he shares the opposite of complaints or feeling left out. How is that possible? He describes handling the commitment with his wife, his conferences, what he learned from the pandemic, how it connected to his legacy with the future, and how he made it work. Service He speaks about service and helping your team and teammates achieving more than they would. Is helping our communities not what we want to do regarding our shared environment? If we do our best and enable our peers to outperform their best, isn't that our best way to achieve the best results we can? We can't change the past, but we can do our best and help others do their best. Systemic change begins with personal transformation.
Kip Ward is a retired General who, among other things, was the first leader of the Africa Command. He shares his background so you can hear it from him. It's extensive, having served at every level of the army. I met him through previous guest Frances Hesselbein and watched a few videos in which he spoke of leadership, which I linked to below. He spoke of things I don't see in sustainability and environmental stewardship but work. I took away from those talks Addressing the conditions that led to a situation Good, effective governance through sustained efforts, which he contrasts with technology or authority Authority and force being the last option, despite it being what he was trained in to reach that level Understanding the society and people you want to lead. Their interests and views drive all you do. You have to know your team and goals, but theirs drive strategy. Get to know people and what matters to them. Listen. Do yourself what you expect them to do. I particularly like his commitment for reasons you'll understand when you hear it. Kip is choosing deliberately. I believe action by leaders helps others to follow.