Leading by God-fearing example

In the six years that Wouter Niehaus has been at the helm of the Namibian Private Schools Organisation (Napso), he has not lost sight of his maker, believing that his faith comes first, and the rest will be provided for.

“This is a fantastic season that the Lord brought over my life and that I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“I think the most important thing is the Lord. He tells us in the Bible to seek first his will and he will let the rest fall in place. That is exactly how it is,” said Niehaus.

He believes that true and meaningful leadership begins with the intentions of the leader.

“Everything goes back to the motives in your heart. If your motives for your people and your organisation are right and you only want the best for them, then you’re a good leader – whether you carry a badge or not. If you have this quality, you are a good leader – irrespective of your position,” he added.

Niehaus underlines that a leader’s willingness and ability to take a dose of their own medicine is cardinal to integral leadership.
“Lead by example. You cannot expect your people to do or say anything that you as leader wouldn’t do or haven’t done.”

Successes and dreams

The leader is proud of the organisation’s successes: “Every time I get to a Napso venue that a private school is hosting, I cannot believe what they dish up. To have Napso keep going after, and through, the pandemic is an absolute achievement. Every learner who takes part in a team and a festival is an absolute achievement. There are more achievements in Napso to mention. It happens every year and each one is incredible in itself,” he said.

Adversity is viewed as fuel to friendship and unity.

“I see challenges as a step to bring the schools, parents and learners closer together, because that is what challenges have always done for Napso,” said Niehaus.

The Covid-19 pandemic is one adversary that led to the organisations drive to give learners bigger, better and wider opportunities.

“We are hoping to give our learners more opportunities in the near future – especially outside of Namibia. The two years when learners were kept inside their homes have made us realise when we have the opportunity, we must make the best of those opportunities. We are working hard to give our teams the opportunity to participate in South Africa and, within the next two years, take them even farther to show their steel in the great, big world.”

Realities and the future

Despite the silver linings, Niehaus does not deny the losses.

“In the past 12 months, we have lost five Napso principals, so we all have to jump in to fill the gaps they have left behind – and those are big gaps. It’s the same for me. Currently, I am the CEO of Napso and of the Tsumeb Gymnasium. After the loss of Bakkies Grobbelaar, I also have to stand in as the principal of the school, but luckily, I have incredible staff, management and parents to assist,” he said.

Niehaus says the seeds of the organisation’s success was not planted by him, but he considers it an honour to carry forth the legacy of hard work and integrity.

“I could actually go back to what Danie Craven said. He believed that if something works, you don’t change it, you just refine it. That’s exactly what we are doing at Napso, because Napso works. Napso wouldn’t have existed for 28 years if it didn’t work,” he said.

Supporting the educators of tomorrow, is precisely what the organisation stands for.

“We went further and now have our own teachers’ training campus. The next generation of teachers can do their practical teaching while doing their Northwest University teaching degree. This is in line with what Napso has been doing the entire time,” he said.

With close to 30 years behind them, Niehaus says the organisation is on the right track.

“Napso doesn’t change much in its framework, because that is precisely Napso’s success – that we try to do what we do better every time we do it,” he said.