Nqobizitha Ndlovu
Leadership, for me, is personal.
My journey began with a deep commitment to helping communities discover sustainable solutions to the challenges they face. For over two decades, I’ve worked with leaders at every level—from grassroots organizers mobilizing their communities to senior executives steering multinational institutions through transformation.
As an ICF-accredited Executive/ Leadership Coach, I’ve supported:
- Patagonia leaders navigating the tension between growth and environmental mission
- WHO Regional Directors in Africa and Asia managing COVID-19 response complexity
- World Bank Directors working with Nigeria’s Ministries of Health and Finance, leading development programs in complex contexts
Across Africa and Asia, I serve as a confidential advisor to senior bureaucrats, supporting them to lead systemic reform, navigate political complexity, and drive policy change that matters.
My work with partners such as the Sabin Vaccine Institute, World Bank, Global Fund for Women, Grand Challenges Canada, Jhpiego, and Acumen has contributed to tangible outcomes—strategic reforms once thought impossible, leadership breakthroughs, and new organizational capacities.
What drives me is the belief that leadership is a practice, not a position. My work weaves together coaching, facilitation, and systems innovation to cultivate leadership that sustains people, organizations, and the planet.
What I Do:
I help leaders and organizations build adaptive capacity, navigate complexity, and lead systemic change through executive coaching, leadership development programs, and strategic advisory.
How I Work:
Through ICF-accredited executive coaching, adaptive leadership frameworks, and facilitation grounded in real-world systems practice. I integrate coaching with strategy and program design to create lasting organizational impact.
Selected Highlights & Projects
- Executive Coaching Programs: 1:1 coaching for senior leaders across Patagonia, UN, WHO, World Bank, Start-ups, and government clients navigating major transitions and complex stakeholder environments.
- COVID-19 Leadership Response: Coached 300+ community health workers and designed adaptive leadership training for WHO regional directors during the pandemic.
- Adaptive Leadership Programs: Designed and delivered workshops, fellowships, and Training-of-Trainers programs reaching 1,000+ participants globally.
- Organizational Capacity Building: Co-created leadership programs that increased adaptive capacity for Acumen, Rockefeller Foundation, Clean Energy Leadership Institute
- Flipped Fellowship Model: Created an innovative fellowship approach supporting grassroots leaders
- Strategic Partnerships: Led multi-year collaborations with Sabin Vaccine Institute, Women World Banking, Global Fund for Women, and Acumen.
- Government Advisory: Ongoing advisory to senior public officials across Africa and Asia on public sector reform and systems change.
- Entrepreneurship & Systems Work: Authored a blog series on adaptive leadership for entrepreneurs based on many years of coaching early-stage founders scaling social enterprises.
Speaking & Teaching
I speak on the issues shaping leadership and systems change in today’s VUCA world, using a practical, story-driven approach that connects across sectors and inspires action.
Speaking Topics Include:
- Adaptive Leadership: Navigating complexity without being overwhelmed
- Leading Through Uncertainty: Building adaptive capacity in turbulent times
- Systems Thinking for Social Impact
- Building Resilient Organizations
- Doing Business in Africa: Leadership and Opportunity
- Food Systems, Conservation, and Community Leadership
- Climate Innovation and Regenerative Systems
Whether keynote, panel, or interactive workshop, my sessions help audiences see systems, lead adaptively, and act with courage and purpose.
Focus Areas
- Climate innovation
- Regenerative Food systems
- Conservation
- Renewable energy
- Development Finance
- Public Health—with particular expertise across the Global South.
- Adaptive Leadership Facilitation
- Community Organizing & Public Narrative
- Adaptive Leadership™ Coaching
- Adaptive Leadership Facilitator Training
Relevant Credentials
- ICF-Accredited Executive Coach — International Coach Federation
- Acumen Global Fellow (Social Enterprise focus)
- MBA (Conservation Leadership) — African Leadership University, Rwanda
- Master of Management (Governance & Public Policy) — Wits Graduate School of Governance, South Africa
- Postgraduate Diploma in Management (Human Resources) — Wits Business School, South Africa
- BA Law & International Relations — University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Articles and Insights
Presencing Community
The adaptive challenge of our time We face what Eric Martin would call a profound adaptive challenge: how to create meaningful change in a world
Leveraging Innovative Partnerships for Systems Change
From Dialogue to Action One of the questions directed at me during a recent United Nations panel discussion was, “What have you learned from your
In Community
Bridging Humanity and Leadership Leadership is not merely about strategy, authority or efficiency, it’s about humanity. In a world increasingly defined by division, polarization and
Work With Me
If you’re looking to strengthen leadership, navigate complexity, or build partnerships that create lasting impact, I’d love to connect. Drop your details and lets start a conversation.