The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has launched The Human Heart of Leadership, a poetry anthology that reveals the deeply human and vulnerable side of leadership. The collection brings together powerful verses that explore authenticity, empathy, and resilience, offering readers a fresh perspective on what it truly means to lead with heart.

The collective, under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi launched this week an anthology of 33 poems that they penned, titled ‘The Human Heart of Leadership’.

The launch, which took place at the Auckland Park Kingsway Library showcased the anthology and the art pieces that had been created to accompany the poems. After the short formal proceedings giving context to the project, the artwork was auctioned off in a silent auction.

Prof Mpedi shared that this moment of artistic expression by the collective was borne by a team building exercise.

“I am over the moon with where this project has gone. It started off as an idea. We had an ELG breakaway session where we had a team building exercise facilitated by Nicholas Jannie an internationally renowned senior leadership coach, where he said we should write poems about our leadership journeys. It was amazing how the members of ELG embraced this idea and gave it their all. It would have been a serious waste if these poems were recited on the day, discussed in the session and then discarded. We then realised it would be a good idea to put them into this anthology,” Prof Mpedi said.

He added that he then approached Professor Federico Freschi, executive dean of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA) to assist with putting together the anthology. Prof Freschi then assumed the role of editor for the anthology.

“Prof Freschi took on the challenge gracefully and went above and beyond the call of duty to bring this anthology to life. He worked with sensitivity and efficiency putting this anthology together. People [the ELG] shared their hearts in these poems, and Prof Freschi acknowledged and respected that in his process”.

Prof Freschi shared that this project had evolved from being a task in a session, to becoming a beautiful celebration of leadership.

“None of us came to the session that morning thinking that our poems would ever see the light of day!” Prof Freschi shared with a laugh. “I must say it has been such a wonderful process to work through the poems. The poetry is organised along themes in the anthology and some of them overlap thematically. What you can’t miss however with these poems is an honesty and an authenticity in them, that cannot be faked, especially given the circumstances under which these poems were produced. They have a sincerity about them, and a collective message that speaks to the desire the group has to see the University succeed. I have enjoyed seeing the people behind the leadership roles shine through in these poems,” he said.

FADA’s Department of Communication (Graphic) Design was roped in to illustrate the poems. Head of Department, Christa van Zyl, shared that they then roped in the Honours in Design students to assist with illustrating the 33 poems.

“The dean sent a request to my department after the team building, which took place around October 2024. He requested that my students, colleagues and I look at the poems, illustrate for each poem and that we then lay out the book.  I hosted a one-day illustration workshop with the Honours class of 2024, where my colleagues and I  participated in the workshop and utilised a number of materials and techniques such as collage, acrylics etc. After we had all the images of 33 poems, I then spent my June 2025 vacation laying out the book and it was then sent over to UJ Press that published the book,” Van Zyl explained.

Van Zyl briefly described the several themes that the poems were divided into: “The poems are divided into themes, which are: Origins and Foundation, which speaks to who the executives view themselves as, In a life of leadership explores their tricks of the trade, but also delves a little into the stresses that come with the roles, Journeys and Horizons, maps out their individual leadership journeys, Relationships and Connection, looks at what they want to give from their areas as leaders, Leadership and Legacy, talks about what happens in the day-to-day and what picture they want to someday leave behind,” she said.

Van Zyl added that from brief, to finalization, the project took them around nine months.

Much to the excitement of the group, the poetry was displayed, and individuals matched their artworks to their poems. They then had the opportunity to buy their artworks in a silent auction, another activity that was quite vibrant. Proceeds of the purchased artwork went to assisting needy students through the FADA dean’s Bursary programme.