SPoTLIGHT

by Tafadzwa Gambiza

We caught up with Takudzwa Masapa, a NUST Architecture student who is defying odds with 3 books already in his name. The following is the conversation between Tafadzwa Gambiza (Q), Spotlight writer and Takudzwa Masapa (A).

Q:: What is an author and when does one start calling himself or herself an author? Does one need to acquire certain merits?
A:: An author is a creator; writing art is creation. So an author is one who has created a written art. One can call himself/herself an author when they have created written art. Merits might come with the quality of your work, but being a creator alone earns you the title.

Q:: You are not yet even 23 but you already have 2 books on the market. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
A:: I draw my inspiration from the Holy Spirit, sage teachings and personal experiences. Of course, John C. Maxwell is also a great inspiration whose books have aided to the spreading of my message.

Q:: As someone who has a background in Technical Graphics how did you venture into writing?
A :: Technical Graphics doesn’t help you to become a writer, but it also doesn’t stop you from becoming one. Just like any other creative activity, you need to put in the hard work. I was never really a good writer, but I had a fresh message inside of me so I started taking writing seriously in 2016. I kept on writing until I became better at it. It’s the desire to inspire generations that fueled my writing.

Q:: We have just lost an amazing author, Patson Dzamara, may his soul rest in peace….from your own view how did he shape the industry ?
A:: As a Leadership Author, I looked up to Dr Patson Dzamara, he was one of the Best Leadership gurus. I’d say he shaped the industry by providing a platform for the development of people into various leadership roles by authoring books such as “The Leadership Door” and “Dimensional Leadership”

Q:: Do authors in Zimbabwe make a leaving out of writing ?
A:: To a lesser extent they do. I believe it’s a matter of branding your name first before anything else. I’ve noticed that people buy books authored by the people they know.

Q:: Are authors getting enough support?
A:: Support is also a matter of who knows you and the quality of work you deliver. Generally, in Zimbabwe the support is not as expected.

Takudzwa’s book “Your Guide to Elite Leadership”

Q:: Take us through your first book, “Your Guide to Elite Leadership”.
A:: YOUR GUIDE TO ELITE LEADERSHIP is an investment to self. It’s a guide to becoming an excellent leader. The contents inside the book prove that anyone can lead but it takes application of the right formula at the right time. The book seeks mainly to tackle the most daring questions.
What does it mean to be a GREAT leader? How do great leaders know when to lead and when to step back? Where and who should you learn from in order to develop Great Leadership skills? Is pain part of leadership?

Q:: Why did you venture into writing about leadership and not maybe about art since you are also an artist
A:: My love for the subject and also the realization that without leadership skills there is nothing you can do because everything around you is in need of a LEADER. Inspired by John C. Maxwell, I’d always tell my friends that I’m gonna be the Zimbabwean John Maxwell. Reading his books from “Developing the Leader Within You” to “The Leaders Greatest Return”, contributed to the knowledge and love I have on the subject of leadership.

Q:: You are a young man of many talents. How would one define Takudzwa Masapa?
A:: Takudzwa Masapa is a young man who has a burning desire to make a difference in the lives of many. His passion in life is to grow and equip others so that they become remarkable and lead significant fulfilled lives. He is results-oriented and is currently pursuing a degree in architecture at the National University of Science and Technology.

Takudzwa’s second book “Whosoever Wants to be Great”

Q:: Your second book dubbed “WHOSOEVER WANTS TO BE GREAT” is another leadership book. Take us through it.
A:: “WHOSOEVER WANTS TO BE GREAT” is a ground breaking volume which is holistic in that it doesn’t focus on only getting the leader educated but also on getting the follower corrected. The book itself is a correction to the misconception of leadership and advocates for LEADERSHIP that is inspired from FOLLOWERSHIP. Basically, the book displays wisdom on the concept of Followership which I believe is the only way greatness is birthed on the journey of LEADERSHIP.

Q:: Thank you very much for sparing time to talk to us. How can people get your books?
A:: People can get in touch with me on my social media Handles:
Facebook – Takudzwa Masapa
Instagram – @takudzwa_masapa
Twitter – @Takudzwa Masapa
We deliver anywhere in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

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