The headlines during the past few weeks have focused on the idea of a leadership vacuum that stands to cripple our young democracy. Considering current events, this sentiment is likely to persist for a while. We all hope our economy will survive unscathed, however far-fetched this hope might seem now. I disagree with the idea that the country is facing a leadership vacuum.We are indeed at a stage where the behaviour and decisions of our elected officials and related business partners are driving us to lose confidence in their ability to lead effectively.But surely their actions are not representative of the pool of leadership capabilities on which our nation relies?Viewing leadership as being primarily driven by our political elect is risky because it narrows down our leadership capacity to being defined by a small subset of individuals.story_article_left1The leaders who shape us go far beyond this.One of the key benefits of living in a globally connected world is that we do not necessarily have to rely on our local leaders, as was the case in ancient times.Today, if you ask anyone to name the two or three leaders they look up to, the list typically includes international leaders, too.When we lack inspirational leadership locally, let us not be shy to fill the void with the inspirational global leaders from whom we are learning daily. There is no better time than the present for us to start appreciating the value of this.We do not even have to look that far. Consider what the administration of Rwanda has been able to achieve since the genocide in 1994 that wiped out 20% of the population.Decades later, they have turned around the country to such a point that theirs is now among the most efficient and admired developing economies worldwide.There is no vacuum when we still have the chance to learn from what such leaders are doing differently.The information age has also meant that we can continuously learn from the best leaders in history, irrespective of whether they are dead or alive. Their leadership lessons live on in numerous channels such as the internet and various archives.As an example, look at one of the best leaders this world has seen, former president Nelson Mandela. Even though he has passed away, his leadership lessons live on to inspire many around the world and will continue to do so for centuries to come.People should not see a vacuum when his teachings and his guidance are available for anyone hungry for them.block_quotes_start ...Let us not miss out on the opportunity to learn from all the leaders who have the potential to influence us - far more than those who dominate the headlines block_quotes_endIn fact, Mandela proved a very important point that we all need to remember: you do not have to be an elected official to be the source of leadership and guidance for a country. He was a leader who was able to effect significant change despite the fact that he was not part of the leading party at the time.We need to widen the spectrum of who we consider to be our leaders. Then we will realise that there is no vacuum.Some people are going into panic mode about how our youth is being affected by the current economic and political climate. The truth is that they are probably more influenced by the environments in which we raise them. Another example: if you ask successful people about those who have influenced them most, the answers often include references to their mothers or primary caregivers.This is where the heart of influential leadership lies.story_article_right2The expression "It takes a village to raise a child" is the cornerstone of our communities. There is a reason the expression refers to "a village" and not "elected officials". As such, there is no vacuum as long as we continue to strengthen and be guided by the individuals who keep our families and communities together.Instead of weakening community ties as we modernise our lives, we should be mindful of the fact that now is the time to nurture and strengthen those ties.When one is hungry for leadership guidance, even nature can be a source of inspiration. There are lessons there, too. One of my favourite leadership insights comes from a source as simple as ants. The saying is, "Go to the ant thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise." That is another source of insight, and there are trillions of ants out there.I am not at all claiming we should not hold our officials to account. We should. But let us not miss out on the opportunity to learn from all the leaders who have the potential to influence us - far more than those who dominate the headlines.zipho@ziphosikhakhane.comSikhakhane is an international speaker and an executive at Circle Food Group, with a business honours degree from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from Stanford University..