With the different political debates and the presidential hopefuls we might just get caught up in the politics and neglect the leadership qualities. In this day and age leadership seems to be about the stage and less of the quality of the leader. There are a few things we need to consider when selecting a leader which we tend to forget in the hype of politics. It is not that hard to see who makes a good leader, when we track their record we will see the qualities that they had and what makes them into a leader. A political candidate should not just be a person who appears on stage but should be a person that people can relate to their leadership qualities.
1. Brings people together
An easy one to forget is that a leader has a way of creating a beautiful rainbow out of the country’s citizens in the same way Nelson Mandela did with South Africa. Countries are now so diverse that they all have different races and tribes in them which is inevitable. A good Leader is able to bring people together. A dictator or a bad leader chooses one race or ethnicity and the result is never the best for the world , just look at Hitler and his pure race agenda. The fact is there are 7 billion of us and we have to get along. We might not have equity but we are equal. Naturally everyone wants sovereignty but how you get it is what differentiates a good Leader from a bad one. Wars don’t start over night they start from small incidences that eventually become issues over time.
2. Creates leaders not puppets
A good leader is able to let other leaders lead. Being able to groom people to take over when the leader is no there and even when the leader is there is an important key to being a leader in any situation. Many people try to make leadership their personal property such that the position that they have feels as if its their own. A sign of a good leader is the ability to create new leaders and not puppets. Leadership is not a personal property to any one person, it is a opportunity for service.
3. Sets an Example
The other thing about bad leadership today is when a person says one thing but doing something else. When you are a leader everyone is watching you, and expecting to learn from you. Leadership creates a standard, in the absence of a standard then one is not a leader. The moment it appears that you do not live as you preach then what you say becomes hypocrisy. A good leader is exemplary and shows the way to others. Never do the opposite of what you say unless if there are very good reasons which can be explained.
4. Is accountable and responsible
Being a leader means being able to take responsibility for what needs to be done and when it goes right or wrong the leader must still be accountable for it. As a leader you can choose your battles but you cannot choose your accountability if it is in your space. So with some sections, a leader will accept responsibility of the outcome for the good and refuse accountability for the bad, this is not leadership. In the absence of accountability, leadership becomes just an aggression.
5. Serves before being served
A good leader serves before being served. The thought of leadership should not be about making money or assuming power. It should be about improving people’s lives and showing them a direction they may not have been aware of. Too many leaders are looking for power yet they should be looking to serve. Respect and loyalty cannot be demanded from followers, in the presence of service the followers will respect the leader, in the absence of service the followers will lose respect for the leader. Leadership is not defined by the title or the position of the person, it is defined by the service that you give. It’s not about serving the crown but about the the crown serving the people.
Also read 5 Leadership lessons from the Life of Mandela
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