THE LEADER

by Matthew Ujah-Peter

God did not design us to dominate one another. We were designed to relate and connect with one another for mutual benefits. The earlier a leader realises this, the better. In every unit of human societies such as the family unit, communities, institutions or organisations, someone or a group of persons from within the unit have to be at the hem of its affairs. Somebody has to do some things on behalf of the people. This is what is called leadership.

The leader serves the purpose of his people. The aspirations of his people are his inspirations. The fact that he has access to resources is not a sign that he is richer than the people. He is given the access to those resources on trust. The access is on trust and the resources are the people’s wealth. That he has more security than other people only shows he is a common concern of the people. He is the people’s asset and needs protection. Those instruments of protection, such as driving in convoy, etc, must not become tools of terror to the people in his hands.

When a leader begins to have personal agenda in leadership endeavours, he ceases from being a leader. When he begins to take advantage of his people’s ignorance, weakness, or trust, he is through as a leader. He has become a ruler, or may be a tyrant. To sustain his evil agenda, he will lie; he will defraud his people and surely he will oppress them. This begins usually as little adjustment here and there, followed by traces of lies, half truths and total withdrawal of important information.

Many leaders who turned out this way may not have started out with such intentions. But when faced with the challenges and the vicissitudes of the game of leadership the temptation to bend the rule will present itself. Some may chose to blend in with popular smart leadership moves and ideologies that say it is not everything that the led should know about. And the circle of secrecy that leads to deception is formed. Of course, the led must not know everything. In fact there are some whose minds are not trained or matured enough to handle certain information. And it is the duty of the leader to draw the line of difference. But in drawing the line, honesty, sincerity and probity must   play their full roles.

The leader must connect with his people. The people are not privileged to have him as their leader. Rather, he is privileged to serve them. He is part of them, after all. If his heart is not beating along with the hearts of his people, he is not qualified to serve them. The following, in my view, are the things that show he is a true leader. These, among other things, are the signs he is truly serving his people:

He identifies with his people’s pains, concerns, goals, aspirations and struggles.

He knows their strengths and weaknesses. He encourages the strong and inspires the weak.

He provides responsibilities and opportunities for his people to serve with him.

He gives them the platforms and chance to grow, thrive and succeed in their own dreams.

He challenges them to prove their own strengths, skills and supports.

He inspires courage, unity and tenacity in his people.

He keeps communication lines open between himself and his people – he listens to them.

He surrounds himself with the best brains in the land, as well as visionaries like himself.

He accepts corrections. He admits mistakes. He accepts his humanity. He knows he is not a deity.

He rewards excellence, heroism and punishes deviants and villains.

He is a believer of and a champion at making sacrifices for common good.

He is a man of his own words. He is also an orator whose words forge his men into an army of winners.

In conclusion, I would like to insist emphatically, that leadership begins from the heart. It is a burden of the heart and energized by the leader’s heart beats. The intelligence of the leader will fly as far and as high as his passion and compassion power it. Leadership is a heart cry. Let those whose hearts are not burdened for their people stay home.

MAXIMUM RESPECT!.