Few to lead

By STEVEN WINDUO
HAPPY New Year 2017!
It takes a special kind of person to be a leader.
What makes a good leader? What makes a bad leader? Answers vary with different people based on their values and experiences.
We can use many rulers to measure a leader and what he/she ought to be.
There are moral and ethical rulers to measure a leader with. There are also modern and traditional rules that define the type of leadership a society wants of its citizens. Many of us aspire to be leaders in our lives, but it takes few to lead and the rest to follow.
Napoleon Hill lists 11 characteristics of a good leadership, which challenges us to rethink ourselves as leaders and followers: (1) Unwavering courage based upon the knowledge of self and of one’s occupation. No follower wishes to be dominated by a leader who lacks self-confidence and courage; (2) A person who cannot control himself/herself can never control others. Self-control sets a mighty example for one’s followers, which the more intelligent will emulate; (3) Without a sense of fairness and justice, no leader can command and retain the respect of his/her followers; (4) The person who wavers in his/her decisions, shows that he/she is not sure of him/herself, cannot lead others successfully; (5) The successful leader must plan his/her work, and work with his/her plans. A leader, who moves by guesswork, without practical, definite plans, is comparable to a ship without a rudder. Sooner of later he/she will land on the rocks.
The next six elements measure the quality of one’s leadership: (6) The habit of doing more than paid for: One of the penalties of leadership is the necessity of willingness, upon which the part of the leader, to do more than he/she requires of his/her followers; (7) No slovenly, careless person can become a successful leader. Leadership calls for respect; (8) Sympathy and understanding are qualities that leaders are expected to have. The successful leader must be in sympathy with his/her followers; (9) A leader must master the details of his/her position; (10) The successful leader must be willing to assume responsibility for the mistakes and the shortcomings of his/her followers. If he/she tries to shift this responsibility, he/she will not remain the leader; (11) The successful leader must understand and apply the principle of cooperative effort and be able to induce his/her followers to do the same. Leadership calls for power, and power calls for cooperation.
Leadership is designed to bring the best out of a person to lead other equally intelligent human beings towards common goals. Failure in leadership is the result of the following elements, according to Napoleon Hill’s principles: (1) Efficient leadership calls for ability to organise and to master details.
No genuine leader is ever “too busy” to do anything which may be required of him/her in his/her capacity as leader. When a man, whether he/she is a leader or follower, admits that he/she is “too busy” to change his/her plans, or to give attention to any emergency, he/she admits to his/her inefficiency; (2) Truly great leaders are willing, when occasion demands, to perform any sort of labour, which they would ask another to perform. “The greatest among ye shall be the servant of all” is a truth, which all able leaders observe and respect.
A common failure is the expectation of pay for what they “know” instead of what they do with that which they know, according to Napoleon Hill. The world does not pay men for that which they “know.” It pays them for what they do, or induce others to do.
The fear of competition from followers leads to failure in leadership: “The leader who fears that one of his followers may take his position is practically sure to realise that fear sooner or later. The able leader trains understudies to whom he may delegate, at will, any of the details of his position. Only in this way may a leader multiply himself and prepare himself to be at many places, and give attention to many things at one time.”
Lack of imagination is number five on this leadership failure list: Without imagination, the leader is incapable of meeting emergencies, and of creating plans by which to guide his/her followers efficiently.
Selfishness is number six on the list: The leader who claims all the honour for the work of his followers is sure to be met by resentment. The really great leader claims none of the honors. He/she is contented to see the honors, when there are any, go to his/her followers, because he/she knows that most men work harder for commendation and recognition than they will for money alone.
When followers do not respect an intemperate leader disaster strikes. Moreover, intemperance in any of its various forms, destroys the endurance and the vitality of all who indulge in it.
Disloyalty leads to a failed leadership: The leader who is not loyal to his/her trust, and to his/her associates, those above him/her, and those below him/her, cannot long maintain his/her leadership. Disloyalty marks one as being less than the dust of the earth, and brings down on one’s head the contempt he/she deserves.
The emphasis of the “authority” of leadership is problematic. The efficient leader leads by encouraging, and not by trying to instill fear in the hearts of his followers. The leader who tries to impress his followers with his “authority” comes within the category of leadership through force. If a leader is a real leader, he will have no need to advertise that fact except by his conduct—his sympathy, understanding, fairness, and a demonstration that he knows his job.
Finally, the competent leader requires no “title” to give him the respect of his followers. The man who makes too much over his title generally has little else to emphasize. The doors to the office of the real leader are open to all who wish to enter, and his working quarters are free from formality or ostentation.