There is a leader within everybody. This truth is easy to comprehend when you realize that leadership is not so much about what you are as it is who you are. So leadership consciousness begins with a discovery of who you are, the gifts within you and your spatial location in the grand scheme of things around your sphere of influence. Simply put, leadership is using the things that make you who you are to exercise dominion within the space where you are.
A child who discovers his artistic talent early can exercise leadership over adults within that space when it comes to the artistic display of his talents, gifts and skills. So you are not a leader because you are older neither are you a leader because you occupy a position of authority. Even a professor leading a class in learning a specific subject could be led by a student in that class in advancing the course to which he originally introduced the student.
Although you are a leader and will always lead, you are also a follower that need to always be willing to follow. The best of leaders are first best at following, then they may appear to ‘rebel’ when they discover themselves and determine that there is another way to get things done.
But my focus is on the sacrifice of leadership. Leadership entails sacrifice and a leader who is not ready to make sacrifices is not ready to lead. Leadership costs and it could cost you everything and anything that is important to you. The first thing it does is put you on the spotlight. Think about any leader. They are all somehow in this spotlight and everybody observes and evaluates, and did I say ‘judge’ them.
When you discover and begin to roll with who you are and the leader within you begins to manifest, you will be in the spotlight and people will judge you. Unfortunately the judgments will not always be fair and just. How you handle those dissenting opinions determine even more how far you could go as a leader and what becomes of your leadership.
Everybody has right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression but sometimes we question a leader’s right to self expression and under the pressure of conformity and fear of being massacred by the press, leaders also take the path of least resistance. This ought not always so to be. But leaders are first humans and humans like to get maximum results with minimum input howbeit it sacrifice.
But the sacrifice of leadership on the family is a big deal to me. Space will not permit me to do justice to it now but we will get back to it sometime.
When you understand the call to leadership, the drive for leadership, the grace for leadership and the force of leadership you appreciate why and how leadership drives a leader in the way of sacrifice. Great leaders make great sacrifices both in the immediate and in the distant future.
They are not so much worried about the cost and sacrifice of leadership as they are encouraged about the benefit and fruits of their leadership, some of which may not be felt or appreciated until long after they have passed. Again think about any great leader that readily comes to your mind.
May the leader within you gain consciousness, speed and direction today. Muchas gracias
Mezie Okolo, Pharmacist, Author, Public Health and Leadership Analyst
12/06/2019