INTRODUCTION:
Leadership is one of the most misunderstood words in this universe. Because virtually every one of us under the sun believes he knows what leadership means and also what it is all about. I always place LEADERSHIP and LOVE at the same bag because love like leadership means different thing to different people. These two words are like that proverbial elephant felt by six blind men.
These six men have different thing this elephant mean to them all based on which part of the elephant they were able to lay hold on. Many time people say what they fill or think about leadership or love all based on their own “private” experience or experience of someone they assume they know very well.
What I have done over the years anytime I am invited to speak on LOVE is to first tell my audience that love is not a noun but a verb, I also dare tell them that love is not a place but a journey without destination. You know this always sound ridiculous to my audience especially the young ones who think they have arrived because they have found the “love” of their life.
Most shockingly to me, recently I also discovered that Leadership is not also a noun but a verb and leadership is not a place but also a journey without destination. Because I have found out that leadership is not about “just” what you do but a combination of who you are and what you do.
Leadership like love is a journey every living human is consciously or unconsciously engaged in. It is not important if you know it or not. All of us even the new born are already engaged in one form of leadership or another. Yes! That is true.
Leadership is one of the most misunderstood words in this universe. Because virtually every one of us under the sun believes he knows what leadership means and also what it is all about. I always place LEADERSHIP and LOVE at the same bag because love like leadership means different thing to different people. These two words are like that proverbial elephant felt by six blind men.
These six men have different thing this elephant mean to them all based on which part of the elephant they were able to lay hold on. Many time people say what they fill or think about leadership or love all based on their own “private” experience or experience of someone they assume they know very well.
What I have done over the years anytime I am invited to speak on LOVE is to first tell my audience that love is not a noun but a verb, I also dare tell them that love is not a place but a journey without destination. You know this always sound ridiculous to my audience especially the young ones who think they have arrived because they have found the “love” of their life.
Most shockingly to me, recently I also discovered that Leadership is not also a noun but a verb and leadership is not a place but also a journey without destination. Because I have found out that leadership is not about “just” what you do but a combination of who you are and what you do.
Leadership like love is a journey every living human is consciously or unconsciously engaged in. It is not important if you know it or not. All of us even the new born are already engaged in one form of leadership or another. Yes! That is true.
One other thing I Onuigwe Chidi Sirnoel always tell my audience especially when I am in leadership or mentoring class is; “there are three persons looking up to you, wanting to be like you, love the way you dress or the way you talk etc.” And because you don’t know them you must have to mind the way you walk or talk so that you do not hurt someone unknowingly.
In this write up I will attempt to make some positive impression on your leadership mind and life. I am not saying that I have the monopoly of knowledge when it comes to leadership but I want to inspire you through this piece to cross the boundary of “just” what you do into the land of who you are.
Follow me slowly.
WHO IS A LEADER?
Sometimes dictionary definitions of things are shot of what their real meaning are or should be. Therefore I am not going to quote any dictionary in defining the word “Leader”
1. I will define a leader as someone that LEADS people or someone that have INFLUENCE on some persons either voluntarily or by force.
2. I can also define a leader as someone whom others have CHOSEN to lead them or someone that was by promotion has AUTHORITY of leading others.
3. I will also define a leader as someone whom people TRUST enough to COMMIT their future, goal, life and destiny into his hand.
4. You should also know that a leader is that person who has the COURAGE to take people from where they are to where they should be not necessarily where they want to go or be.
5. A leader is that woman who has the PATIENCE to GUIDE others into their destiny.
Now if you look at my definitions which I am sure it is not very different from what you already know or have in mind; you will discover there are words that are in upper case (Capital Letters). They are; Lead, influence, chosen, authority, trust, commit, patience and guide.
These words are what make someone a leader. And these words are also the life style of a leader. That is why I told you earlier on that leadership is not just what you do but who you are.
Sometimes dictionary definitions of things are shot of what their real meaning are or should be. Therefore I am not going to quote any dictionary in defining the word “Leader”
1. I will define a leader as someone that LEADS people or someone that have INFLUENCE on some persons either voluntarily or by force.
2. I can also define a leader as someone whom others have CHOSEN to lead them or someone that was by promotion has AUTHORITY of leading others.
3. I will also define a leader as someone whom people TRUST enough to COMMIT their future, goal, life and destiny into his hand.
4. You should also know that a leader is that person who has the COURAGE to take people from where they are to where they should be not necessarily where they want to go or be.
5. A leader is that woman who has the PATIENCE to GUIDE others into their destiny.
Now if you look at my definitions which I am sure it is not very different from what you already know or have in mind; you will discover there are words that are in upper case (Capital Letters). They are; Lead, influence, chosen, authority, trust, commit, patience and guide.
These words are what make someone a leader. And these words are also the life style of a leader. That is why I told you earlier on that leadership is not just what you do but who you are.
Follow me slowly as we explore the Art and Act of LEADERSHIP this month of June…
Image credit: www.cmu.edu
Image credit: www.cmu.edu
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