My reflection on leadership %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

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Leadership is about daily action and not just theory and conjecture. The most gifted leader is, however, one who does not shape only the present, but a good part of the future as well. Gifted leaders can see what others cannot see. And because they can see what is hidden from others, they are usually misunderstood. In the long run, the success of what they do usually do end up justifying them. Remember, they can hear a distant drum, so their dance steps are usually different from that of others.

A leader must be transparent and genuine. People should be able to see through those leading them. Nigeria is in a dire need of transparent leaders. A true leader too must be accessible. People should be able to access those leading them. Of what good is a leader that is inaccessible? A few years ago, I met with a youngman—who told me that he could not access someone he told me was leading him. There are too far many people who are experiencing this problem today. Are you a leader and you are not accessible? Kindly change your leadership culture and become accessible and easy to get to. If people cannot access you, it means you are not leading them. People should be able to touch and sit with their leaders.

Leadership is about strength of mind, self-confidence, far-sightedness and good judgment. For the umpteenth time, when it comes to true leadership, it is what you see that you’d get. There is no pretense. A true leader’s life is an open book. Also, a true leader is not translucent. They do not hide anything from those following them. Also, a leader should be able to see beyond the present into the future and be skillful enough to galvanize those within his or her circle of influence to see what he or she is seeing and jointly realize it.

In the same vein, true excellence is when you propose an idea that may be good, but does not necessarily gain everybody’s immediate approval, and you have to overcome obstacles to implement it. This cannot be accomplished through ordinary vision, but requires a leader who is ahead of his time and looks to the future; one who does not only dream, but has a true vision and follows the right development path—a leader who will lead his people to a better future.

If the vision is clear as water, a leader does not stop what he or she is doing just because those who are not seeing—eye to eye with him or her are criticizing him or her. The question is, is what you are doing going to impact positively on the future even if the people alive today misunderstand you? If yes, please, move on. Do not stop. Be deaf to public opinions. Those who ended up impacting positively on the planet-earth were once criticized and misunderstood, but today, they are widely celebrated.

A great leader should avail himself of brilliant and gleaming opportunities whenever he can—and if he is not able to find such opportunities, he should make them. Leaders do not only explore opportunities that already exist, they create new ones. Over the years, I have had to create and construct some opportunities when I could not find them kicking and breathing already. This is what leaders—who know their onions do. Leaders create opportunities for those following them.

Additionally, a leader may be able to foresee something no one else can. This is one of the qualities that make true leaders. They must always look forward, further than anyone else, in order to anticipate the future, predict the challenges it will bring, and prepare those following their leadership to face them. Leaders cannot just sit idly by and say that they do not know what will happen in the future, because if leaders let events shape our future, they could dictate a scenario that those who have been called to lead do not want; and if we let others make our future, they will give us the future they want and not one that we envisage.

When leaders have the ability to foresee the future—as well as the road leading to it—they are the best people to fulfill its promise. However, if we fail for any reason, we must relinquish and hand over leadership to others more capable of realizing the vision. As leaders, it is our job to plan, endeavor, innovate and do our best to reach set goals, and then let God do the rest.

Leaders must have the ability to lead from the front, to take the initiative and tell those following him, “this is our target, so follow me to it.” Leaders do not just give orders to get the job done; they lead others to get the job done. True leaders are not autocratic. True leaders are servants. They do not look clean while others get their hands dirty while getting the job done.

A leader must give his people’s interest top priority, embody their aspirations and meet their needs. In Nigeria, we need this type of leaders. We need leaders who give people’s interest top priority. These breeds of leaders are not self-centered. They are others-centric. They are not in power for what they can give, but they are in power for what they can give. Until this type of leaders emerges, Nigeria would not be able to get out of the woods of poverty and corruption.

Lastly, a leader should be able to meet any crisis head-on, face the difficulties preventing him from reaching his targets and remove any obstacles impeding the way to success. Leaders are dogged fighters. And they do not give up till they win. No obstacles can stop them. No situations and circumstances in a nation can stop them. Economic harshness and callousness cannot stop them. They have been built to be able to endure to the end, the end being success, significance and greatness.

See you where great leaders are found.

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