BETWEEN THE CHILD AND THE NOBLE - Decoding the Leadership Gap

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child... Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles... Ecclesiates 10:16

Whether in a country, city, church, company, community, club, collective, or wherever else people congregate, the world comprises FOUR categories of people. Belonging to any of these categories has nothing to do with age or position. It is a function of one's DISPOSITION. What determines the category you belong to is your mindset.

1. The CHILD - He can be described in various words. Immature. Easily distracted. Careless. Entitled and ungrateful. The world owes him everything but he owes the world nothing, or so he thinks.

He has no sense of responsibility or accountability. No initiative. Seeks attention by whining even if he would soon discard the thing for which he threw tantrums, because, for him, it was only about the attention. He is very good at making a mess for others to clean up. He is a consumer. He creates nothing but can scatter everything in the twinkle of an eye. A highly irritable and reactionary personality who hates to be provoked, the child talks more than he does.

The child is very uncomfortable with order/structure, believing that it is his birthright to act with impunity.

The ONLY God he worships is SELF. His favorite question is "What can I get from you?"

2. The ADOLESCENT

Fiercely independent. Thinks...alone

Lives...alone

Eats...alone

He believes that his life and how he lives it is nobody's business even when he relies on others to fund it. He wants to be independent, yet has no qualms making others his crutches. Detached from his environment, he creates his own bubble of a universe and lives in it. Motivated by visibility, recognition and accolades, making an impression supersedes making a difference. The faster the lane, the better. He dares heights for the rewards, not for impact, then splashes the rewards on transient pleasures. He succumbs easily to pressure and mental meltdown for lack of meaningful support systems, the consequence of his fantasy bubble castles. Ever full of dreams but short on responsibility. Even when given responsibility, he does not subscribe to accountability. Malleable, he is easily influenced because of his na?veté. His elephantine ego makes him an easy captive of sycophants. Highly opinionated, he will fight anyone to a standstill, who tries to challenge or oppose his take on any matter. For him, it is either "my way", or the highway! Whenever he wants to make a move, foolhardiness is the new adventure!

Adolescents elevate gratification above contribution. They are easily corruptible because to them, pleasure is purpose. Lingo is more important than execution. Impression is more important than impact.

Passionate, yet distracted. Energetic but dissipated. His favorite question is, "What can I do by myself and for myself, alone?"?"

3. The ADULT

He comes with the community-oriented disposition of your typical friendly neighbour and mobilizer. He recognizes that all of are always better than any one of us. He always defines his identity in community. So, he belongs to groups, unions, societies and anything that plants him in a team. He would do anything to be surrounded by family, friends and colleagues. He would fund an "a?? ?bí " lifestyle because of association with a group, even he has to bankrupt himself doing so. He will attend three parties in one weekend, each with its uniform. He will volunteer for boards, city council or anything that locates him in a collective. He wants resources allocated and distributed for the common good. A familiar face, he is everyone's friend, known more for his longevity, maturity and ubiquitous presence than his impact. Like a virus, he is everywhere, yet he is nowhere. Always working but hardly outstanding, active but not necessarily productive. Collective gauges are his measure of excellence and achievement. Everything about him follows popular opinion because it is a safe way to avoid rocking the boat

His favorite question is, "What can we do together?"

4. The LEADER

Visionary. Futuristic, he lives in pictures of the ideal. He subordinates process to destination. An avid student of his environment, what others call crisis, he translates to opportunities. He is never afraid to take initiative for the change he seeks.

Others conform. He transforms. Others analyze. He acts. Others see a problem. He takes responsibility for solving it.

He walks where angels fear to tread, taking on challenges that most would walk away from. He is a navigator who creates pathways where others call wilderness. He would rather fail than not trying. He would rather make mistakes than making nothing. He looks at his world not as it is, but as he would have it be. He chooses adventure over anonymity, embracing responsibility at every opportunity.

Like everyone else, he can identify the needs and problems of his society, but unlike everyone else, he is the ONE man or woman who steps up to the plate to DO something about it. Other people's problems are his raw materials for greatness. His laughter is inspired by the smiles he puts on others' lips. He shows his love for God in his service to men. He does not lead to be known but he is known for leading.

Sometimes misunderstood and maligned, criticized and even ostracized, he pursues no fame, boasts no accolades, barks no orders, seeks no position, pays for no recognitions, yet these things flow daily towards him. His nobility proceeds from his impact, not his pedigree. His reputation comes from his contribution, not his acquisition.

His guiding question is always, "What can I do for you?"

Don't evaluate others in your organization to know which of the four they are.

Rather, ask yourself,

"Which of the four am I?"

Remember, the sky is not your limit, God is!

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*"aso ebi" - uniform sewn by a group or collective for a social event/ceremony