Why I Din't Become The Leader You Wanted Me To Be
Having been asked hundreds of questions with regards to why I didn't go for a position as a student council member, I decided to write this for as many who would care to read. This article is not restricted to just myself alone, it goes down to everyone who has doubts about things to do, places to go, relationships to build and maybe like me, positions to hold.
Looking from my stand, I understand that this is a question of self-leadership. Where ever you are in life now, you drove yourself there. You hold the steering of your life, like my Chancellor will say, "You are absolutely responsible for the outcome of your life". The decisions we take in life have the power to either make us or mar us.
There are 7 things everyone should consider before taking up any position in life, as a leader.
1) Vision:
Myles Munroe said "When the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable". The first question to ask yourself is what's my vision in life. Many don't know this, so therefore, this leads to misuse of skills, talent and self. To point out the importance of vision, here is what the Bible has to say in Habakkuk 2: 2. "And the LORD answered me, and said, write the VISION, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it". That's a pointer that everyone should have a vision of their own. Most people make the mistake of personalizing a group vision or community vision. Your school vision is not your vision it's the school's vision. Your church vision is not your vision, it's the church's vision. So here is what I want you to know, get back to whatever you have written down and check if what is there aligns with what is available or being offered.
2) Function:
The Author of the Book 'You don't need a Title to Be a Leader' said Influence and inspiration comes from the person not the position. One of the few things I have learnt being a business student is that, what makes a business venture grow is not the number of staffs available in a business, but it's the right staff occupying the right position that makes the business grow. Before taking any position, ask yourself will I be able to function? Function means to be effective and efficient. You can be effective and not be efficient but you can't be efficient and not effective. Remember, one major way to test a leader, it's by the result he or she produces.
3) Passion:
Fela Durotoye stated "Leaders take the lead when there is a need". So before you jump into any position, ask yourself, is there a need that needs to be solved. A week ago, I was having a conversation with a friend and here is what I told her "A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position". The moment you understand that passion drives you farther than position ever will, the bigger your influence will grow. One major thing you need to understand is that you can lead from where you are. All you need is passion.
4) Communication:
It is true that good communication skill is a prerequisite at every level of leadership. Everyone who intends to be a positional leader must ask him/her self can I communicate with my followers effectively. As a positional leader, you can't do much without having a good communication skill. You must know how to deliver your message in a clear and concise manner. Below are some of the ways leaders communicate
Others tell……..Leaders Sell.
Others Impress……..Leaders Influence.
Others try to be heard…....Leaders strive to be understood
Others explain……Leaders energize
Others inform…….Leaders Inspire
Others rely on facts…....Leaders tell stories.
5) Service:
The task of every leader is to take the people from where they are to where they want to be. The best way to do this is by being a servant leader. The truth is, anyone who is too big to serve is too small to lead. If you really want to lead, then service is not an option. For you to go far as a leader, you need to ask yourself this question "Will I be a serving leader or a self-serving leader" If you check that question, you will find out that either way you will be serving. It's a question of who will you serve when you take up that position, yourself or others. So clearly you can see that "it's one thing to be of service to yourself and it's another thing to be of service to others"
6) Example:
My mentor, Dr. Olumuyiwa Oludayo once told me "To be a leader, you have to say what you do and do what you say because leadership is measured by the distance between your lips and your life". If you are not going to do what you tell others to do, then don't become their leader. A true leader doesn't say do as I say, A true leader says do as I do. As a leader you need to "walk your talk" that is to say, do everything the way you want it to be done. Be the first to do the things you want your followers to do. John who is a leadership expert puts it this way "A leader is one who knows the way, show the way, and goes the way"
7) Legacy
The final question I want to ask you is what will your legacy be? True leaders do things for the future not the present. In my believe, everyone who aspires to take up a position must be willing to consistently make a deposition of value. Your legacy is what remains when you are long gone. Friends, true leadership not really about what you achieved, it’s about what you gave. I like the way Mark puts it "The marks we leave in life are most times not in stones and steels, history or politics, or poetry and literature, but in the lives of other people".
Conclusion
In the world we live in today, we have many rulers and very few leaders because many have failed to consider these factors before taking up positions. Friends, it's wise for you to know that to be a leader you don't need a position, but even when there is an available position, it will do you good to consider all 7 factors before embracing any position. Let me end by saying "If you don't know where you are going, everywhere and every position will look like it".
?Ekere Goodluck
Co-Founder and Editor in Chief, CREF Media
President, CUBASA.