Leaders

Leaders, are they born or are they created?

just the other day my class re-elected the class com and while I led the whole process, I could not help but remind them that 1) the loudest voice is not necessary the right one 2) in a similar fashion, being the majority does not make the majority right either. This is probably the problem with many societies today which have revered and adopted the democractic system. We are led to believe or assume that the majority's voice is the most important. Yet how many are driven by the herd mentality while not forgetting peer pressure etc. How many truly understand the whole situation to make an informed decision? How many are driven by personal interest rather than group interest? 
This is why it takes a great leader/hero to be able to stand out and do what may not be the most popular decision yet is the right one. It may ruffle some feathers but if your intention was based on care and compassion for others as a whole, you may trust that the decision will sink in and resonate. That will be the reason why the leader will be trusted - trusted to take care of the team. At times, a great leader will put the group's interest first but follows up to manage individuals' unique needs.

That is why it takes moral courage to take the lead. The courage to face the rise and fall, the courage to say I am sorry and learn, and to forgive others and oneself. A leader is nothing without his/her followers.  You can be a great leader but a bunch of ungrateful followers will undermine your leadership. So don't be too hard on yourself either. Be brave to take the fall but don't be afraid to pick yourself up and move on.


Yet, be careful, a leader is not solely about championing some cause for the team. It also a delicate work of managing relationship within the team and with other groups. This diplomatic skill can differentiate one leader from another. In the school context, how a student leader choose to interact with the teachers speak volumes. Has he/she ever consider the standpoint of the teachers? Or is he/she making some indignant demands?

Why this post? I found myself thinking/talkin about the lack of such sparks in school when I had seen and known some students of the past who were excellent leaders. No, I wasn't complaining. I was simply expressing a disappointment in knowing how far the students can go if only we stretch them further, trusting them to take the fall and pick themselves up again, wiser and more confident. There is much potential for development.  I trust them.

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With references to group 4 day, we ask ourselves when we form our groups - do we think about those around us who could do with some support, are usually oversighted? Or do we form group that primarily take care of our personal interests? How do we strike a balance?