DEEP THOUGHTS

Not Everyone Is A Leader, But Everyone Is The Leader

As confusing as it may seem, every word of it is true. If you can understand that in whatever position you are in life, you have so much influence as those leading you, then you would have understood the true meaning of being a leader and stop feeling inadequate or incomplete about yourself. Big corporations with their teeming number of employees always have brilliant, intelligent, creative people in charge, but all these qualities will be for nothing without the skills and expertise of their staff who are indirectly leaders in their specialty. This is why it is very important here to stress the meaning and importance of being a leader so as not to fall prey to those who have myopic opinion about it.

According to Wikipedia, being a leader means defining and exhibiting moral and ethical courage and setting an example for everyone. It helps you teach leadership skills to your employees who will then help do the “heavy lifting” of moving the company from where it is today to where it needs to be in the future. This definition stress on qualities, not positions. It is centered on attitude of every individual. It is not limited to specific people even within an organization neither does it hit on control of another individual. It summarizes a leader as someone whose attributes are a model to others.

Since the beginning of time, man was created to dominate circumstances, challenges and creation. He was never created to dominate his fellow man, rather they were expected overcome various difficulties together no matter their social status. If therefore, you are in charge of a group of people and you think that as a leader, you should control them instead of motivating them, then you are doomed to fail from the start.  

A leader is not a dictator, but a co-ordinator, he is an organizer, not the unquestionable Delphi oracle. A leader assembled the expertise of others to achieve a common goal because of their expertise and leadership in their respective fields. Infact, a leader should henceforth be defined as one who ensures that all other leaders’ efforts have been maximized for collective benefit.

Wherever you are and in whatever situation you find yourself, you are a leader. If the person in charge doesn’t see it, make them see it with your sincere dedication and commitment. A leader is not a coward, so don’t be one and most importantly, a leader must have the quality of contentment not covetousness, he is expected to be ambitious, but not greedy. This is why when you follow people who present opportunities that are mathematically possible, but realistically impossible, you become greedy and covetous: two quality a leader must shun.

If you have a goal to start something, all well and good, but don’t follow people who encourage others to be independent all in the name of “you are a leader” and yet they cant pinpoint their source of income or outline any tangible achievement. They are not role models.

You are a leader in your place of work or anywhere you find yourself, whether you are in charge or not. The work you do makes you a leader because if you were not able to do it, there will be a breakdown in maximum result. Therefore don’t degrade your skill, it is what makes you a leading consultant in that area. It is what sets you apart. 

Jilams Odigwe is an enthusiastic writer who borders the line between a realist and optimist. His love for art is fluid, which makes Bon vivant of some sort...

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