Concepts of Leadership

The concept of leadership is not just an academic study, It is the critical need of our time. It is the fist step to redefining the future of our communities, our nation and the world system as we know it. As John Maxwell so rightly puts it, "Everything rises and falls on leadership."

One does not have to be a great visionary to see ahead to the valueless destination the ANC and the DA led coalition of morally corrupt parties wish to take to. And if our future rises on falls on leaders, then we have to ask ourselves - what is it we should really be looking for?

When we can with honesty define leadership, with integrity challenge those who are supposed to be our leaders but fail the measure, we will begin to set a new path and a new direction for ourselves.

In this era of relative values and political correctness it has been quietly ignored and yet it is probably the most critical study of our time. We continuously elect people at random because we have no standard from which to measure.

And leadership CAN be measured. As much as we would define a car as having 4 wheels, and engine etc. In the same way a leader has certain characteristics. If we remove one wheel from a car - it is no longer a car - it is a tricycle. Everyone knows this. You can perhaps remove the roof and have a convertible. But once you remove the essentials or too many defining factors it is no longer a car. Remove another wheel and you have a motorbike. Remove the engine and you have a bicycle.

And we need to recognise when there are too many character traits lacking in a person - when they are no longer a leader - and have the courage to tell them - "I will no longer follow you.

But what are the defining points of leadership - real leadership

A Broad definition
Leadership is the combination of Character, Skills and Knowledge that makes you a person others want to follow in confidence and common purpose, in doing the right thing at the right time, for the right reasons.

Leadership is not position but a way of life
A true leader, does not only hold a position in the workplace, politics etc, but acts as a leader in every sphere of his or her life, including family, community and church. A true leader will always impact on every situation, but position holders can only impact their own hierarchical protected environment.

Position does not imply you are a leader, but a leader will almost always get a position

Leaders are made not born
There is no character trait, leadership skill, nor knowledge required, that cannot be developed or learnt by anyone. Leadership by birth rather implies position by birth such as our own tribal system or that of monarchies such as England. Prince Charles no doubt holds a position, as does King Mswati of Swaziland but any serious scholar must soberly assess whether these individuals are indeed leaders.
Their lifestyles, decisions made and contribution to society and a nation as a whole clearly appraises them as individuals who, without protected privilege or rights by descendancy would be considered an average failure.

Leadership vs Management
In asking the key questions of management, Leadership focuses more on why, what and when whereas management focuses on how and who

Leaders do the right thing – Managers do things right
Leaders initiate and managers manage the process that has been initiated. The one undoubtedly needs the other, but in essence, managers would have nothing to manage if leaders had not set a path before them.

Leadership is not about measured by results, but by what the results are.
Hitler, Stalin and Mugabe are but a few of histories recorded despots who achieved results but mankind has paid the price for what their results were. Verwoerd successfully brought about apartheid, and Karl Marx successfully eroded common societal structural values. History clearly judges the damage they have brought about and we have to therefore

Knowledge is a tool of a leader, not the mark of one
Dr Wouter Basson, was a man of position as well as great knowledge, By common definition, he was a leader. If we are to remain true to the real leaders of our time and history, we have to however separate men such as he from true leadership. He used his knowledge to uphold the apartheid system and earned himself the nickname Dr Death.

Skills and knowledge can bring you to leadership but character will keep you there.
The headlines confirm this fact. Famous evangelist caught with a prostitute, ex mayor of East London involved in shady deals, top officials or councilors drunken driving and even our own (hopefully not) future president embroiled in corruption allegations and sordid kanga, sex and showers affairs.

Character and integrity will ensure that power and position do not corrupt you, sway you from your path, and protect you from destroying yourself and therefore the trust of those around you.

No integrity, no character – no leader