Who is a leader? Would you say you are a leader?
Do not wait to lead until you are given the title “Leader”, “Manager”, “CEO.” Etc. Start leading now. Act.
Stop looking at the flow charts. Look at what needs to be done. Find solutions to the challenges of the time. What is not working? Who is not working? What is causing negative energy? And provide practical solutions. The cheaper the recommended solution, the more novel it is. All great leaders we know of took action. They did not just sit. They went out and made things happen. They were good at speaking to the hearts and not their brains!
There is no need for leadership in times of abundance. Any fool can easily navigate such times. That is why there are few, if any, history books that claim or talk about a leader who led with distinction through abundance and wealth. Never.
Mandela helped overcome apartheid. Gandhi confronted human rights abuses so was Martin Luther King Jr.
Leadership is about transforming others to thrive amid challenges and difficulties.
Look around you. What challenges do you see? Is it lack of teamwork? Is it lack of revenue? Is it increasing costs? Are the leaders so worried about business growth amid rising costs of doing business? Are bills not being paid on time? Are employees not happy? Are there resources that are idle which should be put underuse?
Do something about it. Be the change agent. Do not sit down and say “I told you.” That is not leadership. That is cowardice.
Take charge and start fixing things.
In this fourth industrial revolution (4th IR), change is happening so fast that leaders cannot afford to sit and wait. Times of being patient has gone. You must have a so bulletproof plan to afford the luxury of waiting for tomorrow what should be done today.
Are the costs waiting? What plans are there to keep the costs lower than revenues?
Great leaders emerge as they help to calm down tough times. They lead from the front. They are proactive. They think 10 years ahead when the rest is so focused on now. This is because great leaders would have already planned for now, such that by the time it arrives, everything is under control.
For this reason, we have a few leaders.
What are the top 3 qualities of someone you know and can call a great leader? Comment below.
Copyright Mustapha B Mugisa, 2019. All rights reserved.
