Why Choosing Leadership Without Titles May Forthwith Be the Best Strategy
In the recent past, two pertinent questions have come into play. The first one is; can a single person have or embrace all the documented qualities of a good leader? Secondly, what is the alternative to failing to embrace the leadership character? These questions arose in the last few weeks during some management/leadership programs that I was conducting both locally and outside.
Though the concerns could easily be discarded, they may nonetheless be related to recent enthusiasm and demands on leadership skills as well as character, in varying situations. Seemingly, the questions need to be of concern to us now more than ever before. Why so?
Even before interrogating the effects of the national budget to our personal situations, we have been made aware of some depressing news. One would hope that the government’s annual loss of about KES 400,000 billion through sleaze could be a fallacy rather than a fact. Further, we would also hope that the loss of more than KES 1 billion through internally driven frauds in the banking industry, as we were informed a few weeks ago, is a pigment of imagination.
More still, one would hope that donors will lose steam and stop claiming refunds from the government, of some close to KES 400 million lost through project implementation scams. But, why bother with matters that affect institutions and therefore not discomforting to our personal situations?
Notably, increased attempts of compliance with requirements of our 2010 constitution have sadly brought misery to some people. Haven’t they? Many jobs have slipped through numerous fingers, especially on account of the past history of some of the candidates.
Conversely, prospective candidates have upon personal assessments out-rightly avoided applying for the high profile public jobs. Others have been stopped from ascending to respective positions, through the interventions of those who know their character more deeply.
Certainly, these issues are cause for concern by those affected. It should be of even greater concern to those still building their careers, and aspiring for top positions in the future. In that regard, the need for assuming leadership competences and character may never be underestimated any more. In the past, leadership has been equated with politics, a situation that puts some people completely off balance. But now matters, are taking different turns as new trends continue taking shape.
Even, as the world becomes smaller, the occurrences beyond borders can no longer be viewed as independent or isolated. The same affect us one way or the other. Free ivory trade in China and other eastern countries for example, poses a major threat to our tourism industry.
Of great concern, is that our people cannot resist the flooring of innocent elephants and rhinos to extract their highly demanded tasks. Similarly, people have in the past been enslaved by the societal values and trends. It was a matter of doing what everybody is doing, even when it was not in the best interests of our societies or institutions. And why not?
Largely, it has been survival for the fittest, whatever it takes as has been variously observed in the past. But now, as the institutions feel the impact of our actions, we may no longer take their tribulations for granted. The law is slowly tightening its grip on the envisaged constitutional order that we unanimously agreed upon.
This law is bound to protect not only individuals, but also the un-natural persons whose interests we may not always have been fully committed to safeguarding. Besides, has authority including financial accountability not been delegated to the recently introduced county governments? Should leadership skills and attitudes therefore not be of greater personal and national concern, more than ever before?
Naturally, waiting for the law to continue taking its cause may no longer be viable. So, why wait anymore for what may be predictable? Actually, embracing leadership character is all it takes to be on the safe side. It is all about choosing to be responsible, careful, fair and trustworthy amongst other attributes. Luckily, these aspects of leadership character are easily within reach.
Anybody willing can easily choose to abide by them starting even now. Undoubtedly, taking up these attributes yields leaders even in the absence of titles. Will titles and offices follow thereafter?
Most probably yes, since there may be no risk of rejection anywhere. In any case, emerging opportunities and responsibilities in our national institutions continue demanding for people of impeccable leadership character. So, why not continually treat strategizing for the inevitable opportunities as a way of life?
The Writer Specializes in Business/Organizational Strategy & Change Management Solutions as well as Organizational Transformation largely inspired by high impact Capacity Building Training Solutions and our unique Business Leadership and Performance Management Training/Employee re-branding solutions. Through Newtimes Business Solutions, he also conducts high impact Strategy Workshops and Motivational Seminars. Further, he is a Veteran Company of the Year Award Consultant for KIM as well as a former Daily Newspaper and Business Magazine Columnist.