Times Of Swaziland: MALE LEADERSHIP

MALE LEADERSHIP
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By Charles Samunenge on 04/03/2014 04:23:00


It has been said over and over again that ‘leaders are made, not born.’ Men
are usually born with the potential and capabilities for leadership and this is
inherent in the nature of every man. To some extent, every man is a leader; good
or bad. Leadership is always defined as influence and influence can be used for
good or evil. As men, we must always use our position to create good in our
society. Authentic leadership is more than charisma; it is an attitude of the
heart. The world is in need of true leaders that are sensitive, competent,
compassionate and principled. Organisations, companies, schools and families are
all in need of authentic leaders.
Leadership is about articulating vision, management and relationships, and this
is actually the true essence of all human beings.
Control
The leadership instinct in all of us is what makes us want to be in control of
our circumstances in life. We were all created to lead and be in control of our
lives and situations of life. Therefore, we must also understand that the
essence of leadership is not just about techniques; it really lies in maximising
our attitudes. We must therefore cultivate and develop attitudes that will
inspire and positively motivate others around us.
An attitude is a perspective that emanates from within and is not controlled by
outside circumstances. When we begin to develop a healthy perspective about
ourselves by embracing good thought patterns, the consequence will be a good
attitude, a great outlook on life and health perceptions of others. Our minds
are key to developing the potential of leadership in us. Most of us have been
programmed with wrong philosophies in life and now those philosophies determine
the way we think and see ourselves. The leadership potential in most of us is
not being maximised because, in our hearts and minds, we believe that it is for
special people.
William James once wrote: “The greatest discovery of our generation is that
human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind. As you
think, so shall you be.” What we perpetually think in our hearts or minds is
what will finally come out in our attitude, actions and behaviour. What and how
we think about ourselves or our purpose in life will always determine our
attitudes and actions towards others. Usually our future or our ability to
succeed in life is not hindered by what others think about us but by what we
think of ourselves. Our mindsets and thoughts are usually the source of our
attitudes in life. To change our minds or thought patterns is not an easy thing.
It is a process that we must discipline ourselves to go through in order to
develop and cultivate the potential of leadership in us. True leadership is an
attitude of the heart because a good and great attitude will always positively
influence our environments.
Every man must work at discovering his leadership potential within.
Gifting
As men, we are endowed by God with leadership potential in our specific area of
gifting. We have the capacity to manage and govern our world. We must believe
that we are leaders in spite of our present status, circumstances or how we feel
about our ability to lead. When we embrace the fact that we are leaders, it will
change the way we behave and relate to others. We will begin to embrace the
virtues of leadership-reputation, ethics, morality, temperament, habits and
maturity. A man’s reputation is usually established by the esteem and respect
shown for his name. The Bible says: “A good name is rather to be chosen than
great riches.” (Proverbs 22:1).
As men, we must embrace a code of conduct that governs our dealings. Morality is
a system of ethical conduct as it relates to principles of right and wrong
behaviour. As leaders, we must know that morality is more than ‘good vs
bad’; it is also immoral to keep on doing things that waste our lives or by
failing to act, stand or speak out when things are going wrong in our society.
As men, we need moral courage to face the realities of life, admit our needs,
confess our wrongdoings, make accurate destiny decisions and hold convictions.
Maturity
As men and leaders, we must demonstrate the marks of maturity. A mature man can
be recognised in different ways: the quality of his character, the friends he
chooses, the decisions he makes, the responsibilities he accepts and the kind of
leadership he exercises and how he treats the people around him. Men who are
leaders are always determined to positively influence others, set good examples,
accept accountability and have a clear sense of mission.
They are courageous, understand true loyalty, love people and are able to
communicate effectively. Men who embrace the spirit of leadership enter not into
competition with others but are content to be themselves. It’s now time for us
men to rise and accept our leadership in the home, church, community and nation.