THE BURDEN OF LEADERSHIP

What does it mean to be a leader? There are many logical definitions a google search away and perhaps all dwelling on the sophisticated implications of what it is to lead and yet frankly I care to hold the mirror a little far from familiarity. More towards the uncomfortable fit of leadership, the pinch of position for the men or women who holds the fort of leadership, the tight fit and fighting for your life in between the grand appearances and responsibilities. There are cracks in this mirror too, a discourse that is full of judgement to the brim and an embarrassed smile constantly in place, rattled by the fear of doing any wrong in the eyes of the public.

Strip

This picture that I am painting, it is a picture of the other side of the fence, when you strip down the admiration adorned by the masses, undress the high esteem that a leader is held at and pull out of his mouth the softness of his words towards the people who admire him. This is the picture of a man – just a human being. It is also unfortunate that the position bears a burden greater than any reward possible, because not only does it hold you at a high esteem and honours you beyond words possibly can fit, all these things, their gloriousness is equally their capacity to hold you hostage, to freeze you in time and tie you to the fear of losing everything that your leadership has earned you.

It is true, that anything that survives at the mercy of followers also falls flat at the very same alter. To be a leader, there must be people of which you lead and your leadership is at their mercy and you inactively become a slave to those you serve. Leaderships demands honesty, integrity and compassion, which means even on the days when you hold an empty cup, you will still need pour into many cups, cups that look to you for wisdom and understanding.

Expects

Leadership redefines humanity for the leader, because it sets them up to social expectations and standards. There are things that one expects from a leader, be it the husband as a leader or the priest as the leader and among them is purity and holiness – be it that it is warranted or not – the public will still demand it. This is expected without the consideration that before anyone is a leader they are simply people, people who are not exempt from the mistakes we all make or the feelings we all sometimes feel and that no matter the level of respect in which you hold a leader – they do not become any lesser a human being.

They are subject to trials and tribulations too, they are as imperfect as they come and will definitely disappoint you at a point in time and the goal should not be to crucify them for it, but to lower our expectations. Lowering your expectations entails of understanding people as human beings and not placing them above self, it is understanding them as victims of the same society we suffer in. To take up leadership is to divorce self, it is to self-sacrifice to keep something else alive. If you are a leader at church, you sacrifice yourself to keep the fellowship alive. Character creates leadership and when your behaviour starts to make your character questionable.

Character

Many leaders have fallen because of a lack of character and many followers have been left bleeding out because they have placed self-importance and high expectations from leaders that cannot sacrifice themselves to manage whatever perception and image they have built throughout the years. Is it reasonable that we associate leadership with perfection and leave no room for leaders to live life as imperfect beings? That as soon as they act in ways that go against the perceptions of ‘holiness’ we have envisioned, we are quick to shame and discreet them all round? If it is reasonable, then leadership is truly a burden above everything else.

It is important to acknowledge that to some extent a leader should lead by example and should try their utmost best to be as gracious as possible in how they present themselves, how they treat others and how they behave even when no one else is looking. It is also important to acknowledge that a leader can be all these things and still make mistakes or fail to align with what they teach or preach, and this does not discredit the good things that they have done.

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