One man once said true leaders are born. There is more to this saying than meets the eye. Thus, I’m not here to defy this saying, but I would be adding to the concrete saying that is already there.
Other than leaders being born, one willing individual can always by example develop himself/herself into a leadership figure that other people can follow. For one to be called a leader, it is mostly what they stand for and how willing they are to allow or make other people understand what it means to be part of something.
Leaders stand for what they believe in, they fight for it and give their lives for it if the chance arises for them to prove a point. A leader is not determined by being a public figure, but by their hard work, integrity, persistence and their ability to deliver what is right to the people under their leadership.
They are not self-centred, as they are always ready to help their people, even when they have their own problems.
Being a leader was never an easy task, but with the right amount of energy put into work and the persistence of the leader they are able to overcome every problem that comes their way.
Being a leader isn’t about having the faintest of hearts, but it is about having a heart that is determined to look past every bad word thrown your way and taking a patient interest in withstanding negativity.
We have great examples set by people who lived before us, or by people who overcame a lot of obstacles in their lives to reach the points where they are in their lives. For Christians, we may take Jesus for instance. He lived his life showing us the right way to live. He lived rightfully and died doing so. By doing this he meant for us to follow suit.
We have our founding president Sam Nujoma, who is rightfully compared with South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. Both these great men lived for their country’s independence. They were even willing to give their lives for their countries, if it came to that, but fortunately luck was on their side.
Oprah Winfrey has also made the point that no matter what background you come from you can always go against all odds and be something more in life.
Leaders are born and since we are all born, then I guess that makes all of us potential leaders. It’s just that it takes a willing heart to accept and acknowledge the power in ourselves. And it takes the whole community to choose who has the strongest belief in herself/himself and what she/he stands for.
So, fellow Namibian leaders, do what is righteous for your people and never give up on the good that you are doing, as there are youngsters right behind you who are counting on you to be their inspiration.
Know that true leaders are always on the right path, even when they know nobody is watching.