“If you want to achieve something, do something. If want to achieve nothing, do nothing.”
Leadership cannot be a noun. To lead is to do. Leadership must be a verb. It’s simply a doing word. If you cannot get things done, don’t put yourself up to lead. You can’t win by doing nothing even though some argue that doing nothing sometimes, is a strategy. I won’t wade in that debate, here.
I’m yet to see a successful person who made it in life by sleeping. Leadership is beautiful, smooth on the top, rough at the edges and tough at the bottom. It’s like the pebble. Tough and fine. When you lead, followers look up to you whiles the situation gazes in your face. Clearly, leadership is not a possessive word. It’s an action word. It is a selfless venture.
How to get things done requires a lot. You need to do things for others. Words are good. Words are kind. Action tops all. Leadership is more than knowing. Leadership goes beyond saying. Leadership calls for doing. You can only do for the next in line to walk a mile in your shoes. If you want to achieve something, do something. Expect nothing if you do nothing.
People don’t follow people for nothing. Followers must have a reason to follow. !e world is getting tired of sleep-walking leaders, if not, lazy leaders (to hit it right on the nail). It’s gradually becoming a crazy world, where followers lead leaders and leaders rather follow followers. This is one of the main causes of leader-follower conflicts. Blanchard and Johnson (2003) hinted that a leader must be effective and a leader must lead for followers to follow.
There is always a reason why leadership is best described and not necessarily defined. A leader must be tough and resilient. A leader just can’t give up easily. In a VUCA world, things get volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous so leaders must learn not to be easily moved. To the point, leaders shouldn’t be moved by situations.
Leaders must rather move situations. It’s either you move things or things will move you, in 21st century leadership. As a matter of fact, leaders must learn to be in control. When you are in control, you don’t fight issues. You solve issues. When you are in control you don’t confuse followers, you show them the way by guiding them to a preferred destination. When you are in control you don’t fight followers and you don’t strike them.
The 34th U.S.A President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, ‘you don’t lead by hitting people over the head- that’s assault, not leadership’. Leadership is about maturity. It’s about having a master-plan. It’s about executing the plan. It’s about delivering on your mandate as though there is a contract between the follower, the situation and the leader; because really, there is. It’s about keeping your eye on the ball. Unwavering. It’s not enough to clamour for a leadership role for role sake. Beyond the position is the work, commitment and sacrifice to produce results.
Leadership must be refreshed if not reformed. Some say being a leader is a lonely road. It shouldn’t be, for a 21st century leader. Anytime you feel you are lonely as a leader, reengage the interactional framework to bring the follower, the situation and you, to the fore. There will forever be an interesting relationship between the leader, the follower and the situation as far as leadership is concerned.
