COMPONENT OF LEADERSHIP

DR Myles Munroe says; “The most valuable component of leadership is not power, position, influence, notoriety, fame, talent, gifting, dynamic oratory, persuasiveness, intellectual superiority, academic achievement, or management skills; it’s character.”

Leaders must be noble and honourable. One of the forces working against the progress of African nations is the lack of character and integrity in her leaders. We have a lot of charismatic, eloquent, educated and gifted leaders who lack character. Many of them are busy strategising on how to destroy a corporate competitor or on how to destroy a political opponent, instead of finding ways on how to work together to solve serious national problems.

Nations are experiencing turmoil and moral decay politically, socially and economically. Our national lives are punctuated by crime, economic uncertainties, religious chaos, political corruption, greed and the breakdown of family.
We need courageous, strong leaders with the ability to work through perplexing problems and able to enact policies and implement solutions. Anyone elected in any position of leadership must always endeavour to equip themselves with solid leadership principles and how to implement them.

However, the key quality a true leader must possess and cultivate is character, which is their moral force and protector. Character is described as a distinctive mark, a peculiar quality by which a person or a thing is distinguished. As a matter of fact, character is the sum of qualities by which a person is distinguished from others.

The principles and motives that control a man usually define the quality of his character. Farlex’s Dictionary defines character as ‘the inherent complex of attributes that determine a person’s moral and ethical actions and reactions.’ Character is usually seen in behaviour, actions and reactions.

Good character has its roots in integrity, responsibility and accountability. Integrity is moral soundness - truthfulness, faithfulness and honesty. Responsibility is the social force that binds one to the course of action demanded by that force. Leadership is responsibility. It is the responsibility of those in leadership to be honourable and accountable in every way. Leaders must exhibit traits of trustworthiness and faithfulness as they perform their duties. This is because to a great extent, leaders determine the direction, prosperity and protection of communities and nations.

Leaders carry the responsibility of enhancing society’s quality of life through aggressive efficiency, creating convenient environments for creativity and the constant introduction of new services. Leadership is key to national preservation, change and growth. Inevitably, leaders are instrumental in leading communities and nations into failure or success.

This is why the nations of Africa need strong and effective leaders. When leaders in every sphere of life embrace and cultivate positive character traits and commit to essential principles of leadership and to seeing their nations improve, progress will inevitably happen. Greg Mills, in his book, ‘Why Africa Is Poor’, says, “The main reason why Africa’s people are poor is because their leaders have made this choice.”

Who has been leading our communities and nations? What character do they possess? The deficit of character is the greatest obstacle to Africa’s success in the context of leadership. We need leaders with mental and ethical traits which are positive, building and not tearing down the political, social and economical fibre of society.

Dr Munroe says, “Leadership is not just a role one plays; it is a life one leads.” One of the character failures that have caused a setback in Africa’s politics and economics is greed.
Some of our religious, social, political and business leaders are motivated by naked ambition and greed. Greed for money and power is an anti-social behaviour.

Corporate greed is a recipe for national poverty. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines greed as a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than needed. It is actually an eager desire or longing, especially for more material wealth than one needs or deserves.
Many African economies have been affected by leaders who are in it for power and wealth, and not to serve the nation. We also see the same trend among spiritual leaders who are in the ministry with a perverted ambition for wealth and fame. Jeremiah 6:13 says, in the English Standard Version of the Holy Bible, “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.”
Greed actually deprives us of natural character, resulting in us indulging in harmful habits of corruption and bribery.
The scriptures in Proverbs 15:27 declare, “Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes shall live.” We cannot divorce issues of leadership, social, political and economical progress from character; they are related components of a progressing nation. Greedy people will easily compromise the standards of supreme laws or principles that govern a progressive nation in exchange for monetary or power advantage. It is imperative for the nation to have men and women who are principled. Those who are not easily influenced by fame, money or power. As we vote, remember integrity and character matter.

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