It's plain and simple. Many are called but only a few are chosen. In this case a question can easily arise asking if the "chosen" ones are fit for the pedestal or not. What makes a good leader and how do you become one?
You'll never be a good leader unless you’ve had one before. It's a matter of influence most of the time. That person becomes the teacher and you get to learn so much. Comparable to the reality of an eagle’s story, Leadership 101 is actually a push of potential more than a theoretical study. That being said, it follows that the manner on how eagles push their offspring toward the edge is the learning that counts in the process.
Most of the time leadership entails risks. If you keep on hiding on the safe spot then you’re not a leader but a mere follower; a puppy with no teeth for that matter. Leading is never a stable task; it never was intended to be. Once you become a leader, something will stir your mind up every once in a while and that is something beyond your control. When that time comes, the real leader thinks out of the box, gets a solution and puts the theory to action. If the action doesn’t work, it’s time to revisit the problem and do a re-work. Who said theories in Mathematics work only for figures? This is the exact time to apply trial and error; a key factor in the success of problem-solving in real life.
Sad to say, some “leaders” tend/opt to be followers in reality. Having the mentality that they’re up there make them afraid of getting kicked in the ass and fired up. It’s a safe move – of a follower, not a leader. If placed into context, it would be safe to say that many are guilty or simply playing blind. Another sick situation is when leaders become too complacent of their capabilities that they slowly become gods of their own kind – and want to be treated as such too. Power-tripping, as many would call it, is a very fatal problem that is swarming most of the so-called “leaders.” It’s an infection with no tested immunity and one that would most likely take millions of years to find a physical cure. In this case, dissatisfaction among the employees is just an inch away. What’s next is something that nobody would want to be in – quitting.
Acquiring the skills and values of a real leader is not as easy as how it is presented to be. Becoming a leader by position doesn’t make one earn respect in a snap of a finger. There’s so much more to learn other than those published in books or manuals. As usual, growing opportunities career-wise pop-up unexpectedly like one would wait for corn to pop when cooked. Perhaps one parameter of efficiency as a leader is the quality of a finished product, something that you can be so proud about and be able to say “this is my ROI (Return on Investment).”Another is when a leader is able to clone himself, ready to move up the ladder and hand the responsibilities to a successor. Nothing beats the feeling of being looked up to, being an inspiration and being appreciated for the kind of leadership rendered.
Leadership is a passion, not a position. And most importantly, it’s a role, not a name. Such role needs a very high dose of maturity to be able to face any obstacle that may come out of the blue. There is never a perfect leader as compared to what majority demand to have; an ideal leader, maybe. It’s known to everyone that even the most powerful person/entity in this universe do not get everyone’s faith and respect. How worse can it get for real leaders?
Who said that being a leader is easy? There is truth in saying that indeed many are called but a few are chosen.
