Something every leader should ponder

Leaders are human, they would be tempted and wishes that along their tenure they somehow gain recognition of their contribution to the nation or society or institution. All leaders would like to be remembered for their significant contribution toward improvement and will want to go down well in history.

However this temptation and wishes should be kept inside and not rushed. It should be earn from their people, it a process that has to be backup by small success over one another.

Most leaders will pressured by their people who always maintain a close look on how and what they are doing. The pressure is so great, especially in the case when new leaders are given the mandate to run a new institution. They are expected to deliver stunning results the soonest and the people they lead what to grasp the vision of change and growth very early in their tenure.

Under normal circumstance, leaders will resort to throwing in drastic measure and introduce dramatic changes which will give in short term recognition. This temporary recognition will surely buy them time, but the time should be used to show the people whom they led what their pure intentions are. They should always go back to basic and think. They should not be seduced by their momentary success, get their head down and get to work in those time gained. They should not be swamp by success of their launch or announcement of their plans for the institution and start walking their talk.

When it comes to large institution or a nation, the fact is that it has been there for a fair amount of years of establishment. Thus, it will normally have some direction carried on from the predecessor. In most of the time, it has already a medium or long term direction and these institutions would already have dynamic momentum. So may be the right thing to do is to carry on the direction, do a little bit of pruning, maintaining the direction or realign and let it grow. Maybe the worst thing to do is to stop the momentum that take years to built up and changing direction for the sake of being famous which will have a great bad impact on the institution that they lead by making them confused.

If a leader is truly honest making an impact, the momentum should be continued to be built up (with small success over another rather than momentary celebrated “quick fix” which unsustainable) in time something great will definitely be surface.

All I am trying to point out is progress take time, growth has to be nurtured, vision will be realised with continuity and respect and hard work will be in time recognised especially if it is done sincerely and for the greater cause. In this case, it should be the cause of the people whom they lead.

My points may sound obvious, but most of the time leaders always forget the obvious. In turn avoiding the obvious will deter the institution they lead into greatness, period.