Leadership

The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already. – John Buchan

Leadership. How one word can mean so much. How one word can ring so many bells in this rookie. How much one word can bring forth so many lessons I have learnt from years past, present and lessons I will learn in the future. At so many points in my life, I have had the honor and privilege to learn from the best and the worst. Yes, even learning from the worst can be a good thing. And how far I have come as a leader, still improving myself, still learning, still a rookie. So here is a glimpse and snippets of some of my lessons learnt, if you want a more comprehensive version, then come talk to me instead.

A young rookie

I learnt my first and most important lesson in leadership when I was 10. In primary school, I’m not sure why but I would say that I was quite a nice kid to be around. I guess it was my genuinity, stability and friendliness that drew people to me. At that young age, my friends listened to me. It was kind of amusing how my words meant so much. For example, if I told someone to do something, most of the time they would. This was my first brush with power. My most dangerous one. During recess, I would lead them to play games in the school field and playground. Where I went, people followed and I loved it. The feeling of being important, that feeling of greatness. But it would soon follow with the most important lesson. So everyday we went out to play during recess. There were roughly as I remember about 20 of my classmates that followed me, both boys and girls. We often played catching, hopscotch, soccer, or simply catching spiders and grasshoppers in the field. One day I decided we should go to the playground and they followed. There was this structure, balancing beams, whereby you started at one end and you walked on the thin beam to the other end and jumped off. It was about 1-2m above ground. At that age, it was quite high and daunting to some. So we lined up, me being the first of course, leading the way. So I hopped off at the end and looked at my fellow classmates following suit. There was one boy who was afraid of doing it. He climbed up and then he couldn’t move and so got back down. Being me at that time, brash, playful, immature. I taunted him. I dared him. I told him if he couldn’t do it, he won’t be allowed to join us next time. And obviously after I did that, the rest followed to taunt him. I feel sorry now for putting such pressure on a kid but I didn’t know at that time. So, peer pressure kicked in and he went ahead with it. Halfway along, at the highest point, he got scared and he fell. He landed headfirst into the ground. I watched in horror. The girls went to get the teacher. He was lying there bleeding and the most scary part, silent. But I’m glad to say he was alright after seeing the doctor. 

But the important thing was, at that moment at that time, I learnt that it was a mistake. I shouldn’t have dared him too. I shouldn’t have done what I did. And so, I learnt my most important and valuable lesson in leadership and life:

With great power, comes great responsibility.

The responsibility of having to care for those under your charge, those who follow you. To look out for their well-being and safety. Because they believe in you and they put their trust in you. And it is very very very easy to take advantage of that. The line between a great leader and a manipulative tyrant is very thin. And it is a huge challenge for leaders to do what is right for the right reasons and for the right people. And so, I learnt that when I was a young rookie.

Adolescence

I’m not sure why but at every point in my journey to where I am today, I somehow find myself in leadership positions. Maybe it’s destiny to learn through these experiences to prepare me for something greater in future, hell if I know. But yea, now comes another chapter, secondary school. There are two parts to this, junior and senior. I’ll start with lower secondary. Somehow, I found myself being the class chairman. I had duties and roles to fulfill. It wasn’t easy. This time round, it wasn’t the same, people did not follow me like they used to. Many came from different walks of life at this juncture. My class was the second last class in the cohort and it was filled with many colourful characters. Up till today, I am thankful they came into my life and we’re all brothers up till now. So came another lesson in leadership for me. 

Earning the trust of your people, so that they will earn yours.

It wasn’t easy to handle a class like that, people were rebellious. And I was caught in between. The teachers looked to me to handle my class and my classmates saw me as someone who is there to stop the fun. So I was caught in between. It wasn’t easy but I did not give up. There were many times I questioned myself, why am I putting myself through this? Why does it have to be me? Then I found my own answers. Everyone will find their own. To earn the trust of your people isn’t easy. It takes more than words, it takes more than actions. It takes something rather special. I held on. It wasn’t easy at all but I held on. I did what I felt was right, what I knew was right and slowly but surely, they saw it too. Slowly but surely, they started believing in me and what I was doing. And slowly but surely, I earned their trust. And slowly but surely, they earned mine back. So there we were brothers forged. They had my back, I had theirs. To be able to rely on those in your charge to trust that they will carry out their responsibilities is important to any leader. So that he may move on to look atmore important things, so that more things can get done. And vice versa. To have the trust of those under you is equally as important as a leader. And so, the teachers saw me, they praised me, not boasting but even the head of the level called me up to praise me. And I was rewarded – The prefect’s tie. Yet another journey in leadership.

So I found myself again, with added responsibilities. But with more lessons to learn, more experiences to gain. So I was a prefect in Secondary 2, relinquishing my Chairman post. And then I did my role as a junior prefect learning as much as I could. Then came the senior term, upper secondary. Where I found myself in yet another leadership role, being a Peer Support Leader. This meant I took charge of a group of Secondary 1s when they came in to start secondary school. From orientation to life in general in school. This is where I learnt another lesson in leadership.

Always be aware of what you do and what you say, there are those that will follow. So lead by example.

I learnt servant leadership. Something I am grateful to my school for, because they are very focused on this aspect of leadership and it has helped me in more ways than one in the years to come. To be a role model. To influence, to inspire and to motivate. My first brush of such leadership, to give impact in another’s life. The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. In my final year, I was in charge of the whole canteen during recess. My duties included stopping people from buying food when recess was almost over. I had about 6 junior prefects under me. It was no easy job. Hooligans will try to best you. And they tested my resolve time and time again and I am thankful for that. They helped me get better. So there was this time, a guy from my year wanted to test the prefects. Though the time for buying food was closed, he wanted to do it. He was intimidating one of my juniors and pressuring him, I saw this and I came over to find out what was going on. So there he was being an ass and trying to get through. And me being the one in charge had to do the right thing. There were juniors who looked up to me as a role model as their leader and obviously, they were thinking what would I do when faced with such a guy. So I reasoned with him and tried to talk nicely but he wasn’t going to budge. He tried to push his way through which I blocked him from doing so. And then he pushed me aside. So here I was faced with a situation. I could let him go and buy but that would mean everything we were doing as prefects for that duty and everything we stood for would crumble and go to nothing. Or I could stand my ground and show my juniors that we had to do what was right. And so I did, I punched him in the face and he fell. Boy it felt good but then again, I knew my method was unorthodox and wrong in a sense and yea, I got into trouble for that. 

But the important thing was I learnt that:

A leader has to make very very tough decisions sometimes. And in doing so, he must make some sacrifices himself for the greater good.

Though my actions were unorthodox, it drove the point across to my juniors and I’m sure they know there are better ways at doing this than what I did haha. I showed that we have to stay firm on doing what is right and not to let others push you into doing otherwise. And that is one way of earning respect.

Young Adult

Fast forward, I went on to junior college, where I embarked on yet another journey in leadership. Student council. I was elected with little to no campaigning at all. Most probably because I had a great network of people and friends who believed in me. Again I found myself in a position of leadership. But this time, it was a new experience with new lessons. Working in the council meant working with many other leaders. Some of whom are better than me at that time and some of whom are weaker than me at that time. But the most important thing is that in such scenarios, you must be able to realise that their strengths covers my weaknesses and my strengths cover theirs. It is in this way that everyone gets better. And in doing so, those that we serve get what they deserve, better leaders who will make decisions in their best interests. Being a good rookie, I learnt from those who are better and also from those who are worse. There are always lessons to be learnt from the good, the bad, and even the ugly. And throughout my term I learnt another lesson in leadership:

Everything has it’s place and time. Including people and their abilities. Compromise is key and a great leader always sees the bigger picture and between the lines for the greater good.

So it was during this period where I developed and learnt the art of seeing the bigger picture and reading between the lines. It is a great skill to learn but sadly it is also one of the most difficult to learn. However the distinction between a leader and a great leader is that the great leader seeks and is able to let others see the same thing. To feel the same thing and to believe in the same thing. That in itself is no easy task and it takes time and effort to do it. But the important thing is to never give up. Also, I learnt many many important life skills and lessons during this phase which I will not elaborate, if you want to know, do talk to me, I’ll be willing to share.

Also, you have to sometimes be a follower to truly lead. The best leaders know when to take which role because:

He who cannot obey, cannot command.

Boy no more

And then came the army. Spent 2 years in it. Hated it but in every experience good or bad, you learn. Because a good rookie learns from everything and everywhere. Here I learnt:

A leader has to have the confidence and fortitude. And that is not enough, the people under you have to feel that same confidence and fortitude.

It is no laughing matter when your actions can lead to your fellow men being killed. Under that pressure, one must learn to have that confidence to lead, to excel, to overcome.  And so I learnt that:

Let him who would be moved to convince others, be first moved to convince himself.

You have to believe in yourself first for others to start believing in you. Always remember that.

And so I went on after the army to University where I had the honor and privilege to serve yet again in another leadership position. But that is another story for another time. 

So here I am today, with all my experiences and lessons learnt far far more than what I have mentioned so far. It is nice to know how far I have come as a person and as a leader, but still there is much to learn. Humility is the catalyst of growth. Complacency is it’s death. But still, I cut myself some slack sometimes and pat myself on the back haha. Somehow, it is nice to feel that I am destined for greater things and all that I have learnt and all that I am going to learn will prepare me for that. 

There will be people who will need me, who will rely on me so I have to get better. I have to be the best that I can be. For myself, for them and for you. So come what may, this rookie is ready.

My message to you

Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal. It is through hard work, through learning, through determination and perseverance that leaders are forged. Never give up. 

Rely on your own strength of body and soul. Take for your guiding star self-reliance, faith, strength and courage. Don’t take too much advice, follow your heart to know what is right and go do it for others will see it — keep at the helm and steer your own ship, and remember that the great art of commanding is to take a fair share of the work. Fire above the mark you intend to hit. Energy, invincible determination with the right motive, are the levers that move the world. And I believe you can do that. I believe in you. So believe in yourself.

And I know that it is not easy, nobody said it was going to be. And there will be many problems from many people.. But let me share with you this that someone once told me when it came to people management and leadership: The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership. So take heart in knowing that they do care about you and they do want you to care. Do what you think is best for them and they will realise.
 
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. And you will be.

So don’t give up. Never give up. Keep on going and know that I’ll be right behind you all the way.

Stay Strong.

-Juls
Live more, Love more, Laugh more.