THE UNDERSTANDING OF LEADERSHIP TODAY
Leadership
refers to the position of heading a group of people, a team, an organization or
any other undertaking in the society.
In
our modern society, different individuals have almost similar knowledge on
leadership. Among others, the following are the common thoughts people have
about leadership.
Leadership
today is understood as having the power to control the affairs of the
community. For this matter a leader is held responsible for all the community's
undertaking and is always consulted before a decision is taken. The question of
“who gave you the authority?” can best explain this point.
To some
individuals, leadership is one's commitment in serving the needs of his or her
people. People therefore expect leaders to serve the interests of the
community.
In our modern
society, leadership has to be learned. People expect leaders to undergo some
training in order to acquire the skills necessary in the execution of duties.
This is why qualifications are required in almost all public positions.
Leadership
nowadays entails being morally upright. To be a leader, the society expects one
to have a sound moral background with regard to his or her behaviour.
Some people
associate leadership with wealth. Majority of people expect a leader to be
richer than the subordinate. Besides this, others look at leadership as being
the true source of getting rich.
Leadership is
being regarded as a form of employment but not a service to the society. Such
individuals do feel that leadership is simply an occupation for one's own
benefit.
Some
individuals associate leadership with enjoying privileges in the community.
This may include respect, having an office, free transport, medical care,
accommodation and many
A good leader should be a person who is
resourceful. Such a person should be able to initiate his or her own way of
dealing with practical problems, threatening the survival of the subordinates.
A good leader is also a person who is
optimistic (hopeful). Such a fellow should not abandon his or her duties during
times of difficulty. He or she should expect that the best could still be
achieved in the near future instead of giving up.
A good leader should be intelligent. He or she
should be able to use his or her wisdom or knowledge in a meaningful way. This
is important in solving problems affecting the smooth running of the community.
A good leader should be able to delegate some
of his duties to others at a lower level. This is important because he or she
may not be perfect in doing everything.
A good leader should be exemplary in both words
and actions. This can work as a driving force for other members to follow and
behave in the same way. This eventually creates an atmosphere for harmonious
living in the community.
In the modern times, a good leader should be a
person who is educated. A trained leader can serve a society characterized by
many tribes, religions and cultures in a better way. This is because of the
knowledge and the skills acquired.
A good leader should also be energetic. This is
important for one to carry out the assigned duties effectively.
ROLES OF LEADERS TODAY
Anyone
who exercises leadership is expected to play some significant roles in the
lively hood of that given community. The roles may differ from individual to
individual depending on the different nature of the leadership. Among others,
the following are some of the roles of our modern leaders.
Leaders should protect and guard against
mistreatment of one party by another. The police and the local councils among
others are on the forefront in doing this duty.
Leaders also play the role of building and
developing the spiritual life of their subordinates.
This
is a function of religious leaders such as bishops, priests, pastors, sisters
and others. Such leaders engage and encourage constant prayers, baptism and
bible studies among their subjects. This eventually leads to spiritual growth
and maturity.
Leaders also provide employment opportunities
to their people. The leaders in this case may appoint and promote people into a
job or position. Others give out loans; set up projects such that their people
are self-employed.
Leaders in some circles are playing the role
of sustaining families. This is the case with parents who are providing their
families with basic needs such as food, clothing, medical care and others.
Some leaders are playing the role of
upholding and preserving the cultural values of their people. Traditional
cultures including circumcision, funeral rites, twin dancing and others have
not died because there are people assigned to protect them on behalf of the
people.
Leaders are also playing the role of
providing social services such as education, medical care and others. Building
schools, hospitals and others are making this possible.
The leaders are playing the role of keeping
our environment clean and healthy. This is done through providing facilities
such as slashers, containers for garbage and even vehicles for collecting
garbage.
Some leaders are acting as lawgivers. Leaders
such as parliamentarians who are representing the views of the electorates are
actively playing this role. This is aimed at creating an atmosphere for
harmonious living.
Failures of leaders today.
Some
modern leaders have failed to realize the need of serving the interests of
their people. In such cases, the leaders tend to put themselves above their
subjects, mistreat them and above all deny them the services they rightfully
deserve.
The
failures of some leaders therefore include the following.
Some of the modern leaders are corrupt. Such
leaders tend to use public facilities such as funds, drugs and others to meet
their selfish gains. This leaves the general population to suffer.
Some leaders impose heavy taxation on to
their subjects. To make it worst the method of collection is always cruel and
harsh even when one cannot afford to pay. Such taxes leave the people poorer.
This renders them helpless to obtain the basic needs in life.
Other leaders practice and promote
sectarianism, nepotism and tribalism. Such leaders tend to favour one group of
people at the expense of the other. This is what is promoting disunity and lack
of understanding among the masses.
Through engaging in arbitrary arrest of their
subjects, some of our modern leaders are failing to play their roles as
servants. In such cases, the victims are tortured for no good reason even to
the point of death.
In many institutions, leaders are subjecting
their subordinates to corporal punishments like terrible beating, carrying on
heavy work without resting, blind folding. These punishments may cause
permanent damage to the victim,
Some modern leaders are agents of murder.
They may either plan for the killing or get involved in the actual killing.
This is a failure because they should have been the ones III preserve and
protect human life.
In other sciases, leaders do instigate civil
wars as a means of solving conflicts or disagreement within the community.
During such wars, atrocities including raiding, looting property, rape and
defilement are committed. This subjects the population to a lot of suffering.
Some modern leaders are power hungry. They
feel that they are the only ones capable of running the affairs of the
community. Such leaders have failed to hand over their positions to others even
when they are failing in their administration.
Some leaders tend to oppress and exploit
their subjects. Employers oppress and exploit their employees through long
hours of work with low or little and delayed payments. This is selfishness in
serving others.
In some families, parents tend to ignore their
duties. Children are denied basic needs such as education, medical care, and
food. This is a failure on the side of parents to serve their children and the
community.
Some leaders deny their subjects the right to
associate. For example, in political fields, leaders of some ruling parties are
always against any opposition grouping. This means that such leaders are after
serving their interests only.
Service and Leadership in African
Traditional Society
The
idea of leadership in African traditional society was an important entity in
the life of the community. Leadership was linked to the existence of God. For
this reason, leaders were greatly valued and respected among the traditional
Africans.
How Leadership was attained in
Traditional Africa.
In
traditional Africa, there were known ways through which one could acquire
leadership. Among others, the following summarized considerations were
important for one to become a leader.
Some people became leaders by right of birth
especially in a royal family. In such a situation, the King would pass on his
authority to either his first-born son or the nephew (son of his brother).
In other cases, people became leaders through
heroism. Such individuals must have done something wonderful for the benefit of
the rest of the community such as winning a war, killing a lion or a leopard
that could have attacked a given village.
Leadership in traditional Africa was linked
to getting aged. Elderly people were considered physically nearer to the spirit
world, respected for the more experience in life and above all for transmitting
life. The elders were therefore considered the living wisdom and symbols of the
continuity with the past.
In some communities, the marital status of an
individual was considered for one to become a leader. In this case, a married
man with many disciplined wives and children would stand a greater chance of
becoming a leader. It was believed that such a man would use the same
administrative skills and knowledge to control the affairs of the society.
Some people acquired leadership through a
general consensus. A council of elders who would agree on one particular
individual during their meetings conducted this process. This council of elders
was the body responsible for appointing clan leaders, local chiefs, advisors
and ritual leaders. Their decisions were therefore respected and observed by
all people.
In some given cases, elections were held in
choosing a leader. Here, the general population was given the chance to choose
a leader of their own interests.
Material wealth such as having many cattle,
goats, sheep, enough food stuff and land was also important in acquiring
leadership in traditional Africa. Such people were believed to be generous and
that they would be able to support the subordinates in times of difficulties
such as famine and death.
Specialists with artistic skills such as black
smith, hunter, dancer, magician, diviners and musicians would naturally become
leaders in their different fields. Such people were valued and respected tor
their services being rendered to the community.
Some societies considered qualities such as strength,
courage, up rightness, preserving and protecting traditional community values
in choosing leaders. Any individual with such qualities would be elected as a
leader to represent the interests of the members.
Some individuals became leaders through inheritance. A son for example would be
responsible for heading the family upon the death of his father.
Weaknesses of African traditional leaders
In
the African past, some leaders were cruel and tyrannical. They had absolute
powers. This was the very reason that made the subordinate to serve them with
fear. This gave room for the leaders to oppress and exploit their subjects as
summarized below.
1.
Leaders in the
African past were dictatorial. Leaders such as Kings and chiefs put themselves
above their subjects. Their words were final and not to be questioned by any
other known authority.
2.
Leaders in
traditional Africa were warmongers. Quite often, they would drag their subjects
into inter-tribal wars with the intention of conquering more states. This only
served to their selfish ambitions of being regarded as powerful and respected
in the society. But this was oppression on the side of the subjects who had to
lose their dear Iives.
3.
Some leaders in the
African past levied heavy taxes on their subjects. Whoever could fail to
fulfill this obligation was regarded as an enemy to that community. The method
for tax collection was even very harsh and ruthless.
4.
Some traditional
African leaders practiced forced labour. This was exploitation because the
subjects were pushed to do so against their will.
5.
Some leaders in
African past claimed the ownership of all property in the community. In
Buganda, the king (the Kabala) had full authority over land, cattle and even
peoples wives.
6.
Slavery practices
were recognized and officially accepted by the leaders. This was even made
worse when the masses looked upon it as being their service to the leaders such
as the Kings and the chiefs. This instead subjected the subordinates to
suffering.
7.
The traditional
African leaders oppressed their subjects through, forceful military
recruitment. The male youth in particular were made to serve in the army even
when they were not interested.
8.
Some African
traditional leaders engaged in forced marriages. In such cases, leaders like
parents would push their children especially the girls to get married because
of the desire for wealth such as cows.
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A complete talking Book for Uganda certificate of Education