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LOVE: THE CATALYST FOR TRANSFORMATION IN LEADERSHIP 3

Now that Valentine's Day is over, so what is next? You see, if we have to show love to the people dear to our hearts once a year, then that love cannot be pure. Leadership requires a constant  show of love, day in, day out, and that, we must seek to always do if we intend to transform the people from being followers to leaders within time and space.

In the previous essay, I started explaining Paul's descriptions of love, which I will continue in today's, too.

Paul continues, thus:

Love doesn’t strut: To strut means to walk in arrogant way: to walk in a stiff or proud way that suggests arrogance or pomposity. As a leader, you are not different from the people following you. However, the only difference there is to be considered is that you know the way and are willing to show it to them within time and space, nothing more or less. No good shepherd will be proud before the sheep, because that does not just make sense. Being the pioneer leader is like being the good shepherd, and the funny thing is that every good shepherd smells like the sheep.  Smelling like the sheep requires an absolute engagement saddled with love.

Doesn’t have a swelled head: The ultimate goal of leadership that seeks to transform the followers into leaders is the transfer of knowledge from the place of higher concentration to the place of lower concentration. Permit me to posit, here, that leaders will inadvertently have smell heads because they refuse to transfer the knowledge they have. Knowledge is preserved when shared, especially, in leadership. Also, it is true that knowledge, once shared, is expanded beyond limits. The only chance you have to outlive yourself is in your ability to empty your head into the lives of those you are leading. It changes everything.

Doesn’t force itself on others: It interesting that some leaders insist that their followers must talk, walk, and act like them, in a bid to show loyalty. I think that is the highest form of witchcraft that many leaders practice without even realizing it. The goal of leadership is to transform your followers into their ideal selves by using your experiences as life lessons  and tools to teach them how life works and that does not mean you should deny them their own experiences  as they journey with you. It is the natural order that lion begets lion. Your followers cannot not be who they are according to their individual designs, and your work your work is to help them be who they are not who you are.

Isn’t always “me first,”:  The African Leadership Ideology does not allow this to play out , nut the leader would have to make that choice. Of course, the leader comes first and there is nothing wrong  with that, but when it jeopardizes the transformation agenda of the followers, then there is everything wrong with that. If you are going to the leader that serves the people, you must put them first and not yourself. Being a servant affords you the luxury of always putting others first.

Doesn’t fly off the handle: This means to  erupt, explode, lose your temper, or blow your top. It is in the best interest of leaders to understand that their followers will always mess things up at the beginning phase of their walk together. Knowing that helps you to preempt possible outcomes, which should be normal until growth and development set in and change everything. There is nothing wrong in getting angry, yet, there is everything wrong blowing your top because you are angry. Be angry and address the issue that is causing the anger, and do not because of anger spoil things. Let love lead.

Showing love in leadership is not a one off thing, it a continuous act that never ends.

...to be continued.

Elvis C. Umez
Leadership Consultant
IDB Consult

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