Under natural circumstances, the human being develops in all four-core aspects of his being. However not all four aspects of his development are equally empowered. The Mind Body, Soul and Spirit do not develop in tandem or symbiotically. Indeed whereas the body grows under natural conditions to peak performance anywhere between 25-35 years of age before graduated decline takes over, there can be no such assumption made for the other core elements of human nature.
The mental or intellectual development of a person, for example, is aided by stimulation through training and education. However, most people cease to invest in the development of their mind once they finish school or college. Employers will judge a person's mental development (suitability) for a position by their level and type of schooling. The unstated assumption is that is possibly the limit of his or her mental competence. The wise continue learning reading books and investing in their mental development and refuse to be limited in growth or peak their mental capability at their last level of formal education. Assuming that the average person obtains 8-12 years of schooling, the mental age of a person can be said to peak in early teenage.
The Soul or social development of a person is never fully developed until person leaves the comfort of family, interacts with others and forms social habits at young adulthood. This would mean that the development of the average socialized person peaks as a young adult between 20-25. If no further energy or effort is put into developing the persons soul, that will be the peak of the development of the soul for life. The social dynamics may define his behavior or culture
The spiritual development of a person is where values and personal beliefs are nurtured. On average, the existence of God is never questioned by a child until well after the first six years of their life. Of all the people willing to accept the idea of God, a child is the most believing. However, this naturally peaks at the age of around six. After this, the battering and the realities of the world puncture and begin to ridicule and lay folly to a person's belief and claims in God. Indeed, by teenage those who have not been schooled in Godly ways begin to be embarrassed to identify with God, godly or spiritual things. The average person's spiritual age, if not nurtured, stagnates at about 6 years old. For the rest of their lives if they take no initiative to learn about God, there is no further development.
A cursory view of great men and women will show that they were all highly developed in all four human core competencies. They may have gone to school quite young, in the case of many African leaders went to church early, and later mission schools where their physical and intellectual competencies were challenged. Even though they may have seemed to rebel later in life and choose pursuits in one line or other, all will have much higher than average mental, spiritual, physical and social competencies than the people they lead in life. The lesson for leaders is to become consciously engaged in the development of their full beings and realize their full potential before they can hope to lead others successfully. Lack of investment in personal development will lead to stunted. It is possible to have a physically mature 50-year-old man with the spiritual maturity of a six year old, the mental development of a teenager and the emotional maturity of young adult (in university). This would make an unstable leader.
Allan Bukusi
13/11/11
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