THE TRAGEDY OF LEADERSHIP IS TRANSPORT

THE TRAGEDY OF LEADERSHIP IS TRANSPORT

How indeed does transport translate to leadership? Transport to anywhere is often assumed until it is, for some reason, absent. That is when you realize its import. Leadership is the same. When things are going well you hardly notice it. It is when things go wrong that you notice that something is not happening and that someone is not doing their job. The person is the leader. You never think of the bus driver until the bus doesn't show up. Unfortunately, you only want to find out who he or she is when there has been an accident.

This is the tragedy of leadership. No one knows when a good job is being done. They only find out when the leader is gone or at the end of the game.  Followers keep leaders as long as they benefit from them. The moment benefits fail to come through the people get rid of the leader too. What must a leader do in such a situation? Jesus, a great leader of days gone by, knew how fickle and vain was the praise of men and put no stock in it. Leadership is service, sacrifice and success. The people want these things and will have no less. The people want transport to their goals. They love it when they are served, when someone sacrifices for them, and are happiest when they succeed.

If you want to lead, you must be prepared and not bitter for this. Your duty will be enjoyable because you serve, sacrifice and succeed. Not if you earn a lot or get praise of men - that comes at the very end. You can pay for management, but you cannot pay for leadership. It is given freely and willingly and openly or not at all. The tragedy of leadership is that not all leaders lead.

Allan