Opinions of Friday, 25 December 2015
Columnist: Akwah, Nana
Personality and The Ability To Be You.
The weird and absurd reasons of Asoma Banda bring to the fore the manner in which the supporters of the government of NDC churns out ridiculous arguments about Nana Addo. Most of them are blinded by the lack of evidence and are willing to go to bed with untruth. They're much seethed in hate of the man Nana Addo.
The fact about life and its reality is that "hating" is the easy way out. Those who hate you have a reason; they lack integrity, personality and the ability to be you.
Today, many citizens are saddened and upset by the lack of integrity they see in the elderly, corporate Ghana and politics which has significantly weakened politics - the most deplorable problem of which is the treatment of conscientious and incorruptible leadership.
It is generally accepted that leaders are competent; however few qualify as high-flying, awe-inspiring and attention-grabbing. Definitely if one wants such recognition and want to join the ranks of the best of the best, then there's the need to make sure you embody the necessary qualities all the time. It isn't easy, but the rewards can be truly phenomenal.
To begin with, the first trait a leader must have is Awareness. What many people fail to realize is that there is a vast amount of difference between management and employees, bosses and workers.
However, leaders extraordinaire understand the nature of this difference and consent to; it informs their image, their actions, and their communication. They conduct themselves in a way that sets them apart from their subordinates, not in a manner that suggests they are better than others, but in a way that permits them to retain an objective perspective on everything that's going on in their organization.
The second most important trait a leader must have is Decisiveness. All leaders must make tough decisions. It goes with the job. They understand that in certain situations, difficult and timely decisions must be made in the best interests of the entire organization such as political party, decisions that require a firmness, authority, and finality that will not please everyone.
Exceptional leaders don't shilly-shally in such situations. They also know when not to act unilaterally but instead encourage collective decision making.
Again, among all the traits required of a leader; the embodiment or embryonic stem of his leadership is his Thoughtfulness and the willingness to show Empathy. Leaders Extraordinaire praise in public, think about and begin to deal with problems in private, with a genuine concern. Such leaders guide subordinates through challenges, always on the lookout for solutions to foster the long-term success of the organization. Rather than making things personal when they encounter problems, or assigning blame to individuals, leaders look for constructive solutions and focus on moving forward.
The interesting aspect of their leadership is when it comes to Accountability. Leaders Extraordinaire take responsibility for everyone's performance, including their own. They follow up on all outstanding issues; check in on subordinates, trustworthy in their monitor of the efficiency of institutional policies and procedures.
When things are going well, they praise. When problems arise, they identify them promptly, seek solutions, and get things back on track.
Leaders Extraordinaire are a fountain of Confidence to drink from. Not only are the best leaders confident, but their confidence are simply contagious and infectious. Subordinates and peers are naturally drawn to them, seek their advice, and feel more confident as a result.
When challenged, they don't give in too easily, for the reason that they know their ideas, opinions, and strategies are well-informed and the result of much hard work. Even so when proven wrong, they take responsibility and with little or no delay to act to improve the situations within their authority.
Expectations expected of Leader Extraordinaire are the flow of Optimism as they slowly and steadily discharge. The very best leaders are definitely a source of positive energy. They communicate easily. They are intrinsically helpful and genuinely concerned for other people's welfare. They always seem to have a solution, and always know what to say to inspire and reassure. They avoid personal criticism and pessimistic thinking, and look for ways to gain consensus and get people to work together efficiently and effectively as a team.
There's no gain saying that Honesty is the bedrock of positive minded people. Strong leaders treat people the way they want to be treated. They are really ethical and believe that honesty, effort, and consistency form the foundation of success. They symbolize these ideals so overtly that no subordinate doubts their integrity for a minute. They share information openly, and avoid spin control.
One of the positive attributes of the leader extraordinaire is his Converging Point and Single-Mindedness. This species of leaders plan ahead and they are for the most part organized. They think through multiple scenarios and the possible impacts of their decisions, while considering viable alternatives and making plans and strategies all targeted toward success. Once prepared, they establish strategies, processes, and routines so that high performance is tangible, easily defined, and monitored. They communicate their plans to key players and have contingency plans in the event that last-minute changes require a new direction (which they often do).
As a final point, the “Leader Extraordinaire” is an Inspiration to many among others and morally upright. Put it all together, and what becomes apparent is a picture of the truly inspiring leader: someone who communicates clearly, concisely, and often, and by doing so motivates everyone to give his or her best all the time. They challenge their people by setting high but attainable standards and expectations, and then giving them the support, tools, requisite training, and latitude to pursue those goals and become the best of subordinates they can possibly be.
To those who used to wear sheets are now being able to walk down the walkway and speak as a patriot because the Leader Extraordinaire will not speak loudly about the lack of integrity of this movement.