Follow the Leader?

Picture from http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~cunningc/Images/Photos/FollowMeDucklings_2003.JPG

In re cent months we have been reading news stories about the upcoming presidential election of the United States. A lot has been said about the candidates. It seems there is no one that can gain complete trust from the American citizens. In Hong Kong, the 2008 Legislative Council Election is underway. Previous to this, much media attention was attracted by the election campaign, in which candidates all tried to impress the public with their capabilities and policy stances. Unfortunately, the voters seemed to have been put off, instead, by their over aggressiveness and eagerness to find fault with one another. Are true leaders so hard to find? What can be done to prevent the shrinking of the pool of competent leaders? As I see it, nurturing a sense of leadership among youngsters can be an answer to the problem.

School having reopened, we teachers have quite a number of tasks to complete within a short period of time. One is to finalize the name list of prefects and subject representatives. The election process can be a matter of minutes involving simply a number of hands raised in response to a few nominated names. On the other hand, it can be taken for an opportunity to educate the students on the importance of good leadership and of following the right leader. Before they cast the vote, they need to be briefed on the character traits, moral standards and capabilities required of the candidates. Special stress is to be placed on a good sense of responsibility. In fact, the choice of class leaders is something to be taken seriously by both teachers and students since much of what can be done is affected by what leaders we have chosen. The chosen leaders will need consistent monitoring and guidance to ensure their dedication to their responsibilities. Negligence will have to be detected and dealt with before it deteriorates. What is most important is that they stand up for matters rather than tolerate them.

To conclude, good leaders are essential in our families, schools, churches, organizations and governments. Therefore, education on good leadership is essential. Teachers and parents who are themselves good leaders of their schools and their families can be the first and foremost educators in this aspect.

Please click here for a very inspiring movie clip on the Essence of Leadership http://www.theleadershipmovie.com/