Post by Amused on May 15, 2007 9:12:16 GMT 3
As we approach yet another comical display of political acrobatics in Kenya, maybe this is the right time to ask why ails our country? I don't mean the unemployment, teetering economy, crime, and endemic corruption that have eaten away at the fabric of our society.
Realistically, why is it that Kenyans have failed time and time again to elect leaders that have the moral fortitude to lead their countrymen to prosperity? Let us face it, no matter how much we would like to blame Kenyatta, Moi and now Kibaki, the real failure in our society is in us as a people; we have failed to recognize the qualities that make a good leader that can lead us into the promised land.
I neither agree nor disagree with the hot air often blown when political temperatures rise. In my travails abroad, I have met many situations and people that often times leave you scratching your head wondering what in the world someone was thinking. Personally, and you are free to disagree with this, the key elements we need to consider when assessing a potential leader are:
1) Humility
* Does the leader appreciate that should they be given the chance to lead, it is not a license to brag and make others feel 'small'?
* Does the potential leader respect the constituents and their grievances?
2) Analytical thinking
* Is the potential leader able to communicate an overall vision while at the same time breaking it down to the task level? A good way to know when someone has no idea about what they are talking about is when they tend to use buzz-words in every other sentence.
3) Charisma
* Can a leader effectively give hope and galvanize differing views into a vision for all? Is the vision succinct enough for all to understand?
* Does the leader create a positive atmosphere in times of crises?
4) Patience
* How cool, calm, and collected is the potential leader? Put in another way, is the potential leader susceptible to undue excitement and hyper-activity? Are they always arguing at every opportunity?
5) Listening and accepting criticism
* This is probably the hardest quality to garner. Nobody likes to be told that they are wrong but a good leader will listen and adjust their thinking so that they are in line with what is expected of them.
** A huge bonus is a healthy sense of humor. Knowing how to make fun of even you goes a long way towards encouraging the led to voice their opinions and be open in their provision of feedback.
You may have your own criteria but I have found these to be the key elements that make a good leader. So when the time comes, I will take all the candidates and rank score them based on these criteria and the one that scores the highest will get my vote. It is acceptable to give different weights to each one of them as long as one remains objective.
What do you think of my system?
Realistically, why is it that Kenyans have failed time and time again to elect leaders that have the moral fortitude to lead their countrymen to prosperity? Let us face it, no matter how much we would like to blame Kenyatta, Moi and now Kibaki, the real failure in our society is in us as a people; we have failed to recognize the qualities that make a good leader that can lead us into the promised land.
I neither agree nor disagree with the hot air often blown when political temperatures rise. In my travails abroad, I have met many situations and people that often times leave you scratching your head wondering what in the world someone was thinking. Personally, and you are free to disagree with this, the key elements we need to consider when assessing a potential leader are:
1) Humility
* Does the leader appreciate that should they be given the chance to lead, it is not a license to brag and make others feel 'small'?
* Does the potential leader respect the constituents and their grievances?
2) Analytical thinking
* Is the potential leader able to communicate an overall vision while at the same time breaking it down to the task level? A good way to know when someone has no idea about what they are talking about is when they tend to use buzz-words in every other sentence.
3) Charisma
* Can a leader effectively give hope and galvanize differing views into a vision for all? Is the vision succinct enough for all to understand?
* Does the leader create a positive atmosphere in times of crises?
4) Patience
* How cool, calm, and collected is the potential leader? Put in another way, is the potential leader susceptible to undue excitement and hyper-activity? Are they always arguing at every opportunity?
5) Listening and accepting criticism
* This is probably the hardest quality to garner. Nobody likes to be told that they are wrong but a good leader will listen and adjust their thinking so that they are in line with what is expected of them.
** A huge bonus is a healthy sense of humor. Knowing how to make fun of even you goes a long way towards encouraging the led to voice their opinions and be open in their provision of feedback.
You may have your own criteria but I have found these to be the key elements that make a good leader. So when the time comes, I will take all the candidates and rank score them based on these criteria and the one that scores the highest will get my vote. It is acceptable to give different weights to each one of them as long as one remains objective.
What do you think of my system?