In order to become better bosses, we first have to lead ourselves well. Self leadership is a big deal – how can I serve/steer others right when I am not doing it well for myself?
One day, you will hold a position of influence whether you like it or not, and what you do with that opportunity will change your life. You might agree with me that you are standing in such a position right now (if you don't, you'll come round by the end of this post) because I believe leadership is universal and somewhat inescapable.
A lot of us start being bosses before we even realize it. Depending on your kind of childhood you might be familiar with the game 'Follow the Leader': one person leads a queue of devoted followers as you sing, dance and imitate whatever amusing actions your 'boss' finds worthwhile. While my childhood had me googling what this game entailed, I found one quite similar in my local community - the Day Born Dancegame where based on your day of birth you lead a circle of children to sing "obiara a yɛwoo no Kwasiada"...We would have to look for more childhood leadership games another time if you still cannot relate, but I hope these examples make it clear just how close leadership is to you. 'Follow the Leader' is all fun and games till reality sets in and the leader is you. Some leaders succeed, some fail woefully and others paddle passively along without making any difference. If I am brutally honest, I have done all 3 myself. With the time and opportunity at our disposal today we must ask ourselves - what kind of leaders do we want to be?
This truth about the universal nature of leadership comes with the consequence of knowing that leadership matters at every level. In his TED talk on leadership, Ashesi University’sfounder, Mr. Patrick Awuah stated that “the question of development in Ghana is a question of leadership”.
He described a friend's scary experience of observing two surgeries where the lights went out and the entire operation was plunged into pitch black darkness: "not a candle, not a flashlight" in places where better light sources could easily have been provided. Close to 20 years later, I sat in a consulting room with an ailing elderly woman as the power went out and a 20-minute session became an hour of waiting. (On the bright side, we could see each other). Both scenarios can be pinned on weak institutions and the people who run them, but let us not miss the fact that if leadership styles don't change, the state of followers doesn't change either. I ask again, what kinds of leaders are we becoming?
In order to become better bosses, we first have to lead ourselves well. Self leadership is a big deal – how can I serve/steer others right when I am not doing it well for myself? Becoming the captain of my ship gives me the character and competence needed to serve others in a way that lasts. I think this is one reason why the Biblical Samson with his incredible potential did not judge Israel for more than 20 years. His sense of Judgement had him languishing in the arms of Delilah, and he could not help the Israelites beyond his ability to help himself.
The next 'Boss upgrade' we need is to accept that we are in charge. In other words, the dreaded term ‘R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y’ becomes our friend. Then we have to be observant and identify places where we have influence.
There are leadership opportunities everywhere: helping people cross the street, babysitting younger children, championing group assignments/projects, heading boardrooms, churches, nations, social media pages, and ourselves as individuals. Leadership is universal because leadership is simply service to humanity. The Shambala people of Tanzania say it this way: a king is people. When we find out where our service is making a difference to others, we are on the way to making it count.
A factor that adds balance to our sense of being in charge is accountability. When we realize that we have not been given authority merely for the sake of it and will be held accountable by God and the people we lead, we are one step ahead of the unfaithful servant who treated the other servants badly because his master was away. We handle our opportunities to serveseriously and with integrity.
We become leaders by learning from those who lead - bad and good examples alike. As a child, I remember excitedly volunteering to direct my class' chair arrangements for Our Day when I had absolutely no idea how to do it. My teacher eventually stepped in and ended the chaos that ensued.
Fifteen years later as a campus fellowship leader with very little idea how to care for those entrusted to me, I did better by asking others who had held similar positions how they did it, and it made a world of difference. Self- leadership as a concept hit me during COVID through an inspiring group (Young and Responsible Network International), and I wrote this piece you are reading through an opportunity from the Central Leadership Program. My point? Whether it be by books, videos or people, you can learn to be a leader, and you can start today.
Finally, take that step of becoming boss because "practice makes perfect" has a place in leadership too. One of my best leadership experiences happened because I chose to help a cause no one expected me to, and asked God to help me do it. God helped me, and by His grace the results went far beyond what I expected. Don't look at those guns of intimidation, opposition or self sabotage threatening to shoot you in the foot. Take the step, and if you fall, rise and try again.
Why? Because in that space at that time you are the Boss. You can lead in a way we'll want to follow.
Written by Fellow Emmanuella Afra Addei
