Leaders must do the difficult things. This is demonstrable in times of crisis when quick and timely decisions must be made. In his book, Jesus CEO, Laurie Beth Jones chronicles the life of Jesus Christ and the difficult things he did. By the way, Jesus didn't have to do them. He had other less difficult options. He chose to do the difficult ones, nonetheless. Jesus did the difficult things.
Our newly elected political leaders must do the difficult things. I am writing this piece to encourage them to be truthful to their leadership calling and do the difficult things. Winning an election is the easy part; delivering on the electoral pledges is the difficult part.
You must remain true and professional. A professional does things even when she or he doesn't feel like doing them. You must not be blown about by the winds of the moment. To deliver on the electoral pledges, you must stay focused on the successful accomplishment of your mission, and above all do the difficult things.
Many charismatic and popular leaders get into trouble when they cease doing the difficult things in order to win approval or be liked. Politicians who depend on opinion polls to determine their actions do not last very long as leaders. Unfortunately, if you run your management programme based on opinion polls or popularity contests, you will not last long as a leader either.
Remember, the tendency of the masses is always usually towards mediocrity. Opinion polls are, in my view, a very poor source of vision. Visions that are based on popularity contests are mediocre. They are just hot air – empty talk that is intended to impress. They breed the culture of sycophancy.
The difficult thing usually has a very poor popularity rating. Take, for instance, the removal of the fuel subsidy. That, to me, was a difficult thing. Difficult because its ripple effect on the economy will be felt by everybody. Failure to do the difficult thing eventually will get you in trouble.
A once-popular American televangelist had charisma, a clearly popular service and an enviable following. However, because he failed to assess and recognise fiscal priorities and responsibilities, he wound up in jail.
This country has many difficult things that need to be done. The new administration enjoys a lot of goodwill from Kenyans. Difficult decisions must be made. They must be made with speed.
The issue of the competency-based curriculum needs to be resolved. It isn't an easy thing. There are many other difficult things that await the decision of the new leaders. Everybody must do the difficult thing.
The real test of leadership does not occur when everything is sailing smoothly. Rather, leadership is oftentimes tested during a crisis. The way a leader behaves and acts during a crisis will establish their credentials as a good leader or a poor one.
When the BP oil spill occurred in Mexico in 2011, it was both a human tragedy and an environmental one. Eleven workers had lost their lives and thousands of gallons of oil were continually being discharged into the water. One could term this crisis catastrophic. And yet, the response of the then CEO Tony Howard was found to be very lacking. In fact, it further hurt the organisation’s credibility.
Back to Jesus CEO, Jones asserts that: "Doing the difficult thing means not letting public opinion sway you from what your heart, gut, spirit or instinct is telling you."
Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to Jerusalem. He sensed danger there, and he was right. Jesus knew it was part of a larger plan to derail his agenda. So he set his face towards Jerusalem with full knowledge of the consequences.
In Matthew 16:22, Jesus rebukes him thus: But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me."
I want to remind our President and Deputy President that perhaps the true mark of a leader is that he or she is willing to stand alone. It doesn't always mean the majority are right. The majority are sycophants. It must have been difficult for Jesus to say no to people. But he did say no.
Like Jesus before them, our leaders must learn to say no. Jesus said no to the ambitious young man who wanted to follow him. He even said no to his own mother when she was trying to interrupt his teaching. He said no to Judas about turning to politics. He said no to temptations in the wilderness. He said no, at times, to himself. 'No, I will not run from this. I will drink the cup that is placed before me.'
In conclusion, leaders must not only have vision and communication skills but also tremendous personal resolve. While leaders attract followers, at any moment they must be able to walk away from them, lest they become followers themselves. They must do the difficult things.
Chief executive marketer, National Examinations' Hub
