Leadership

                The qualities needed to make a good leader are not the most difficult qualities to find but the qualities that a leader needs in order to benefit their people can be a rare combination.

                A good leader needs to be able to understand people and have the charisma to gain followers. Having the appearance of a leader is useful, as well as the ability to not be intimidated easily. Being a good communicator and being able to make decisions decisively is pivotal as well. These qualities only add up to a person who can gain followers easily; not necessarily be a good leader. People like Jim Jones, Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin were all very charismatic and gained a huge following but they were not the ideal leader. They weren’t the ideal leader because in the end they did not help their own people who they were meant to serve.

                An ideal leader is a little harder to find than someone who can gain a following. Having those qualities is important but a helpful leader needs more than that. In 1st Samuel 10:25 it says that “Samuel explained to the people the regulations for kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the LORD.” The book never continues to say just what those regulations for commendable leadership were. My belief is this; an exemplary leader must put their people above their own lives and desires. A leader worthy of imitation must rule justly and teach their people to act justly as well.  Although these traits can be hard to find, a leader with these qualities will naturally stand out.

                Sometimes the best way to cultivate these qualities in oneself is to imitate a worthy leader. A worthy leader will help you become more of who you are. They will encourage others to become exemplary leaders as well.

The only question left is; What are you?

(yeah this is an English assignment :P)