On Leadership

Leadership is one of the basic skills that men need to have. At some point in a man's life, he will have to lead. One day, he will be head of his family. He will drive and inspire his kids and bring the best out of them. He will have to take a deep look into his wife's interests, and help cultivate them so that she would continue to bloom. He will need to have vision. He must see the future of his family. He must bring them towards abundance, bliss and success. 


As a kid, I remember trying to decide whether I would become a manager when I grow up, or just an ordinary worker. My dad had a lot of friends who were managers. All I could see was their children complaining that their fathers no longer had time for them. They were too busy. My dad was an ordinary employee. He and my mom worked in a school. Even though they did not hold high positions, they had quality time for us. We were so swamped with their attention and care. Because of that, I promised myself never to dream of becoming a manager. Never would I allow myself to be in the spotlight and be the center of attention. 


Now, I am a man. I am married. A year or two from now, I will be on my way to being a father. I find myself re-evaluating the decision I made years ago on being a leader. I have come to realize that as a husband, leadership is a necessary skill. Where my family can reach will depend on how far I can take them. Without my vision, we would stall. Instead of moving forward, we would be moving around in circles. There would be no progress. I must be strong for them. When they will feel down, they will look to me for inspiration. I must learn how to influence their thoughts and remove any negativity in them, replacing them with good ones. Eventually, I will have to build my career up and become a manager. As I grew up and met more people, I realized that holding higher positions do not mean less time with the family. Time management is what is important. Work, dream, and plan for your family, but always find time to be with them. 


One Sunday morning, I heard this from a preacher's sermon. "You will never follow a dumb ox. You will never follow a guy who is dumber than you are!" There is a lot of truth in these very strong words. This is a challenge to husbands to become the best that they could be so that they could lead their families. I would not allow myself to be a dumb ox. If  I was one, I would not allow myself to remain that way.

In the end, we come to the basic rule of leadership. A leader will be followed if he has the trust of his members. He will be trusted, if he is able to show them that he is leading them to a very bright tomorrow. I have made my decision. I want my wife to believe in me. I will want my children to be grateful for what I have done for them. I will become that great manager, and I will be the best leader that I can be.