BELAJAR
LEADERSHIP
Like I said before, I would sometimes write about the knowledge and insight I obtained from books I read. It would not be a book, but several book, but with similar concept and theme. I will named the segment;
Belajar, which means learning in Bahasa Malaysia as well as Indonesia. So, as for the first post in Belajar, I would like to share to you some insight from books on LEADERSHIP
As we all know, leadership is the fundamental to success in learn, job and life (and so on. so on..) However, that's actually true, but in which direction? As I wade through plenty of leadership books (Mostly John C. Maxwell's, bussiness and personal motivation books) the leadership aspect touched were how to communicate, how to manage, how to delegate and so on. Its good in theory, but there's none for practicality. Yes, it is a good read but that's the magic of words. Making you feel immersive and as if you just obtained a "life-learning" lesson from the great leaders. From what I see, all the books were more on the positive side; you got to be a good samaritan but not always (John. C. Maxwell book summary) you got to be a good communication; able to talk to everybody in your organization into doing their job, you got to able to manage resources, material as well as human skills.(bussiness and personal development book).
These book were all aiming you toward becoming a good bussinessmen, entrepeneur, but in reality, these kind of people were sucker (easily duped) in the bussiness world. It was as if the books were actually creating customers for bussiness people instead of building more bussiness for the people.
Back to the main point; which direction?
What I meant here is that all things have two sides. there's the Duality of man, proton and electron, yin and yang, Symmetry and Supersymmetry and so on.. Easily said that there's two face to everything. That include leadership. Why would I said that? that because the way I defined leadership is:
"The Ability to get your group/team to get the job done regardless of action or consequences but not the result"
Regardless of action or consequences; this is a good clause. In imaginary situation (I meant the leadership books) everyone can be converted from lazy state to productive state. In reality, Dream On. There's bound for some incompetent people in a group, regardless of where do your work or what professional you are. Even in a corporate, these people can be seen loitering around during work, but hogging around the workplace when the boss is around. In education, the teachers in city workhard but the teachers sent from city to rural village; truant around and opportunist (this is based on true story on Sabah and Sarawak; the Borneo island of Malaysia. Teachers send to these part sometimes truant and set up bussiness to take local resources to the Peninsular part of Malaysia. However, NOT ALL, there are good teachers. Once again, the duality of man applies) Again, in Imaginary situation, these people were like these due to a reason. In reality, Some of these guys reason were non-existent, tending you to think; how were they employed in the first place?
Thus, the action or consequences here does not meant scolding or getting angry or whatsoever. But is to ignored, or in extreme condition; ostracized. There's no point on making them learn. You just had to do with resources you have.
Well, in the classroom or in University group work, that's unfair. But that's the way it works. Unless there's a Mighty Revelation or a Sudden Religion Realisation, It's not going to change.
But, However, there's another clause to the definition, "but not the result". in which I meant the result is still Top Notch even when you're underhand. Yes, I can see what you're thinking, and my words are: Who's said it's going to be easy living in this world? It just going to be harder.
So, where's the duality part of these definition? This is it, Leadership can lead to either positivism or negativism. In other words, you can be a good leader that lead to creation of a welfare community in your place or either a good leader commanding the group that terrorize the community minority. In both sense, I use the adjective "good". Well, there's nothing good in the second example, but thats how we were not taught to think about leadership.
Think of Mongolian hero; Temujin or known as Gengkhis Khan is an example of good leadership. He unites the tribe of mongols, but not without a strife (at some point, he killed his sworn brother). He conquer most of the asian continent by waging war with causes. The way he command his horde is an example of good leadership. In his early stages, his wife (Boerthe) was kidnapped and it takes several tribes coalition to save her. In the process, bad things happen ( I don't want to write it here, it makes me sad). So, "regardless of action and consequences" (his wife kidnapped, he had to killed his sworn brother etc.) he lead the mongol tribe to unity. "But not the result" in which this case, he conquered many cities which were thought unconquerable. Yes, there is slaughter and all that, but that's not my point. My point here is that he is able to command the tribes (not all mongol tribes united and in later part, there's other non-mongol tribe as well) to do the slaughter. He loss some but in return he is able to do something. He is able to make the people under him to get the job done.
So, after all this, "what is my prize in leadership"? In reality, nothing much. That actually depend on what leader you are. If you're toward negativism, you're bound for a reward (money, fame, or even bounty on your head), but if you're toward positivism, receiving a pat on a back may be the only prize you get.
(a pat on the back here means the reward you get is not as big as the work that you and your group had done)
The world is cruel. and there's nothing to change the fact. My writting here is not to demoralize people about leadership. We need leaders, however, the outcome of it depend on you. Just think of this: when you do good to people, people will do good to you. You will get your reward, but not instantly. That's all I can say.
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
-Invictus
Reference
John c. Maxwell books.
Zig Ziglar Books.
Bussiness Academic Textbooks
John Man Books on Gengkhis Khan. ("The leadership of Gengkhis Khan" in particular)
