Lessons from Life.
The longer one lives the more lessons life gives which serve to refine us.
We should never let the lessons go unlearnt, for then we will have wasted the opportunity to be better, more knowledgeable, more impacteous, more gracious, more upright, more beautiful and more lovely tomorrow than we were today.
When I was younger I had not learnt that I needed more than a basic degree in order to achieve more through education.
I hadn’t learnt that I could create my own added value that sets me apart to fulfill my purpose.
I hadn’t learnt it is not so much that opportunity finds you and you seize it, but rather that I can create opportunities and seize the moments.
Now that I am older life has taught me some invaluable lessons.
Common sense and integrity will get you into positions of excellence whereas foolishness and stupidity will get you into a lot of trouble.
Professional competencies leverage one further than basic education.
I’ve learnt that I must create my own added value and live my purpose.
I’ve learnt that I cannot allow myself to be a drifter, for then I will have wasted my life and living.
And, I have learnt that it takes spiritual courage to create opportunities, diligently work through them until they bear fruit.
Yes I’ve learnt that - what I sow is what I will reap, therefore I need to choose what I sow with uttermost care.
The greatest lesson I have learnt is- “life is about choices.” The choices I make in my present have a definite impact on my tomorrows.
My guess is that it is the same for you… make wise choices now for an excellent tomorrow.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Character in Leaders
Character in Leaders:
The issue of “character” in leaders and hence their leadership appears to challenge many individual who would like to aspire to leadership or be known as a leader.
The individual’s ability to build ‘character’ which in turn permeates their leadership proves to elude many a man who hunger to be called or known as “leaders.”
To day in the 21st century, the mirrors that show the character or lack of character in leadership are more than they have ever been in human history. Possibly because today distances are shorter due to technology, information is transmitted in real-time and visibility is high. The world has reached a point where, it doesn’t matter which country town or village you are in the chances of you bumping into someone who knows something about you at least remotely ( it could be about your community, organisation, discipline, business or faith)or knows someone you. The probability chances are nine out of ten. For instance I’m Kenyan, it’s unlikely that I’ll go anywhere in the world where someone will not have heard of either the prowess of Kenyan long-distance runners, the awe-inspiring wildlife in our game parks or the recent election violence… something that will be linked to me.
No people group are obscure and unheard of anymore be it for good or for bad. This makes the issue of character in leaders all the more critical as a leader is not only leading those next to them, but the wider human family miles away from them.
Which takes me to the questions:-
1. What is leadership and what is character?
2. Is character essential for a leader?
3. How would we best define leaders of character?
4. Can we “see” character in leaders?
5. Can one be a leader without having character in their basic make-up, their core being?
6. How best can we inculcate ‘character’ into the individuals who aspire to be or already are perceived as leaders?
Think about it……
The issue of “character” in leaders and hence their leadership appears to challenge many individual who would like to aspire to leadership or be known as a leader.
The individual’s ability to build ‘character’ which in turn permeates their leadership proves to elude many a man who hunger to be called or known as “leaders.”
To day in the 21st century, the mirrors that show the character or lack of character in leadership are more than they have ever been in human history. Possibly because today distances are shorter due to technology, information is transmitted in real-time and visibility is high. The world has reached a point where, it doesn’t matter which country town or village you are in the chances of you bumping into someone who knows something about you at least remotely ( it could be about your community, organisation, discipline, business or faith)or knows someone you. The probability chances are nine out of ten. For instance I’m Kenyan, it’s unlikely that I’ll go anywhere in the world where someone will not have heard of either the prowess of Kenyan long-distance runners, the awe-inspiring wildlife in our game parks or the recent election violence… something that will be linked to me.
No people group are obscure and unheard of anymore be it for good or for bad. This makes the issue of character in leaders all the more critical as a leader is not only leading those next to them, but the wider human family miles away from them.
Which takes me to the questions:-
1. What is leadership and what is character?
2. Is character essential for a leader?
3. How would we best define leaders of character?
4. Can we “see” character in leaders?
5. Can one be a leader without having character in their basic make-up, their core being?
6. How best can we inculcate ‘character’ into the individuals who aspire to be or already are perceived as leaders?
Think about it……
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