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Tuesday, January 24, 2006
A leader? A friend? Or... maybe both?
It's difficult to know when to treat your "followers" as friends, and when to treat them as your followers. I, for one, find it really difficult.
"Tuck Foong, I'm sorry to tell you, you're not suitable to be a Prefect. Basically, it's not that you don't possess leadership qualities. I've observed you. You are just too assertive, too friendly. Okay?" This was what my discipline master told me when I was a trainee prefect back in my secondary school. Don't be mistaken, it wasn't my wish to be one, I was nominated - surprisingly. Anyway, I wasn't really upset or anything, but just brushed it off. Haha. Later, I came to realise what he said is really true. If I were to go around looking so friendly, will the "law-breakers" of the school feel threatened or be afraid? No. Well, so, in a way, it was quite a blessing in disguise that I did not become a prefect, because I might have to go through some humiliation, some way or another.
All right, then came the day when I became the Senior Patrol Leader of my scout troop. This was the time, when I realised how important it was to be assertive. You see, I have definitely no problem getting my juniors to settle down or do anything without them bargaining or making noise; but when it came to people of my age, who are all my friends - it's harder.
At that time, I have a leader who was feared by everyone. Initially, everyone disliked him and cursed at him whenever he gives us push-ups like giving out leaflets. However, my friends and I got to go out with him quite often and found that he is actually a very friendly guy; it's just that he could split very clearly when he means business, and when he doesn't. Respect. I respect him - very much.
"With great power, comes great responsibilities". This is indeed true. Whenever things go wrong, the leaders get reprimanded first. Even though I think it's really logical to pin-point the blame to the leader, it's not always correct, because sometimes the followers just don't care. I have always believed it's a mutual cooperation. Without the followers, there will be no leader; Without a leader, the followers are lost. And with this believe, I have always disliked seeing leaders getting reprimanded, by the higher-ups even though it was not entirely their fault, and things were really out of his control. Some people might say that since he's a leader, he SHOULD get things under his control; but com'on, he's a human being for goodness sake. Cut leaders some slack man. What's more, it's not like that mistake (if there ever was) could cause the fall of the country. The higher-ups should teach him/her for the first time he/she makes the mistake.
Well, this is just a ranting post. :)
Cheers to the leaders out there!
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