Just because political leaders in Lebanon have a lot of power and followers, it doesn’t make them good leaders. The country is in its pathetic situation because of them and how they’ve behaved for all these past years. If they were good leaders, they would have behaved differently, and the country would have been in a much better state. Just like there’s a big difference between a boss and a leader, there’s a big difference between a bad leader, an average one, and a good one. Let’s have a look at what defines a “good” leader…
- A good leader is brave.
He/she knows when to say no, isn’t afraid to do things differently, isn’t afraid to try new things, isn’t afraid to change, isn’t afraid to admit mistakes and own up to them, is brave enough to publicly apologize, and brave enough to point out others who are corrupt and say “no” to them.
- A good leader is innovative and creative.
He/she suggests and tries daring new solutions to problems, and takes innovative approaches to dealing with things. A good leader is creative, because creativity is the key to problem solving. It’s also known that “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity”, so a good leader thinks outside the box and is open to trying new ways of solving problems and dealing with matters, no matter how outrageous they may sound. He/she is confident and lobbies for or stands by his/her innovative suggestions even if everyone else doubts or downplays them.
- A good leader solves problems and knows when to compromise.
The words “impossible” and “can’t” don’t exist in a good leader’s dictionary. A good leader always looks for solutions, and when things get difficult, he/she knows when and how to compromise in order to solve a problem. When faced with a situation where compromise is the best solution, a good leader knows that stubbornness, ego and selfishness don’t solve problems, but calculated compromise will. A good leader also never gives up, even when a solution seems impossible, because he/she know that nothing is impossible, and there’s always a solution somehow.
- A good leader knows when to step up, and know when to step down.
When things are tough and the ship needs a captain, the good leader steps up. He/she steps up to take control of situations, either making decisions, or saying no to bad decisions. The leader’s correct and timely interference changes the path and fate of his/her country. When the leader is no longer useful or efficient, when he/she makes a grave mistake, or when the ship is doing fine and no longer needs a captain, the good leader steps down and leaves his/her place for a competent successor. There’s never ego, selfishness or greed in the leader’s decisions.
- A good leader is just, honest and never lies.
A good leader is ethical and fair. Honesty is rare nowadays, and it takes bravery to be brutally honest. Honesty gains peoples’ trust and builds good relations. It’s always better to say the truth, even if it hurts… because dishonesty would result in more damage in the long run.
- A good leader is competent.
Someone who’s not competent in a certain domain or its aspects can’t become a good leader in it. A good leader has wisdom, intelligence, knowledge, skills, and qualities that make him/her competent.
- A good leader is humble, selfless, and smart.
A good leader is not greedy, not selfish, not after the money, and not after fame or credit. He/she is a team player, and is goal-oriented. Wisdom and intelligence are 2 other key qualities of a good leader. The safety, happiness and success of the country and all its people are always the priority of a good leader.
- A good leader is a great communicator.
Communication is one of the most important skills a good leader has. Communication solves problems. A good leader is eloquent, charismatic, and uses his/her excellent communication skills with allies, enemies, opponents, and the public… whether it’s for negotiation, persuasion, problem solving, assurance, public information or mass appeal.
A political leader must possess all of the above points in order to be considered a good one. Having just a couple does not make him/her a good leader… even if only one of those points is missing. Consistency is also key, so if someone has all these points, but isn’t consistent with them, that disqualifies him/her from being a good leader. Unfortunately, with the lack of good leaders in Lebanon at this critical point in time, the country is in dire need of one.
If you consider yourself to be a good leader, and you’re financially well off to an extent where you don’t have to worry about making a living anymore, please step up and lead this country to success.
