To be a leader is not a simple thing as you have a lot of tasks a head of you. When people choose you to be a leader it means that they have seen something in you and they trust you that is why when organization is not performing well, people launches a blame on you.
Before, you become a leader you tend to promise people a lot of things which you will do to help the Muslim community but when you grab that hot seat you forget all of your pledges and tends to change your attitude.
However, looking at the reason why some leaders don’t perform well, we will come to the conclusion that it is because of greedy. Some leaders want to fill their stomach only forgetting that they are there to serve people as Dr. Kholiwe Mkandawire once told Capital FM Straight Talk show: “ Leaders are our servants. We put them there to serve people and not to be our bosses. At the same time, we have also mandate to pull them down.”
Another advantage of becoming a good leader is that you don’t have sleepless nights when the time of elections is around the corner because people will automatically choose you although you don’t give them a sweet because your leadership quality means a lot to them.
We should also not allow leaders to spend more than three years on that hot seat because if you give them a long term they start relaxing and forget the reason why they are there; they just feel as they will stay there for life. If people are interested in them, let them contest for the second term but we have to know that second term is always sour so we have also to look their agenda to avoid crying in future.
How can someone lead the organization for more than 20 years without doing elections? Or is it a crime to hold elections in Islamic organisation? Or don’t we think that this can be one of the reason why other organisations are not progressing because we are having the same people with same ideas for a long time? Let’s conduct elections and let people choose us in free and fair manner and as we already said, people will still vote for you if you have good leadership skills without even spending a penny.
How Can You Be a Good Leader?
According an author, coach & entrepreneur, Lisa Nicole Bell says, if you want to be a good leader, you must have faith in yourself! If you don’t see yourself as a leader, it will be difficult at best to develop your leadership qualities and evolve into the fantastic leader you can be. We all have talents and strengths so use yours to help master leadership. Remember that the only limitations you have as a person are those you set up in your mind.
Another key factor is that you must master & eliminate the habit of procrastination, taking daily consistent action is one of the primary keys to success. Highly successful leaders share the trait of being disciplined and able to consistently take steps to move them closer to their goals.
Become a Lifelong learner! Many people stop learning once they finish school. However, leaders are always learning & developing themselves. How often are you reading or listening to books? Do you attend seminars? Do you have a mentor? The investments you make into your personal development will be revealed in the quality of your life.
Invest in relationships! Leaders need to have great relationships with their followers in order to maintain their respect and loyalty. How good are you at forming and sustaining healthy relationships? Part of being a great leader is not just your ability to reveal yourself as a great person but to inspire greatness in others.
Go above and beyond. Leaders are people who do not nickel & dime themselves or others. They consistently achieve excellence by being willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Be accountable. Great leaders account for the results they create. If they meet with temporary defeat, they do not look for others to blame. They take responsibility for being the leader and they look for ways to improve.
Leaders are supposed to be exemplary. They should conduct their duties in a faithful manner by knowing that they are there because of Allah and they should expect one day to be questioned on how they used their role.
May Allah make us good leaders and see the development of Islam in Malawi in the near future inshallah.
The most inspiring leaders I have known have demonstrated a shared vision, passion and commitment for their choices. They understood the difference between responsibility and accountability for their actions and delivered on those actions. Most have known the value of fostering and building relationships that are mutually beneficial. The most effective leaders have understood their obligation to share their knowledge with others and have strategically built the people coming behind them into leaders in their own right.
If to deal with this subject from an Islamic perspective we find that characteristics/qualities of a good leader in Islam are as follows:
1. Knowledge and Hikmah (wisdom, insight);
2. Taqwa ;
3. ‘Adl (Justice) and Rahmah (compassion);
4. Courage and bravery;
5. Shura (mutual consultation);
6. Decisiveness and being resolute;
7. Eloquence;
8. Spirit of self-sacrifice;
9. Sabr (Patience).
1. Knowledge and Hikmah In numerous ayaat of the noble Qur'an, Allah says that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, was given both knowledge and hikmah (wisdom) (Al-Qur'an 2:129; 62:05); the two are not the same. Almost anyone can acquire knowledge through study and hard work but hikmah comes only through an inner enlightenment and by seeking sincere guidance from Allah. hikmah is the ability to apply knowledge to a particular situation to bring about the most desirable outcome
2. Taqwa
Islam lays great stress on taqwa (humility; being conscious of Allah's presence and fearing Him at all times) not only for the leader but for every believer. It is the only criterion by which people are judged in Islam (Al-Qur'an 49:13). For a leader, it is even more important because the power and authority he acquires can easily make him arrogant
3: ‘Adl and Rahmah
'Adl (justice) and Rahmah (compassion) are two other essential characteristics a leader must possess. Justice without compassion leads to tyranny, while compassion without justice creates anarchy. A leader needs to maintain a careful balance keeping the overall good of society in mind (Al-Qur'an 5:08; 4:135; 7:29)
4. Courage and Bravery
Those who lead are expected to set an example by showing courage and taking calculated risks. Courage and bravery, important for everybody, are essential attributes for a leader. People must see their leader as someone who is not afraid to face danger. Only by doing so can a leader inspire others to perform great feats
5. Shura
Shura (mutual consultation) is a Qur'anic command (3:159; 42:38); the Prophet himself regularly consulted his companions on all important matters. It is even more important in the case of Muslim leaders. The most outstanding example of the Prophet's Shura occurred on the eve of the Battle of Uhud (3AH).
6. Decisiveness and Resolution
A leader must be decisive and resolute. He must demonstrate such qualities at all times because a decision delayed may be an opportunity lost. The Prophet himself showed great decisiveness at many critical moments in life. Despite suffering a setback in the Battle of Uhud, he decided to go after the Quraish the following day instead of waiting for them to re-launch their offensive. It was this brilliant thinking and decisiveness on the part of the Prophet that forced the Quraish to abandon their plans to return and attack again.
7. Eloquence
A leader must be eloquent and articulate. This is required to communicate the purpose of the mission clearly and to inspire people to follow it. The Qur'an itself is the most eloquent document; it appeals both to the mind and the heart. The Prophet, upon whom be peace, articulated the message of Islam in a way that was immediately accepted by a small group of people in Makkah. Even the Quraish acknowledged
8. Spirit of sacrifice
Simplicity and self-sacrifice are other qualities that Islam enjoins, especially for a leader because his behaviour has a direct bearing on the conduct of others. If the leader is seen to be making personal sacrifices, then the followers will make even greater sacrifices. The leader will soon lose all support if he asks others to do so but himself holds back
9. Sabr
Sabr (patience) is another quality essential for a leader. Impatience will simply drive his followers away. In the face of immense persecution in Makkah, the Prophet not only showed great patience himself but he also counselled his followers to do likewise.
So it’s up to every one of us when grabbing these post do we really suit the said qualities or not, we don’t forget the hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) every one of you is a leader and he will be asked about his leadership.