What is a leader

[xyxmt]

well what xyxmt has said its kind of truth but against the moral values as Human and Muslim ...
for example , everyone Lie in their life time ,so i guess its hard to speak truth all the time , a truthful leader cant lead liars ..
but that is a bit complicated ... the problem in Pakistan is that People are bad , dishonest , liars , hypocrites , cheaters and law abiding peoples .. so the fault is within us , if we are as nation fix ourselves , i am sure we can produce at least one Leader like Quaid-e-Azam , Nelson Mandela etc ..

If right now you have an honest leader who want to make Pakistan a livable place and he is honest and honorable, he cant do jack, unless he is willing to take the responsibility of killing/putting 1000s of innocent behind bar amongst 100s of thousands of criminals and murderers...and if someone cant take this burden on his shoulder there is no chance of Pakistan becoming what it should be. A leader must lives with this burden. This is not 50 hijra.

If you compare Quaid-e-azam and nelson mandela with todays leaders then you should also compare the thives and corrupt politicians of that time with todays thieves.

 

[rockstar08]

If right now you have an honest leader who want to make Pakistan a livable place and he is honest and honorable, he cant do jack, unless he is willing to take the responsibility of killing/putting 1000s of innocent behind bar amongst 100s of thousands of criminals and murderers...and if someone cant take this burden on his shoulder there is no chance of Pakistan becoming what it should be. A leader must lives with this burden. This is not 50 hijra

Unfortunately you are right .. Even a Revolution required blood ...

 

[Dubious]

12 Habits of Exceptional Leaders

MAY 18, 2015

One of the most popular Dilbert comic strips in the cartoon’s history begins with Dilbert’s boss relaying senior leadership’s explanation for the company’s low profits. In response to his boss, Dilbert asks incredulously, “So they’re saying that profits went up because of great leadership and down because of a weak economy?” To which Dilbert’s boss replies, “These meetings will go faster if you stop putting things in context.”

Great leadership is indeed a difficult thing to pin down and understand. You know a great leader when you’re working for one, but even they can have a hard time explaining the specifics of what they do that makes their leadership so effective. Great leadership is dynamic; it melds a variety of unique skills into an integrated whole.

Below are 12 essential behaviors that exceptional leaders rely on every day. Give them a try and you can become a better leader today.

1. Courage

“Courage is the first virtue that makes all other virtues possible.” —Aristotle

People will wait to see if a leader is courageous before they’re willing to follow his or her lead. People need courage in their leaders. They need someone who can make difficult decisions and watch over the good of the group. They need a leader who will stay the course when things get tough. People are far more likely to show courage themselves when their leaders do the same.

Not exactly run away to UK, Saudi or whichever country you find wanting to hug you

For the courageous leader adversity is a welcome test. Like a blacksmith’s molding of a red-hot iron, adversity is a trial by fire that refines leaders and sharpens their game. Adversity emboldens courageous leaders and leaves them more committed to their strategic direction.

Leaders who lack courage simply toe the company line. They follow the safest path—the path of least resistance—because they’d rather cover their backside than lead.

2. Effective Communication

The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.” —Joseph Priestley

Communication is the real work of leadership. It’s a fundamental element of how leaders accomplish their goals each and every day. You simply can’t become a great leader until you are a great communicator.

Great communicators inspire people. They create a connection with their followers that is real, emotional, and personal, regardless of any physical distance between them. Great communicators forge this connection through an understanding of people and an ability to speak directly to their needs.

I havent seen the elite UNDERSTANDING anything from air conditioned lack of load shedding

3. Generosity

“A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit.”
—John Maxwell

Blame game shows pathetic leadership!

Great leaders are generous. They share credit and offer enthusiastic praise.

not demand it

They’re as committed to their followers’ success as they are to their own.

Not self centered

They want to inspire all of their employees to achieve their personal best—not just because it will make the team more successful, but because they care about each person as an individual.

No Punjabi/ Sindhi/Sariaki/ Mohajir/ Pashtun BS

4. Humility

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”
—C.S. Lewis

Great leaders are humble. They don’t allow their position of authority to make them feel that they are better than anyone else. As such, they don’t hesitate to jump in and do the dirty work when needed, and they won’t ask their followers to do anything they wouldn’t be willing to do themselves.

I think this is a far cry

5. Self-Awareness

“It is absurd that a man should rule others, who cannot rule himself.”
—Latin Proverb

Contrary to what Dilbert might have us believe, leaders’ gaps in self-awareness are rarely due to deceitful, Machiavellian motives, or severe character deficits. In most cases, leaders—like everyone else—view themselves in a more favorable light than other people do.

Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence, a skill that 90% of top performing leaders possess in abundance. Great leaders’ high self-awareness means they have a clear and accurate image not just of their leadership style, but also of their own strengths and weaknesses. They know where they shine and where they’re weak, and they have effective strategies for leaning into their strengths and compensating for their weaknesses.

With Wadera/ feudal and VIP laws this is non existence

6. Adherence to the Golden Rule +1

“The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become.”
—Jon Wolfgang von Goethe

This further nullifies the misconception that leaders are what their people are...It is leader who are different WILL change the people!

The Golden Rule—treat others as you want to be treated—

If you want to be a VIP treat others like one! If you want to be shot then only resort to such orders!

assumes that all people are the same. It assumes that, if you treat your followers the way you would want a leader to treat you, they’ll be happy. It ignores that people are motivated by vastly different things. One person loves public recognition, while another loathes being the center of attention.

Great leaders don’t treat people how they themselves want to be treated. Instead, they take the Golden Rule a step further and treat each person as he or she would like to be treated. Great leaders learn what makes people tick, recognize their needs in the moment, and adapt their leadership style accordingly.

7. Passion

“If you just work on stuff that you like and are passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out.”
—Mark Zuckerberg

Passion and enthusiasm are contagious. So are boredom and apathy. No one wants to work for a boss that’s unexcited about his or her job, or even one who’s just going through the motions. Great leaders are passionate about what they do, and they strive to share that passion with everyone around them.

Prob only thing in Pakistani politics is passion spread around soo much that it blinds people to think of others as human

8. Infectiousness

“The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.”
—Reverend Theodore Hesburgh

Great leaders know that having a clear vision isn’t enough. You have to make that vision come alive so that your followers can see it just as clearly as you do. Great leaders do that by telling stories and painting verbal pictures so that everyone can understand not just where they’re going, but what it will look and feel like when they get there. This inspires others to internalize the vision and make it their own.

9. Authenticity

“Just be who you are and speak from your guts and heart--it’s all a man has.”
—Hubert Humphrey

Authenticity refers to being honest in all things -- not just what you say and do, but who you are. When you’re authentic, your words and actions align with who you claim to be. Your followers shouldn’t be compelled to spend time trying to figure out if you have ulterior motives. Any time they spend doing so erodes their confidence in you and in their ability to execute.

Leaders who are authentic are transparent and forthcoming. They aren’t perfect, but they earn people’s respect by walking their talk.

10. Approachability

“Management is like holding a dove in your hand. Squeeze too hard and you kill it, not hard enough and it flies away.”
—Tommy Lasorda

Great leaders make it clear that they welcome challenges, criticism, and viewpoints other than their own. They know that an environment where people are afraid to speak up, offer insight, and ask good questions is destined for failure. By ensuring that they are approachable, great leaders facilitate the flow of great ideas throughout the organization.

11. Accountability

"The ancient Romans had a tradition: Whenever one of their engineers constructed an arch, as the capstone was hoisted into place, the engineer assumed accountability for his work in the most profound way possible: He stood under the arch.”
—Michael Armstrong

Great leaders have their followers’ backs.

We have flea infested politicians scratching each others back maybe they should lead each other not a country!

They don’t try to shift blame, and they don’t avoid shame when they fail. They’re never afraid to say, “The buck stops here,” and they earn people’s trust by backing them up.

12. Sense Of Purpose

“You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.”
—Ken Kesey

Whereas vision is a clear idea of where you’re going, a sense of purpose refers to an understanding of why you’re going there. People like to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves. Great leaders give people that feeling.

Bringing It All Together

Becoming a great leader doesn’t mean that you have to incorporate all of these traits at once. Focus on one or two at a time; each incremental improvement will make you more effective. It’s okay if you “act“ some of these qualities at first. The more you practice, the more instinctive it will become, and the more you’ll internalize your new leadership style.


12 Habits of Exceptional Leaders

 

[MastanKhan]

Prophet was a human and an example he was called the truthful even before prophethood....

2ndly, It isnt hard...but material desires cloud our thinking so bad we find it hard! As a matter of fact it is harder to lie and having to maintain it!


I think you didnt read my posts...

@Jungibaaz you read sooo fast

@rockstar08
The people are a mirror of the leader not the other way round...Another point also brought this up

@Akheilos

This is the most fascinating part of your thread----. Prophet Mohammad was a man of character---honesty---a person---a human being---of trustworthiness---dependable---respectable---compassionate---man of his word amongst many other things---all this BEFORE HE BECAME THE PROPHET OF GOD.

But these qualities alone doe not make a man the leader of men----including women and children----. A leader has to have vision---he needs to have his finger on the pulse of the people---he needs to understand what a progressive and growing society needs---but there is one thing that differs great leader from ordinary ones----.

Great leaders understood the fact that in order to have a successful and progressive state---there needs to be order in the society---there has to be the rule of law so that the people can live and prosper without the fear threat to their welfare---. The law needs to be just and it needs to be quick---.

Either if it was Ceasar Or if it was Genghis Khan---both were men who led from the front---set an example with their hardwork and perseverance.

If it was Prophet Mohammad or his Caliphs----their legacy is based on rule of law---justice for one and justice for all---equality----.

A leader needs to have vision and understanding-----General Musharraf had the vision when he agreed to help the americans----he knew what could be otherwise------KHWARAM SHAH did not have the vision when confronted with the killings of mongol traders----.

Saddam Hussein did not have the vision to understand what the U S was telling him---------today you see his nation destroyed----over a million and a half killed in the aftermath of the chaos--------------whole of the civilization of Iraq is no more-----.

Saddam paid for his arrogance with his life------General Musharraf paid for his vision thru the ignorance of his subjects---the Pakistanis .

So----being a leader of men is not enough----people also need to understand the issues as well.

The part that the public plays is that when it see a right being done---it acknowledges it-----pakistani public was disgraceful and thankless to Musharraf---and Allah punished them in the worst possible way ( Zardari--Rahman Malik and co )---.

So----if you are the CEO of JAL----what difference does it make if your citizens don't give a shit about you.

There can be no leaders without followers------.

 

[Dubious]

. he did not do something wrong but he just run away from his duties ,

For a prophet to run away from his duties is a wrong....Coz a Prophet like you said are role models...But raising them above the status of a human (which god gave them- all over the Quran they are called human nothing more nothing less) is equally wrong...

Trolls will feast on this

eah but i remember as Allah said " Jaise Awaam , waise hi hokmaran ..

Kindly point it out on whatever thread not here..

I hadn't finished reading then just yet only the first two posts, only just finished now, constant interruptions.

I always envy those with lightening speed

@Akheilos you start the debate pick a point

Man har koi haath dho ker Bismillah kernay kay liyea shuru ho jata hai ....What debate?

I want view points of whom you call leader and why? Have you ever given any of these criteria a thought before calling him or her a leader

 

[Jungibaaz]

I always envy those with lightening speed

Read some fiction novels, I'm a big Tolkien fan as is plain with with my old avatar and current signature.

 

[Dubious]

So----being a leader of men is not enough----people also need to understand the issues as well.

Yes but one needs to LEAD them, gain their confidence and showcase something worth wanting to be led by...

The part that the public plays is that when it see a right being done---it acknowledges it-----pakistani public was disgraceful and thankless to Musharraf---and Allah punished them in the worst possible way ( Zardari--Rahman Malik and co )---.

He did do a mistake regarding the lal masjid....though it is still debated....His other mistake was making the media free to BS and confuse the society...Till today 1 paper will be reporting something while another news channel would be reporting the direct opposite and chance that both are wrong is remarkable!

There can be no leaders without followers------.

True...But it is the JOB of the leader to create a following environment not to be VIP and all that BS....I dont think there is any leader in Pakistan.....No one can make himself even close to the Japanese Airlines CEO...Cutting his own pay, behaving like a normal human walking in their shoes, queuing in line for food .....how many so called leaders have done that?

Not one!

Read some fiction novels, I'm a big Tolkien fan as is plain with with my old avatar and current signature.

He writes thick books....I dont even read that many journal articles though I managed Harry Potter and some of Tamora pierce but then I out grew them and became a full time nerd like student with friends who now work in good positions

 

[Jungibaaz]

He writes thick books....I dont even read that many journal articles though I managed Harry Potter and some of Tamora pierce but then I out grew them and became a full time nerd like student with friends who now work in good positions

I've developed an healthy obsession, also your definition of a nerd and obsession, probably don't mean the same thing as my fandom.

Myself and @Armstrong are some of the biggest fandom nerds on the forum.

 

[IrbiS]

Man har koi haath dho ker Bismillah kernay kay liyea shuru ho jata hai ....What debate?

I want view points of whom you call leader and why? Have you ever given any of these criteria a thought before calling him or her a leader

Said so talking point to point and hence a longer debate....anyway


Vision is the seed of a leader which itself may come from inspiration and passion, commitment to drive him and keep him focused no matter what the odds.

A person rock hard but on the inside and on himself trying every moment to be the man/woman he/she believes himself to be which is the key to getting people's trust by admitting mistakes and actively finding a lesson in them.

A person who sees bigger picture but is modular at the same time which sometimes can be better than only 2 sides of the coin.

Being humble, following the law and empowering people so he is answerable to those for whom he's responsible for and Remembering the true God to whom you've to return.
Like the Time of Umer bin Abdul Aziz, a man who ruled the area from edges of Europe to Central Asia and ME to Africa but there wasn't a single man in need of zakaat, yet Khalifa didn't have money for new clothes. When children were eager for new clothes on Eid, his wife persuaded him to take next month's salary in advance. Khalifa asked the khazanchi for advance payment. He replied what if you die before next month who knows so better give me written order to show later. And Khalifa returned with no answer

As said earlier leader is a human so mistakes are inevitable but true leader is the one who's ready to face the music

 

[Dubious]

I've developed an healthy obsession, also your definition of a nerd and obsession, probably don't mean the same thing as my fandom.

Myself and @Armstrong are some of the biggest fandom nerds on the forum.

Oh no...I meant a real nerd...not a bookworm

there wasn't a single man in need of zakaat

Heard something similar didnt know his name ...

Too bad we wont find a single leader (except perhaps José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano who was President of Uruguay)

And rumours of Ahmedijaad (however you spell his name) and well that Japanese on the 1st post (though not ruling a nation but a business is a good enough example)

I say humble and humility comes above all....coz these are drilled in deep while other things can be learnt....

 

[IrbiS]

Oh no...I meant a real nerd...not a bookworm


Heard something similar didnt know his name ...

Too bad we wont find a single leader (except perhaps José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano who was President of Uruguay)

And rumours of Ahmedijaad (however you spell his name) and well that Japanese on the 1st post (though not ruling a nation but a business is a good enough example)

I say humble and humility comes above all....coz these are drilled in deep while other things can be learnt....

Even in Hazrat Umar bin Khitab R.A days, minimum pay standard was 12 gram gold

Ahmadinijad brought his lunch from home daily.

The reason we don't have leaders is the last point of the list, we can find different people with different qualities but no one has got it all together.

Zardari got a brain of a fox but will only use it to make money. IK got many good things but sometimes he's just too much nonetheless an inspiration for many and I hope someone is thoroughly inspired with all basic ingredients to make a leader who is unlike him. Hence I want a leader to be a perfect manipulator, of his own to see himself through stressful times when each one of us can feel like I'm not acting neutral, letting personal personal agendas take over and blurring the vision or bigger picture or simply put, kid himself to act as a leader when he knows it's difficult.

 

[MastanKhan]

Yes but one needs to LEAD them, gain their confidence and showcase something worth wanting to be led by...


He did do a mistake regarding the lal masjid....though it is still debated....His other mistake was making the media free to BS and confuse the society...Till today 1 paper will be reporting something while another news channel would be reporting the direct opposite and chance that both are wrong is remarkable!


True...But it is the JOB of the leader to create a following environment not to be VIP and all that BS....I dont think there is any leader in Pakistan.....No one can make himself even close to the Japanese Airlines CEO...Cutting his own pay, behaving like a normal human walking in their shoes, queuing in line for food .....how many so called leaders have done that?

Not one!


He writes thick books....I dont even read that many journal articles though I managed Harry Potter and some of Tamora pierce but then I out grew them and became a full time nerd like student with friends who now work in good positions

Hi,

The time for a conventional leader is long gone----. Now you have teams----political parties now work as organized gangs or syndicate----.

There is no more time to teach the masses---they need to learn and understand on their own---otherwise---they are where they are---.

As for Lal Masjid---the nation should have stood behind the state----. A fundo mullah cannot form a state within a state in the capital and the stupid Pakistani nations bows down to it----.

No compare it to the U S---Bush stated that Iraq has WMD's---public knew that they did not----but they did not say a thing against him to stop----over a million and a half Iraqis dead---whole of the Iraqi civilization wiped out---the nation of Iraq basically as it existed---has been wiped out and the American public did not stand up against the govt----because they know---even if the govt is wrong----you don't stand in its way because that will create chaos which will result in instability.

There are no leaders anywhere I the world---and none are going to come---.

In their lifetime---a person gets so many opportunities to succeed----same with the nations----. The thing is that as nations live longer than people----they go thru the cyclic changes----but then many a generations suffer thru that---like in Russia----from one chaos to another----.

 

[S.U.R.B.]

@Akheilos , apologies as the topic about qualities of a leader is a broad one, so i'll try to limit my set of arguments aimed just on the communication skills..and how the lack of such an attribute is affecting our people.

The leader of 21's century , let's see what is special about him.May be the rules of the game are still the same ,but the method of playing it has evolved with time.

I'll like Nelson Mandela to help me out here.

“Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.”
― Nelson Mandela

Put's an end to the whole lead from the front argument... though i know that strategy is more respectable, but is it possible/effective/feasible/affordable for our political leadership at this time that we are living in,with all the media boom,the press and institutions to work with.

Voice is a one big weapon a leader has got in his arsenal.Far more lethal ,that any of WMDs of the current times.You can build and reform a society ,close to the image you have got in your head.Or you can make them look like losers in a matter of minutes,with a single sentence.... There are examples (and you know them) but, let's continue with the argument.



All of them in our part of the world have dual faces.There is an inside job and there is always an outside one in front of the masses.Then upon that they don't know how to sell it.All of it relies on the gift of the gab, the communication skills to deliver your message effectively.All our so called "political leaders" fail to fall in that category.
I'm choosing the word Political leaders as one can sense that majority of this debate ,will revolve around our political leadership.As they are supposed to carry the utmost power to be able do anything, in a democracy.

To be a good orator and being confident about what you are saying comes naturally.That is the person who can:
1- Create his audience ----- when learning the basics about leadership qualities, and working on his instincts.
2 -Can reach his audience and motivate them to act---- when his people accepts him as a leader.


In the current times and in my quest to choose a relatively recent one,i have found the following:

(I want you to hear it from the start for the background, but if you have to skip it to the speech it begins at 10:40.)

Impressive and moving!
There will always be criticism. But doesn't he "sound" like someone whom one may want to accept as a leader,with his shortcomings?

That is where we are wrong....Because we dont have honest people we dont have proper leaders....Because of such mindsets we have settled with whatever shit we get

About that how do we are supposed to know, as we haven't got one among us.
Global village ?
Yeah, but can we here actually reap the fruit of what the leaders of the world are doing for their people,unless our own sacred cows learn something from them.Indirectly ,may be yes.Directly it's a No.And it's all about the direct impact, that an individual living in a society like ours care about.It's the effect of the policies of his leadership that he has to bear with.It's like he's been managed like a play doh, as his future is remodeled in the hands of the leader his society has got.

• Next one thing, else being a good orator which can create a big impact is the Body language.A topic for some other time or day.

Please keep it running.

 

[Leader]

@Akheilos

This is the most fascinating part of your thread----. Prophet Mohammad was a man of character---honesty---a person---a human being---of trustworthiness---dependable---respectable---compassionate---man of his word amongst many other things---all this BEFORE HE BECAME THE PROPHET OF GOD.

But these qualities alone doe not make a man the leader of men----including women and children----. A leader has to have vision---he needs to have his finger on the pulse of the people---he needs to understand what a progressive and growing society needs---but there is one thing that differs great leader from ordinary ones----.

Great leaders understood the fact that in order to have a successful and progressive state---there needs to be order in the society---there has to be the rule of law so that the people can live and prosper without the fear threat to their welfare---. The law needs to be just and it needs to be quick---.

Either if it was Ceasar Or if it was Genghis Khan---both were men who led from the front---set an example with their hardwork and perseverance.

If it was Prophet Mohammad or his Caliphs----their legacy is based on rule of law---justice for one and justice for all---equality----.

A leader needs to have vision and understanding-----General Musharraf had the vision when he agreed to help the americans----he knew what could be otherwise------KHWARAM SHAH did not have the vision when confronted with the killings of mongol traders----.

Saddam Hussein did not have the vision to understand what the U S was telling him---------today you see his nation destroyed----over a million and a half killed in the aftermath of the chaos--------------whole of the civilization of Iraq is no more-----.

Saddam paid for his arrogance with his life------General Musharraf paid for his vision thru the ignorance of his subjects---the Pakistanis .

So----being a leader of men is not enough----people also need to understand the issues as well.

The part that the public plays is that when it see a right being done---it acknowledges it-----pakistani public was disgraceful and thankless to Musharraf---and Allah punished them in the worst possible way ( Zardari--Rahman Malik and co )---.

So----if you are the CEO of JAL----what difference does it make if your citizens don't give a shit about you.

There can be no leaders without followers------.

disagree wth musharraf havng vision wth respect to american threat.


the dictator needed Int support to legitimize his rule, what he landed us in is 70,000 dead Pakstan wth crippling state of affairs and above that the bastard thnks that he is needed, warna Pakistan ka Allah Hafiz. he can go suck up something.

p.s.

@Akheilos let me fnd my management books...

anyway, what I learned from Imran Khan as a Leader s that

never give up on your dreams, never compromse on your dreams, make people believe in your dreams, and play wth the attitude to win it as you got nothing to lose, since you are not going to back off from your dreams, thats the kind of person people like to follow.

let me find that Ted talk of Imran Khan, its really inspiring..

 

[I.R.A]

The part that the public plays is that when it see a right being done---it acknowledges it-----pakistani public was disgraceful and thankless to Musharraf---and Allah punished them in the worst possible way ( Zardari--Rahman Malik and co )---.

Sorry I would have to disagree here. ALLAH did not command that Kommando leader to do an NRO? Or did that leader ask people of Pakistan to suggest possible clauses of NRO? And what kind of leader would play in hands of Chaudhries who require speech therapy before opening their mouth in public, and that too when you speak of visionary leader?

For topic:

For me humility is the key quality of a leader, that would differentiate a leader from a dictator to start with, and it would attract the followers and respect of the people. The other attributes would include truthfulness, honesty, courage, vision, patience, steadfastness, decision making ability and to stand by his decisions, empathy for his people, knowing his people, knowing his weaknesses, willingness to accept the failure and faults and courage to try again and improve, motivational,not afraid of sacrificing personal desires and wishes, always will be leading from the front, and best thing he would not let his followers feel the heat that he faces.


P.S: Education is not necessary for a leader, he can be an illiterate.