CHARACTER AND PITFALLS OF LEADERSHIP BY REV. GERALD OLE-NGUYAINE

CHARACTER AND PITFALLS OF LEADERSHIP

LEADERSHIP CHARACTER

•     Definition:

Character is a leader’s inner sense of moral strength that determines how he or she acts when no one else is looking.

•     It’s foundational to leadership success.

•      Character and trust are tied together.

•     The leader’s character inspires the confidence and trust of others.

•     Leadership effectiveness depends greatly on trust, which must be earned by a demonstration of good leadership character.

•     A leader is one who leads the way, and people choose to follow leaders they trust.

•     Closely related to character is integrity.

•     The Bible uses the term “blameless” to describe integrity (Gen 17:1; 2 Pet 3:14).

•     Integrity means consistency between what we believe, what we say and what we do.

•     The ultimate test of leaders’ credibility is whether they do what they say. 

•     Leadership involves making unpopular decisions and taking difficult actions.

•     It takes integrity to do the right thing when it may be unpopular.

•     Essentially, a call to spiritual leadership is a call to character formation.

•     In Galatians 4:19, Paul desires a change in the Galatians’ character to become conformed to the character of Christ in reality, not in mere appearance.

PITFALLS OF LEADERSHIP

Definition:

-       A pitfall is a trap or a snare that you can fall into before you even know what has happened.

•     Often leaders shipwreck their careers, their organizations, and their families by making careless, foolish choices, which tarnish, discredit, and humiliate them.

•     Some leaders go from victory to victory.

•     Others begin with great promise, but eventually fall and become forgotten.

•     No one sets out expecting to fail. So, what happens?

•     Leaders’ failure can usually be traced to mistakes they could easily have avoided.

•     Let’s examine some common pitfalls that cause spiritual leaders to fail.

Common Leadership Pitfalls

1.        Pride

2.        Sexual Sin

3.        Cynicism

4.        Greed

5.        Mental Laziness

6.        Oversensitivity

7.        Spiritual Laziness

8.        Domestic Neglect

9.        Administrative Carelessness

10.    Prolonged Position Holding

1.    Pride

• Pride is the leaders’ worst enemy.

• It has caused the downfall of many (Prov 16:18).

• Pride drives leaders to seek the limelight.

• Pride overinflates the ego (Dan 4:29-31).

• Spiritual leaders are God’s servants, but pride can cause them to act as if God were their servant, obligated to answer their selfish prayers and to bless their grandiose schemes.

• God hates and opposes pride

-          (Prov 6:16-17; James 4:6; Lk 18:14).                           

• Pride is a sin that festers in people, making them unreceptive to God’s guidance and the wise counsel and support of other people (1 Sam 13:13-14; Jn 15:5)

2. Sexual Sin

• Has the power to destroy a career, a family, and a reputation, all in one blow.

• Safeguards against sexual temptation and its destructive devastation:

–    Enlist “accountability partners.”

–    Practice what you preach.

–    Consider the consequences (Prov 7:24-27; 14:12).

–    Develop healthy habits (e.g. spousal protection).

–    Pray and ask others to pray for you.

3.    Cynicism

•     Leadership is a people business.

•     People always let you down – they will criticize, question the leader’s motives, and second-guess his decisions.

•     Thus, making the leader cynical – distrustful, skeptical, and suspicious of them.

•     When leaders focus on the negative, seeing only problems and weakness, they lose the optimism required to overcome difficult challenges.

•     A leader must have a positive attitude.

•     A cynical spirit reflects a lack of belief in God.

•     A critical spirit in spiritual leaders reveals that their hearts have shifted from God.

4.    Greed

•     Money and possessions can be either good or bad in a leader’s life.

•     The hunger for material things can destroy spiritual leaders; it can tempt them to act unethically.

•     Money is not the most important thing in life; Obeying God’s will is.

•     Wise leaders…

a.    Do not allow themselves to be enslaved to money; they use their money to glorify God.

b.    Know that the measure of their success is not the size of their bank account but the quality of their lives.

c.    Invest their lives in things that bring the most lasting and gratifying rewards.

5.    Mental Laziness

•     Problem solving is an essential function of leadership.

•     Creativity and innovative thinking is necessary in leadership.

•     Leaders cannot afford to become intellectually stagnant.

•     Good leaders never stop learning.

•     Methods that worked a decade ago may be ineffective today.

•     Leaders who aren’t continually growing will eventually find themselves with skills that are obsolete.

•     Wise leaders seek the company of wise people.

•     They read books and articles that stretch their thinking.

•     They read the biographies of great leaders and thinkers.

•     Spiritual leaders tap into the eternal wisdom found in Scripture.

•     They allow the Holy Spirit to guide and align their thinking with God’s will, not society’s latest fad.

•     Leaders don't jump to conclusions. They process the facts and seek to determine the truth of their situation.

•     Spiritual leaders spend purposeful time with God, allowing him to guide their minds to the truth regarding the condition of their organization.

•     Great leaders are thinkers. They are transformed by the renewing of their minds (Rom 12:2). They never stop learning or evaluating, so they never stop growing.

6. Oversensitivity

•     If you cannot handle criticism, you shouldn’t be a leader.

•     Criticism, second-guessing, and motive-questioning are unpleasant.

•     But they are inevitable aspects of leadership.

•     A leader takes a decisive action and is criticized for being too reactionary.

•     A leader cautiously refrains from taking action and is chastised for indecisiveness.

•      One way or the other a leader will be criticized!

•     How leaders should respond to criticism…

•     Honestly examine their hearts to be sure the criticism is without merit

•     Leaders must face criticism with integrity before God and before people

•     Ultimately it is God’s approval and not people’s that matters most

•     When leaders know they have obeyed God, they set aside the desire to defend themselves

•     They find their security in God’s affirmation

•     God’s promise: Isa 54:17

•     The wisdom of a right decision will prove itself over time. Wise leaders let God prove the purity of their motives and the wisdom of their actions.

•     True leaders are more interested in doing the right thing than they are in their popularity.

•     Sometimes, the right thing to do is not the most popular.

•     Spiritual leaders must keep criticism in perspective.

•     Criticism will come, and it will hurt, but it must not be allowed to derail leaders from God’s call upon their lives.

•     Before giving in to the temptation to quit, leaders should revisit what they know God asked them to do.

•     Remember John 15:20!

7.    Spiritual Laziness

•     Leaders are driven people; they see to it that things get done.

•     Spiritual leaders often get busy with ministry while spending less time with God.

•     “doing” vs. “being”

•     Life apart from Christ is meaningless. Wise leaders never forget that (Matt. 6:33).

8. Domestic Neglect

•     Get your priorities right:

–    God first, then family, then ministry.

•     Every leader must balance the responsibilities of their leadership role with their commitment to their families – leader at work; leader at home!

•     Nelson Mandela…

–    Fight to liberate his people; goal achieved.

–    The Nobel Peace Prize; president of South Africa.

–    Suffered two divorces.

•     Mandela confessed that although he loved his wives, his work always came first and his marriages suffered as a result.

9. Administrative Carelessness

•     Leaders are, by nature, visionaries.

•     Focusing too much attention on the vision – where the organization is going.

•     Neglecting to build the organization to arrive at the destination – to achieve the vision.

•     Like a traveler who looks at the road map and knows exactly where he is going.

•     But forgets to monitor and maintain the fuel and oil levels of his vehicle.

•     Leadership demands both focus and balance. Are you task-focused or people-focused?

•     Accomplish the task, but don't ignore or trample people along the way.

•     Wise leaders build up the people who will achieve the organization’s vision.

•     Clear, timely communication is absolutely essential to a successful organization.

10.    Prolonged Position Holding

•     It is better to leave them longing than loathing,” so goes the old maxim

•     Wise leaders know when the time has come to exit graciously and allow a new leader to step in

–    Julius K. Nyerere, Nelson Mandela exited well – earned respect of many

–    Robert Mugabe has overstayed his presidential welcome – not wise!

•     As a leader once you are no longer as effective as you used to be, it is time to come up with an exit strategy

•      Older leaders tend to have difficulty giving their blessing to the emerging generation of leaders

•     Leaders with integrity recognize when they have made their most worthwhile contributions.

•     Then they graciously hand over the reigns of leadership to the next generation.

•     King Hezekiah is the classic biblical example of a leader who overstayed his mandate.

•     He had been a good and righteous ruler of the nation of Judah (2 Kings 18:5).

•     After ruling for fourteen years, Hezekiah contracted a terminal illness.

•     The prophet Isaiah told the king to get his house in order for it was God’s will that he should soon die.

•      King Hezekiah wept bitterly and prayed for his life to be spared.

•     God granted his request and promised him fifteen additional years of life.

•     During his extended rule, Hezekiah made two major blunders:

–    First, he showed all the treasures of his kingdom to envoys from Babylon who visited him.

–    Such foolish indiscretion would later cost his successors – the Babylonian armies came to forcibly relieve Judah of the same treasures.

–     Secondly, Hezekiah had a son – Manasseh, but failed to raise him to the fear of God.

•     During his extended rule, Hezekiah made two major blunders:

–    Upon Hezekiah’s death, Manasseh became king.

–    Manasseh commenced the longest, most wicked reign in Judah’s history.

–    By the time Manasseh’s reign ended, Judah's immorality and idolatry were so perverse and had reached such intolerable levels that God’s judgment on the nation was irrevocable.

–    By prolonging his leadership beyond what God had planned for him, Hezekiah planted the seeds for his nation’s moral demise.

Conclusion

•     Developing a healthy awareness of the pitfalls that can bring failure and disgrace to leaders is the first step to avoiding them

•     The second step is putting safeguards in place that will provide protection in times of temptation or indecision

•     Third, leaders should have before them the continual reminder that:

•     Their organization is more about people than it is about productivity.

•     They are not indispensable.

•     The most effective, efficient thing they can do for their organization is to maintain a close, vibrant relationship with God.

Here are some questions to consider:

•     Do I pray regularly with at least one other leader?

•     Are there other leaders with whom I am free to be candid about my personal struggles?

•     Who holds me accountable to follow through on what I know to be God’s will?

•     What safeguards have I built around my relationship with my spouse? Are they adequate to protect me from temptation?

•     How am I presently studying and applying God’s Word to my life?

•     Have I built safeguards around my time with God?

•     When was the last time I clearly heard God speaking to me? How did I respond to what he said?

•     Do I have people who are willing to challenge my actions when they think they are harmful?

•     Is the fruit of the Spirit growing in me? (Gal 5:22-23). Am I becoming more and more like Christ?

Reference

Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2001).

Thank You.

Rev. Gerald Ole Nguyaine.

UONGOZI UNAANZA KWA KUTUMIA KIPAWA ULICHONACHO

Unapokuwa unatamka nchi za Jumuiya ya Madola moja kwa moja kichwani mwako, ufahamu unaingia ndani yako ni kwamba unamaanisha nchi zilizotawaliwa au zilizokuwa koloni la Uingereza. Leo tunaendesha magari upande wa kushoto kwa sababu aliyekuwa anatutawala alitwambia tuendeshe kushoto. Yako mambo mengi ambayo tuliyarithi na mpaka sasa bado hatuyajabadilisha kwa sababu tu ya yule aliyekuwa anatutawala. Matumizi ya maneno kama “District Commissioner” “Regional Commissioner” n.k, yote tumeyarithi kutoka kwa waliokuwa wanatutawala. Lakini pamoja na hayo kuna mambo ambayo ningeliyaita “kufanywa ndondocha (brain washed) kuna nyimbo tulizokuwa tunaimbishwa ili kuweza kumuenzi na kumsifu aliyekuwa anatutawala, kwa tafsiri isiyokuwa rasmi kutoka katika lugha ya Kiingereza yalisema,” Tawala Uingereza! Tawala mawimbi yote Tawala! Uingereza! Na wala usiwe mtumwa!” Na nyingine zilikuwa za kumuombea Malkia, “Mungu mwokoe Malkia wetu! Mpe ushindi Malkia aendelee kututawala milele, na maneno mengine. Tutawale sisi watumwa wako! Tutawale! Haya maneno yalikuwa yanaimbwa kutoka katika mioyo yetu tena kwa kumaanisha! kilichokuwa kinaimbwa au kujengwa ndani ni hiki: Kwamba tutaendelea kutawaliwa yumkini mpaka Yesu atakapokuwa anarudi mara ya pili! Nyimbo hizi zenye maneno mazito zilikuwa zinatudumaza tusiwe na mawazo ya kwamba sisi tunaweza kujitawala au tunaweza kuongoza! Haya yalikuwa maneno ambayo ni ya kutufanya tusijione ya kuwa ndani yetu tanacho kitu cha kutufanya tujitawale na kuwa huru! Maneno kama haya ni kudumaza ufahamu wetu.

Na kwa nyimbo hizi, wale waliokuwa wanatutawala hawakuweza kufanya “mentoring” ya kutuandaa tuweze kuwa viongozi bora! Na mpaka leo unapokuwa unaangalia hasa matatizo tuliyokuwa nayo ilikuwa ni shida ya au iliyotokana na kuwa “brain washed”. Leo nchi za Afrika zimejitawala kisiasa, lakini si kiuchumi wala kijamii! Leo mipango karibu yote ya Serikali za Afrika inategemea mawazo ya wale waliotutawala! Japokuwa viongozi wetu hawaimbi zile nyimbo tulizoimbishwa wakati wa kutawaliwa, lakini katika eneo la kiuchumi na kijamii bado tunaimba hizo nyimbo japo si kwa kutoa sauti!

Unapozungumzia Soko Huria- ni ukweli usiopingika ya kuwa tunaimba nyimbo za,”Tawala Milele juu yetu!” Tawala milele na wala usitawaliwe, wewe unayetutawala! Utawasikia viongozi wetu wakituambia juu ya maelekezo wanayopokea toka World Bank, IMF n.k. Lakini pamoja na kutuamrisha tunayopaswa kutekeleza, bado viongozi wa Ulaya wanawalaumu viongozi wetu kwa utawala na uongozi mbovu, wakati kiuhalisi hawakuwaandaa! Utawala huo wa ukandamizaji wa kikoloni haukuandaa, kuibua, kuchochea na kujenga watu ambao wangelikuja kurithi nafasi ambazo wangeliziacha baada ya sisi kujitawala! La ajabu hata wale wanaoitwa Americans Indians na Negro-slaves-pamoja na kwamba wako katika nchi kama Marekani, Unakuta wana matatizo ya uongozi katika jamii zao wenyewe! Tatizo ni nini? Waliimbishwa nyimbo za kutawaliwa na kuongozwa bila kujua ya kuwa na wao wanao uwezo wa kufanya vyema.

UFANYE NINI? Kwa nyimbo tulizoimbishwa na “kufanya ndodocha” (kuwa ‘brain washed) - ndani yako ni lazima kuingia shauku ya kuchukia nyimbo hizo za “nilizaliwa kutawaliwa na kuendelea kuwa mtumwa” Na wakati baba zetu na babu zetu wakiimbishwa nyimbo hizo hawakujua ya kuwa zilikuwa zinawanyonga kisaikolojia! Ni lazima uwaze kugundua ya kuwa haukuzaliwa kutawaliwa na kuwa mtu anayefuata (follower) tu mambo ya walioko! Kwa kusema hivyo simaanishi hawatakuwepo viongozi, watakuwepo!  Ila ujione ya kuwa katika gari gurudumu haliwezi kuwa taa ya treki na usukani hauwezi kuwa kioo cha mbele maana yake, kila kimoja ya vifaa hivyo kila kimoja ni “kiongozi-katika eneo lake na nafasi yake haiwezi kushikwa na kifaa kingine! Rejeta ina uwezo ambao hauwezi kupatikana katika betri ya gari!

Uongozi wa kweli haubebi tu watu wanaowafuata bali huzalisha viongozi (True leadership does not maintain followers but produces leaders)-Nikwambie na kukuhakikishia ya kuwa, Hakuna anayeweza kufuta kulichomo ndani yako! Yawezekana una maswali haya!

QUESTIONS FROM THE HEART

Is leadership about power, position, talent, skill, authority, some unique physical trait, social status, family heritage, or special charisma? Is leadership a corporate appointment or the reward bestowed after a struggle with competitive forces? Is leadership reserved for just an elite few chosen by providence and separated from the masses of us normal mortals who struggle for a sense of significance?

Does leadership require followers? Is it necessary for leaders to have tittles? Is leadership a distinction of superiority, a disposition of advantage and qualities of greatness that one from the rest? s leadership a manifestation of superior intellect or cognitive capacity? Is leadership reserved only to a specific race or class of people? Are leaders smarter, wiser, better, greater, move intelligent, more equipped, more skillful, and more charismatic than followers are?

These are the questions may be you have been struggled with for some years back!

Hakuna linalotokea bila uongozi. Hakuna linalobadilika bila uongozi .Hakuna linaloendelea bila uongozi. Hakuna linaloboreka bila uongozi .Hakuna linalorekebishwa bila uongozi. Kila mmoja, kila mahali, kila wakati kuna kuongozwa! Hali zozote, mazingira yoyote na namna zozote ambazo mtu, familia, jamii, shirika, taifa ambako wanaweza kujikuta wamefikia, ujue kuna aliyewaongoza mpaka wakawa hapo walipo! Iwe ni katika hali nzuri au mbaya!

Mara zote iwe ni moja kwa moja au si moja kwa moja, kutaka au kutokutaka tunajikuta tunaongozwa! kwa namna fulani kuna anayekuwa anatuongoza ama mwanasiasa, askofu, baba, bosi au mwalimu. Hata kibofu anaweza kuongeza kwa mujibu wa kauri ya Yes Kristo! Alisema, “Kipofu akimwongoza kipofu mwenzake, wote watatumbukia shimoni”

Ki ukweli, tuna watu wanaotungoza ambao tumeamua tuwe chini yao watuongoze iwe kwa kupiga kura, au kuteuliwa na hata kwa makubaliano! Kwa changamoto tulizokuwa nazo katika karne ya 21, Ulimwengu umejikuta unapambana na mambo kama ugaidi, vita, majanga, tabia nchi, umoja wa wala rushwa, n.k! Changamoto ni kwamba tutapataje viongozi wa kutufaa kuyakabili au kuja na suluhisho la kutatua matatizo kama ya uhamiaji na mambo ya uchumi. Nchi zilizokuwa za Kisovieti kwa sasa zinahangaika kupata viongozi watakaotatua suala la uzalishaji kibiashara pamoja na uhalifu! Afrika tunatamani kupata viongozi watakaomaliza utamaduni wa rushwa na vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe na matatizo sugu ya ukame, njaa pamoja na UKIMWI. Mataifa yanayopitia mabadiliko ya kisiasa kama Iraq na wao wanatamani wawe na viongozi wa kutatua yanayowakuta.

TUNA VIONGOZI WENGI, UONGOZI KIDOGO! Si kwamba hatuna viongozi wanaoshikilia ofisi za uongozi katika jamii zetu! Tunao viongozi wengi sana! Lakini si uongozi mwingi! Tuna viongozi katika jamii, dini, kisiasa, na maeneo mengine, lakini viongozi hawa na waliowatangulia wamezalisha mambo yanayokosa majibu!

Ulimwengu tunaoukaa unakabiliwa na mambo yetu ambayo hayana budi kupatiwa ufumbuzi. Mtanziko uliokuweko leo  na kwamba mengi kama siyo yote ya matatizo tuliyokuwa nayo yamezalishwa na viongozi au na wao wameelemewa na matatizo waliyoyarithi toka kwa waliowatangulia ! Na kila tatizo baya ni matokeo ya uongozi dhaifu.

MFANO: Teknolojia tuliyo nayo imeziacha tamaduni nyingine nyuma! Ni karibu 10% tu ya idadi ya watu ulimwenguni wanaonufaika na teknolojia na teknolojia hiyo hawezi kuboresha wala kuokoa maisha ya wengi. Maana yake pamoja na mabadiliko hayo na yanayokuja kwa haraka hayajaweza kumeza wala kutatua katika maisha ya afya za watu!

*Jambo lingine ni ule mgawanyo sawa wa rasilimali zetu.

Kiuhalisia, Duniani hakuna njaa! Njaa iliyopo imetokana na matatizo ya uongozi ambao umeshindwa kupeleka mahitaji kwa wahitaji!

Wakati fulani mtu mmoja alikuwa Marekani na akawa anaendeshwa na mwenyeji wake kuelekea eneo lijulikanalo Fargo, North Dakota. Wakiwa njiani akamuonyesha shamba kubwa la mahindi lililokuwa tayari kwa kuvunwa. Lakini akamwambia, wakulima hawako tayari kuvuna mpaka bei itakapokuwa imepanda! Na isipopanda, watayang’oa na kuyaharibu na kuyazika udongoni ili waweze kuleta uhaba wa chakula!

Sasa kama wanaamua hayo, Je, hawajui ya kuwa walipaswa kuyapakia mahindi hayo yaletwe Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan ya Kusini na Kaskazini mwa Kenya ambako kuna ukame? Lakini kwa sababu bei iko chini, North Dakota watayaharibu mahindi hayo badala ya kuyapakia katika meli yaje Afrika.

*Wakati mwingine chakula cha msaada kinaweza kuletwa, tatizo likawa la Usambazaji wa kuwafikia wenye uhitaji. Nchi nyingine misaada hiyo viongozi wataihifadhi kwa ajili yao wenyewe: Kiukweli, Hakuna umasikini ulimwenguni! Ila kuna siasa, biashara na” viongozi wawekezaji “ambao wanashawishiwa na agenda zao wenyewe (mfano, Guinea ya Ikweta-mtoto wa Rais Nguema, anauza madini nje ya utajiri mkubwa wakati watu wana hali mbaya ya chakula! Ametajwa kuwa bilionea lakini anawaibia walio wengi!)

*Jambo lingine ni suala la afya. Utafiti unaonyesha ya kuwa, kila sekunde sitini, kuna watu 7 wanaoambukizwa UKIMWI. Na viongozi wa afya wamekosa majibu ya utatuzi wa hilo na wanawaza watalikabili vipi?

*Kuna suala la Kidini na mgongoni wa tamaduni. Hivi karibuni Uingereza walikuwa na mjadala mkali, wafanyeje kwa jamii ya Waislamu waliokuwa wanapanga kuishambulia nchi ambayo imewapokea na kuwapa raia. Unapokuwa na watu ambao ni raia, lakini wakageuka kuwa magaidi kwa sababu ya tofauti za ki-imani, ujue kuna tatizo la uongozi kitaifa!

*Kadhalika, Ufaransa walikuwa wanahaha kwa ongezeko la Waislamu kutoka Utarudi. Walikuwa wanaona wabadilishe mfumo wa elimu ili kuweza kuchukuliana na utamaduni wa uvaaji wa Kiislamu na lugha yao .Mpaka sasa viongozi hawajui wanafanyaje na mfumo huo wa Elimu kwa sababu hata misingi ya Idara ya Uhamiaji inaonekana kutikiswa!

*Marekani haijaachwa nyuma! Wao nao shida imekuwa uhamiaji haramu toka Mexico. Wako katika mahali ama waganga kutua mkubwa na mrefu kudhibiti uhamiaji haramu! Wakati huo huo viongozi wa Congress wanaendelea kupambana wao kwa wao katika vikao ili kupokea heshima na faida zaidi.

*Mtafaruku katika familia na wenyewe ni tatizo lingine! 51% ya watoto katika Marekani na jamii za Magharibi, madarasa yamejaa watoto wanaotoka nyumba zisizokuwa na baba! Unapokuwa unapeleka watoto wa aina hii shuleni, utakuta hali inakuwa mbaya na tete shuleni! Kwa sababu hawajui maana yake nini kutii mamlaka! Ni kwa sababu wanapungukiwa uongozi wa wazazi wawili wanaokaa pamoja!

*Tatizo la ndoa .Tuna shida katika uongozi kwa sababu kama viongozi wameshindwa kuja na tafsiri ya kwamba tunaposema ndoa, je ,ni kwa ya mume na mke au  inaweza pia kuwa mume na mume au mke ana mke!

(Elton JOHN -Amefunga ndoa ya jinsia moja na huyu ndiye tungelimwita “Muelimishaji wa jamii” na David Beckham alihudhuria!)

Leo tuna viongozi ambao sasa wanakuja na kuhoji ni kwanini mtu asiwe na uhuru wake wa kuamua, kufunga ndoa na mnyama! Msamiati unaoitwa” Familia”-kwa sasa uko katika mdahalo! Na sasa kama Mashoga/Wasagaji –wataasili mtoto (adoption), hiyo ni taswira ya kuwa uongozi una shida! Maana kama waliamua kuoana mume na mume, mke na mke inakuaje leo waasili mtoto?

Kwa sababu ya matatizo hayo ya ambayo viongozi wetu kwa sasa wamekuwa na

hofu ya ugaidi, mgawanyiko wa jamii, majanga, vita, magonjwa, kuanguka kwa uchumi! Na huu ndiyo Ulimwengu tunaoukaa. Haya yamezalisha mambo yafuatayo,

KUKATA TAMAA-Kijana anawaza! Kwa nini nisubiri kumaliza shule wakati naweza kuuza dawa za kulevya nikapata fedha! Wazee wamekosa msimamo! Kwanini nisidanganye katika fomu ya kulipa kodi au tu nituze heshima yangu kwa kusema ukweli?

HASIRA: Watu wana hasira kwa kushindwa kukabili maisha ya kila siku! Watoto wana hasira na wazazi na hata jamii inayowazunguka! Hasira hiyo imewapelekea kuingia katika maisha yaliyoharibika na matendo mafu!

KUTOKUAMINIANA: Kutokuaminiana na ya hali hofu ni jambo linalokua kwa haraka sana. Watu wanakata tamaa na kuvunjika moyo kwa ahadi zisizotimizwa na serikali zao, uongo na udanganyifu katika biashara, kukosekana kwa uaminifu shuleni, n.k.

KISINGIZIO (Compromise) Watu waliopoteza imani kwa viongozi wao na wana uchungu, wako tayari kupoteza uadilifu wao na mwenendo wao. Wako tayari kulala na bosi ili apandishwe cheo au kulala na mwalimu ili apate maksi nzuri, Wako tayari kumwibia mwajiri kama wanaona kuwa hawalipi vizuri.

UBINAFSI: Viongozi wamekuwa wabinafsi kwa kujiangalia wenyewe! Hawajali tena watu wanaowazunguka Hata wale walio wahitaji na wao wanajiangalia wenyewe!

mawakili nao wako tayari kuorodhesha mashtaka lukuki ukidhani wanakusaidia kumbe wanataka kulipwa zaidi.

MASHINDANO: Watu wanaamini raslimali ni chache kwa hiyo wanazishindania badala ya kushirikiana

UROHO/KUTOKURIDHIKA: Kwa sababu ya matangazo watu wanatamani vitu wasivyo na uwezo navyo! kama kijana hana uwezo kwa kununua raba ya Nike, yuko tayari kumkaba mtu kwenye kona na kuichukua .Mtu hana uwezo wa kununua gari sawa na la mfanyakazi mwenzake alilonalo, yuko tayari atumie karo/ada ya mwanae kununua gari hilo ili na yeye awe katika fasten. Wazazi hawana uwezo wa kununua “Flat Screen”-wako tayari kwenda “Tunakopesha ili waipate.

THAMANI YA UHAI IMEONDOKA: Ni kisheria, kutoa mimba na kutupa kama unaona hali fulani haziruhusu kwa mimba uliyopata bila kutarajia! Haki za wanyama na haki ya kutoa mimba ni mambo yenye uwiano sawa kwa sasa!

“ABUSE”: Wazazi wanapiga watoto kwa kuwatesa, wanaume wanapiga wake zao! kwa sababu wanazojua wao. Mwanamke anajiona hana thamani kwa mumewe na anaendelea kujiona hana thamani hata kwa wanaomzunguka!

UHALIFU/VIOLENCE: Mauaji ya kutisha (tar 7 Januari jambazi amekamatwa na risasi 6082 na AK 47 na SMG) Ujambazi na uporaji uliobobea, unaendelea sehemu ambazo zinaonekana serikali yote inakaa hapo, wakati tungelidhani kungelikuwa salama kuliko sehemu yoyote ile mauaji yaendelea, Washington D.C, Pretoria, London, n.k.

VITA: Kuna vita nyumbani, kati ya baba na mama, watoto na wazazi, vita shuleni kati ya walimu na wanafunzi, vita katika biashara kati ya Meneja na waajiriwa, vita makanisani kati ya waumini na mchungaji, vita kati ya dini na dini (mfano Boko Haram huko Nigeria) na imani zingine ,vita kati ya taifa na taifa! wasio na hatia ndiyo washiriki wakubwa!

 Yote haya katika Historia na hata leo ni matokeo ya uongozi. Hali tuliyo nayo katika Ulimwengu ngazi za taifa na jamii zetu ni uthibitisho tosha ya kuwa ubora na mwenendo wa uongozi wa binadamu kwa karne nyingi haujatoa majibu ya kuridhisha!

Lakini viongozi hawa wanatoka katikati yetu! Mila na tamaduni zetu hazizalishi viongozi wanaoweza kuweka mambo sawa! Neno linatwambia, Kila kitu kinazaa kwa jinsi yake! Hauwezi kuzalisha kilicho bora zaidi ya ulivyo! (You cannot produce something better than yourself) Ndio maana viongozi tunaondelea kuwazalisha au kuwapata kwa vizazi vyote hawawezi kuboresha wala kuleta hali bora zaidi

Kila mtu anataka kuwa viongozi

Bado watu wanataka kuwa viongozi wanasiasa, watu wa kawaida, wanariadha (msanii wa muziki wa Senegal anayemiliki runinga na magazeti anataka kugombea uraisi) wafanyabiashara, wanafunzi, wanataka kuwa viongozi.

NANI MWENYE UWEZO

“The value in each human is the gift they were born to deliver to humanity

Gari linaaminika kuwa na vifaa vilivyoiunganisha 60,000

Lakini unaonaje ungelikosa waya unaokuwa unaunganisha toka katika terminal ya battery”

kwenda katika Ivyine ambao thamani yake ni shilingi 50,000/= kwa gari yangu thamani ya milioni themanini .Battery’ thamani yake ni kati ya sh. 100,000/= mpaka 150,000/= je, ukiondoa waya huo wa elfu 50,000/= kuna madhara katika gari?

Ninachotaka kusema ni kwamba katika gari kila kimoja kina jina tofauti na kila kimoja ndani yake kina uwezo tofauti na kingine kwa maneno mengine kila kimoja kina uwezo tofauti na kila kingine. Katika gari unaposema jina la kitu unakuwa unataka kuonyesha uwezo wake ambao ni tofauti na kitu kingine kwa lugha nyingine kila kimoja ni “In charge” katika eneo lake.

kama vifaa vinavyounda gari vingelikuwa vinatoa taarifa kwa anayekuja kuendesha, mfano

‘Battery” iseme niko tayari!

“Plug” Iseme nina moto

“vingine” niko tayari kuendesha gari lote! Halafu waya unaounganisha katika betri unyamaze!

Wewe ni kiongozi. Una uwezo ndani yako!

Thamani ya wadhifa haiku katika ukubwa au udogo wake; Bali, kwa kazi unayokuwa unaifanya!

Thamani yako iko katika kipawa kilichoko ndani yako!

BORN TO LOAD, PROPARED TO SERVE

Wewe ni kiongozi. Ndani yako kuna uwezo wa kuongoza. Japo katika kila tamaduni, tuna maneno unayoweza kuwa unaaminishwa kama tulivyoona katika utangulizi ya kuwa babu zetu wake kuwa "levain washed”- kujiona ya kuwa waliumbwa kutawaliwa na Uingereza nay a kwamba maadamu ndani ya kila mtu kuna shauku ya kuwa kiongozi basi ni jukumu la kila mtu kugundua, kuchochea na kutumikia kipawa au uwezo uliomo ndani yake kwa kuwatumikia watu wengine.

Uongozi ni nini? (Jambo la kwanza ni kutumikia Kiongozi ni mtumishi wa watu. Unafikia hatua ya kuwa kiongozi ni kwa kutambua the god has deposited in you” na uanze mkubwa kunafikiwa pale mtu anapokuwa ametumikia watu wengine!

Popote kipawa chako kilipo katika maisha, si kwa ajili yako kukihifadhi, ni kwa ajili yako kukitoa kihudumie ulimwengu unaokuzunguka! Uongozi unaotumikia wengine ni uongozi wa kujisambaza katika kizazi chake!

Distributing yourself

Usisubiri uwe na nafasi ya juu ndiyo uanze kutumikia watu wengine, usisubiri upate digrii, usisubiri upandishwe cheo!

Safisha vyoo na kutumika! Andaa chai a kutumika! Panga viti na kutumika! Imba kwaya na kutumika! Tumika katika kila fursa inapopatikana!

Servant leadership is being PREPARED to serve your gift at every opportunity?

Kama unataka kuwa mkubwa, haina budi kuanza kutumia kipawa chako kuwatumikia wengine bila kutaka kulipwa! (Work to learn, not to warn). Tangulia kujitolea kwa kuwa chini ya mwingine kabla ya kutanguliza kulipwa.

KWANINI UONGOZE?

(Never underestimate the power of one-self)

Kwa hali isiyoridhisha ya mambo niliyo kutajia hapo juu, tunahitaji viongozi ambao wameandaliwa kwa kujitolea kuwatumikia!

Vyombo vya habari kila wakati vinatwambia nchi Fulani unafanya uchaguzi, lakini unakuwa uchaguzi ambao wale waliopiga kura wanajikuta katika wakati mgumu baada a ahadi walizopewa kutotimizwa!

Tunahitaji watu wa kutuwezesha nyakati ngumu. Katika Biblia tunawaona watu kama Musa, Joshua, Nehemia, Esther, Debora, Daudi, Daniel.

Lakini hatuwezi kuwasahau akina Teddy-Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Sir Winston Churchill Martin Luther King Jr, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela!

NB. Naamini ya kuwa matatizo katika ulimwengu au yanaweza kutatuliwa, ikiwa kila moja atatumikia kipawa kilichomo ndani yake kwa watu.

NI NANI ALIYE MKUBWA?

“NI YULE ATUMIKAYE”

“Everyone came to earth with something humanity needs”

Hawa wanatajwa kutumikia badala ya kutoka ukubwa: Mother Theresa, N.Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King Jr, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, George Washington, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, M. Ghandllie, Henry ford,

Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Wright Brothers, na wengine.

Somo toka Kapernaumu

Mk.9:33-35

Lk 22:24

Mt. 20:20-21---------Mt. 20:26-27

The idea is that leadership has nothing to do with ruling people. It has more to do with year gift-identifying it, maximizing it, and serving that gift to the world.

Baraka Edom

baraka.edom@yahoo.com