What Makes A Great Leader?

In the lead up to the Presidential by-election on 30th of October many Zambians are now examining the four candidates and preparing to make a decision about whom to vote for. The constant barrage of information received on a daily basis in the media regarding the candidates can somewhat distract from the significant task at hand.

Voters should take the opportunity to reflect on what exactly makes a great leader and then use this as a benchmark to compare and contrast the individuals before they are standing in front of the ballot box. In order to become a great political leader there are many essential qualities that the person needs to possess.

Perhaps the most crucial virtue a potential President requires is vision. They must have a clear understanding of where the country is currently and where they want to take it. Their vision must be built on a solid knowledge of the nation’s history and how it has changed. They need to be able to use this experience to anticipate what may happen in the future so that they are prepared to face any challenge. Their vision should contain goals they want to meet during their term, these must be achievable and not just empty promises made to entice more votes.

Another key skill required is that the person needs to be a good communicator. This ability is important on many levels; by saying that they are a good communicator, it does not mean that they have a loud voice and can shout. Its means they are able to convey a proper message. The correct candidate must also have the capacity to listen. Only through listening to his people can a leader understand what is required of him by the population.

A great leader will nknow what his people think, understand them on a wide range of issues; he has to be able to interact, with his teachers, with the nurses, with the farmers, with the miners, with his MPs, with the fathers, with the mothers, with the chiefs, with the students and with the businessmen.

The President needs to be able to make serious decisions over a variety of subjects on a daily basis for the betterment of his people. So as to not make mistakes, the candidate should have solid experience. A country cannot afford to elect a President who does not have a suitable history of leadership.

The candidate will need to be able to hit the ground running, there is no time to practice once you are a Head of State. No one can exactly predict the events that might shape the future of a country but the best candidate is one who will be reliable in the face of adversity and steadfast in their choice of actions. The President needs to be someone the country can lean on to carry them through difficult times.

The ideal candidate for President should have a good educational record and a firm grasp of the world around us, so that they are able to understand the complex nature of the job at hand. The President of a country is its representative in many international fora. Not only must the leader be able to understand the wishes and needs of their people, but also make those wishes and needs understood by the global community and command respect when communicating them.

A President should have worked in diverse positions throughout their career, in order to give them first hand exposure to the many areas of expertise he will have to deal with. For example it is preferable that he has worked as a General Manager of a business and been a Member of Parliament or even a Minister.

The more experience the candidate has in a variety of different roles, the better prepared he is for what will ultimately be the most important job of his life.