"A
good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination."
remarks Nelson Mandela. The words from one of the most
able leaders of our time hold good for all leaders of
the past, present and the future alike.
Leaders are the faces of every society. Though their methods
may be varied, we have a great deal to learn from them.
Time tests them. Yet they stand firm on the ideals that
they believe. Some criticize them for what they do. Yet
they continue their deeds with the conviction that inspires
the whole generation.
A true leader symbolizes perseverance.
History has proved that difficult times for a society
elicits a handful of leaders without fail. A close look
at our past reveals that the hard times served as cocoons
incubating our noted leaders like Winston Churchill, Nelson
Mandela to name a few.
There are some myths about leaders.
Myth: Leaders make no mistakes.
Fact: They do make mistakes, but do not repeat.
Myth: Leaders seldom fail.
Fact: They perhaps fail more than us. Each failure teaches
them a lesson that is hard to forget.
They explore the untraveled roads for us to follow. They
inspire us to lead for the benefit of the less privileged
in our society. They stand as lighthouses of knowledge
unweathered by the storms of time, wading off the mists
of ignorance surrounding us.
"The final test of a leader is that
he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the
will to carry on." - Walter Lippmann. Mahatma Gandhi
inspired Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela among
many. We must admit, time vouches leadership.
Happy living!
Picture: Jawahar Swaminathan
