Three Characteristics of Leadership

Leadership is not just a skill to control people. It is more about that. Leadership is a key to make relationship with followers. To understand and feel what followers’s problem. It is more than rule them. I know some people get leadership skill from their nature, but it can be learned too. it does not matter that your parents have leadership experience, but you will get good leadership skill when you learn it. There are many leadership values that suitable with your character. But I believe “Honesty, Serve, and Inspire” will be so important for leadership. 

HONESTY

Honesty brings forward to show sincere and integrity in all action. Manipulative attitude will not make belief. Honesty in present time is more appreciated than past time. we have asumption that leader must be has honesty in himself. honesty is not the big problem in past time. this asumption is faded after many scandal and crisis caused by leader who doesnt demonstrate honesty.

Crisis of social, economic, and politic in present time that already happened in some nations,  including my nation, Indonesia. Actually caused by attitude of politician who are not honest. Honesty is very important thing, not only in political but also in every aspect of life and in business, honesty is have priority place. The fact of reality that honesty is wanted and we dont need to amaze it. Leadership is based by honesty. That’s why many people nowaday choose to follow leader who they believe, and their believe have base and the base is honesty. What is honesty? Honesty is unification of firm character, healthy in principles of morality, lie is enemy,  truth is priority, and uphold justice.

Many our leaders often too much to take double standard, easy to change attitude caused by their interest, opinion and make good imaging . there is no clear root. Selection of attitude doesnt lay in principle of ethic or morality but their interest. It seems that many leaders doesnt have clear measure of morality, because the clear is their interest. so, the truth is about interest not about values or fact.

This Opportunistic attitude is containing dangerous because opportunist tends to just their interest toward constellation of power. Thats why, there is no honesty in theirselves. The Fourth President of Republic of Indonesia, KH Abdurahman Wahid, said that essence of democracy is honesty. Democratically Leader means Leader must be honest to people even there are many problem happen toward the country. Leader doesnt allow to manipulate data of fact for his good imaging. Leader must be honest to say even its hurt. If the leader is honest, then the people will understand the condition of leader. 
Honesty of Leader is the key of gate of welfare, prosperity, peace in nation. we must push and challange for leader to show honesty. Without honesty, credibilty of leader will be doubt by people and people will not trust the leader and people will leave the leader in the time.

SERVE

William Arthur Ward said “We must be silent before we can listen. We must be listen before we can learn. We must learn before before we can prepare. We must prepare before we can serve. We must serve before we can lead”. Serve will lead the leader to tend to priority necessity, interest, and aspiration the followers. Orientation is to serve, his point of view is holistic with standard of spiritual morality. Leader who has soul of serve has responsibility to serve necessity followers to make them to prosperity, and followers have full commitment to work to reach the goal of organization and success of leader. Soul of Serve can be implemented at any where, organization, institution, corporate, and government because serve is universal characteristic.

Leader who has soul of serve is aware and comprehending that he serves something bigger than himself or his organization. He serves to give example of his life for followers as reference to act and attitude. But he doesn’t force them to adapt his attitude or rules and all thing of his idea. He gives inspiration by illustration, give good attitude and work by his does first though. Soul of Serve has aspect of personality such as, humble, responsible, and ambition. Leader is able to show himself as ordinary man with weakness.

Leader who has soul of serve is dedicated himself in matter of morality and courage to take risk to up hold principle of ethic.  His thought is for long time. He doesn’t expect the spectacular result in short time, because he is aware that to move, push and transform followers need long time and sustainable process. But he has great vision and be able to make his followers to be great.

Leader doesn’t want to be a hero, but he makes his followers to be heroes. He gives trust and authority to followers, because he believes and optimist his follower can do something great. He will train them with any knowledge, skill and paradigm. He will be in first line for anytime and anywhere. He will make inspiration for followers.  His approaching is not by power but good relationship between him and his followers.

INSPIRE

Inspire will generate idea or concept to act or do something. Inspire is a important thing to break the wall of matter when there is stagnancy. Leader can show his credibilty and originality in every aspect for what he does. Inspire is not easy. Leader must have tenacity in mental, physic and stamina of spiritual , then he will make inspire followers to reach the goal. 
  Only the leader is aware about capacity of source to persuade followers to do more and make great. This is why leader can motivate followers personally, according their strength and characteristic. By knowing characteristic followers, leader is not just good coach, but he leads follower to solve their own problem even the root of problem. He will guide and inspire them. He doesn’t let them walk alone.

    Inspire will make leader to be in front of to give example. He is able to show his attitude and performance and make him to be example for follower. Inspire will make leader to be in the middle of followers. In the middle, he will make inspiration and initiative. He is able to rise spirit of inspiration and imagination his followers.  Inspire is not only make leader in front of or in the middle, but also in back of. In the back of followers, Leader is following and guiding followers. This mean is leader is able to push followers to be courageous to walk in front of and take responsibility.(DD)