Leadership

A leader must have the courage to act against an expert's advice. - James Callaghan (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)

Have you ever noticed that most leaders are going against what most people do? Leaders really are people who build up the courage to do something or say something publicly that everyone else is afraid to do. For standing up for something a leader will be greatly loved and supported by some people, but also despised by others. That is part of the risk that leaders have to take. Sometimes it is easier to notice the people who hate you, rather than the ones who love you, so leaders would have a hard time sometimes.

Another big part in a big leadership action is the first people to publicly agree with what the leader is doing or saying. Without the first followers a leader really wouldn't be a leader anymore since no one would be following them. Being the first followers is less risky, but the followers don't get much publicity compared to the leader. With big leadership actions or groups people only talk about the group as a whole or the leader, so that is a down side to just being one of the first followers, not the leader. It is easier to be one of the first followers though, because just joining someone else you won't seem as weird or crazy. Being a follower you aren't the first or only one doing something weird or new.

Being a leader is a very good thing. Almost everyone has been a leader at some point, whether it's something small like telling people that bullying is not cool or fun, or starting a new fashion trend. It could also be something large, like Craig Kielburger starting Free the Children when he was just very young. Without leaders the world would be a very different place, you see leaders everyday! Your teachers are leaders, your parents are leaders. Some of the biggest leaders are ones we hear about a lot, they're government leaders, like the prime minister or the president of the country. Those leaders make very large decisions that will impact a whole country.

So, being a leader is not just an act by one person, for a leader to be a true leader they need followers, which are also very important. Leaders can also be standing up about something small, a leader is not necessarily someone we hear about everyday, like the Prime Minister, it can be anyone. So be a leader, if you're supporting something that you really care about being a leader can be very rewarding. Also, be a follower if you agree with the leader, help them out, without people supporting them what they are trying to do or talk about won't happen without followers.

-Fiona XOXO

I commented on: Andrew's Blog