Leadership........or

Singapore is a country on the move, always.

Amazing amount planning goes into keeping this little red dot city state a first world country, relevant and enduring in the story of world civilisations.

Whether its planning 15 years ahead on a new reclaimed port terminal or airport or a new PM - the government machinery is always on the planning and pre-empting mode. Scenario planning and decisions and moves that the Goverment makes makes it work like a corporate, quiet literally!

PM Lee is already talking of his (unknown) successor! Considering he is just in his early 50's and still has another, atleast, a decade plus to go on (means another 2 elections of 5 years each still to go).

Singapore's first cabinet leaders have all long since gone from the scene, save MM Lee. The orderly succession planning he set in motion with SM Goh Chok Tong and onwards to current PM Lee Heien Loong - will face an uncertain transition. Probably Singapore's next PM is not even in politics as yet and certainly will not have legitimacy of previous PMs, conferred by MM.

Whew!

Lesson for organisations and perhaps countries .......

All this has got me wondering on what makes a good leader?

Leadership is, according to one definition : "The ability to secure the willing commitment of people to the achievement of specific objectives"

There are 4 key concepts here - :-

1. willing commitment
2. people
3. specific objectives
4. ability

Number 2 being most important according to me.

Leadership is not about just management but a natural consequence of one's integrity which is a sum total of one's experience.

It is both inspirational and aspirational in that it enables both the leader and the led to touch the better part of their own-selves. Its not just about getting work done, but I think it should help transcend our smaller selves and make us deliver the bigger purpose.

Like Gandhi...like Nelsen Mandela - selfless and yet selfish towards that common cause of the common man.

A leader should have the courage to follow convictions contrary to prevailing views and even one’s own inclination, and rise from the ability to be honest to nurturing and listening to the voice within.

While being different from the rest, a person can’t be a leader in isolation. He has to be a team player, realistic of individual and others strengths and weaknesses!

But being different always carries a price!
You have to have the guts, the honesty and be a people's person.

Each one of us is a leader in our own sphere.
We all are a mixed bag of people from different walks of life, thrown together by the call of history to create history.