Samuel's view on leadership
Samuel revealed that a leader is destined to service their people from birth. (35). Being a leader requires the ability to demonstrate moral and ethical courage by being able to set a positive standard for everyone they come into contact with.
Role of Political leaders
Political leaders must set the finest example for their followers because they speak for their constituents' aspirations and complaints. Politics, according to Anzalone, are activities that involve people being represented in government by representatives who have been elected by the citizens of a specific region. (590). A political leader is given the mandate by the people to represent them in the government; with the hope and belief that he or she will be true and faithful to the desires of the masses that gave him to the position. Therefore, gaining an understanding of what it means to be a leader would surely come as a job description for these members of the political class, since they are in the frontline in actively playing the role of being a leader. A leader is required to have the basics of being involved in the service of the people they serve despite the influence and power they hold, and the challenges that face them.
Qualities of a political leader
Based on the interviews with the state’s representative on their view on leadership, some of the qualities that describe a leader were evident. A political leader requires the passion to represent their people. The political leader is involved in championing for the affairs of the people that they serve since it is their goal to see that the people of there are progressing and having their lives improved by the government. It requires the passion to enhancing not only one's life but also the lives of others when being involved in politics. A leader "helps themselves and others" in the efforts to achieve the best in their lives (Day et al. 75). A political leader is also a servant who helps the people create the best environment in which they can better their lives by assisting them to understand the laws of the land and ways it can help them. Political leaders share the philosophy to serve and protect the people who they represent in the government. The driving force of a political leader is to see the best conditions of living are available to the people he serves, the people in their area can access healthcare, and children can go to school free from violence and drugs influence.
Influence and Responsibilities of Political leaders
Being that a political leader holds a position of power and are considered role models in the society, they have the responsibility to inspire others and give them directions on how to empower the lives of the people they represent. A politician’s power and influence are also influential in making decisions that are in the best interest of the people. A political leader inspires change in people by being able to give them a voice in the government to raise their grievances. The strengths of a political leader lie with their ability to influence change using the government to support their causes. The leaders can shape the society by making laws and legislation that are aimed at making the community better. From laws that protect the environment to ensure a clean and conducive atmosphere to implementing laws that support the improvement of infrastructure in their locale, among others, that aim at making life better for everyone in the area. The leaders can ensure that the implementation of the desires of the people in their area is followed and achieved.
Challenges faced by Political leaders
The faults involved in the political environment are that political leaders sometimes are forced to lie to their people since some demands that are raised are not achievable at the time. The political leaders use deceiving language whenever confronted with impossible demands by their people, which with time create mistrust between the two parties. Additionally, the pressures of the job that involves representing a significant number of people each one with their unique expectations and needs that are somewhat not in the best interest of the majority. In politics, some of the leaders receive ridicule and abuse from those that do not support them and those who share contradicting ideas to those implemented by the politician (Gottesman 19). Being a leader under some of these circumstances is discouraging and takes a toll on the leader since, despite their titles and the power they have, they are still human beings susceptible to emotion. The leaders are also fathers, and role models to the young and insults towards them often ruin their image and hurt their future careers in most cases.
Working under a political leader
The political leader is a source of inspiration to those who also work under the leader, as they can gain valuable experience and knowledge on the interactions with the people. Working under a political leader, helps the staff understand the importance of serving the people of their region and the pride that comes with the privilege. Assisting people is an act of humanity that goes a long way in ensuring one puts a smile on the faces of the people they serve. The beauty of helping people is that you get to interact with them and understand the challenges they face and finding possible solutions to improve their lives. Working under a political leader educates those who are in the environment to be able to appreciate the life they have and work towards improving those of others. The political leader creates an atmosphere of interaction that makes it possible to share information and ideas that are targeted towards improving the lives of the people they serve. Not only is it essential to be a servant of the people but also being on the frontline in fighting for the rights and needs of the people; a trait that is only taught best working under the influence of a political leader.
Qualities of a successful leader
The political leader believes that being a leader requires sacrifice and dedication since it involves satisfying the lives of many people who are dependent on the power and influence one holds to make their needs and wants realizable. Additionally, the leader’s standpoint is to work for the people and be a positive role model to the society one represents. A leader needs to inspire the people to make decisions that are viable, possible and serve to benefit the community. A leader needs to have a sustainable plan and approach towards refining the living conditions of their community to have a working project that can satisfy both the present and the future generation’s needs. As much as there are some challenges also involved in the job description, a leader needs to have the resolve and composure to overcome some of the issues. A leader needs to be patient with their people since it takes a lot to understand and manage the expectations of every member with their numerous issues in the community. Problems are part of the job, and the solving of these problems instead of abandoning them is the measure of the value of real leadership.
Conclusion
In conclusion, being a leader is no easy assignment, as it requires regular service to the people despite the influence and power that they have. A leader is likable if they demonstrate humility and understanding in their association with others. Being a leader also requires the passion to do whatever needs to be done to enable those that one serves to be satisfied and their needs to be met (Samuel 35). It requires inspiring others to get the best out of themselves and motivating people to achieve their goals in supporting their loved ones and the community around them. Leaders are involved in mentoring of others and creating team-building exercises that are meant for building knowledge and improving the skills of others in achieving their visions. A leader who is focused on service is a vital piece in the society for they foster cohesion, and bring people together. Most of the influential leaders in the nation today are role models since they are in the forefront in their dedication to service of the people.
Work Cited
Anzalone, Christopher A. Supreme Court Cases on Political Representation, 1787-2001. Routledge, 2016.
Day, David V., et al. "Advances in leader and leadership development: A review of 25years of research and theory." The Leadership Quarterly 25.1 (2014): 63-82.
Gottesman, Alex. Politics and the street in democratic Athens. Cambridge University Press, 2014.
Samuel, Kenneth. Solomon's Success: Four Essential Keys to Leadership. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2010.
