Читать книгу Path to Leadership - Bunmi Oni - Страница 7

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The Challenge of Leadership

Leadership studies are as old as man; conventional wisdom still reflects the depth and multiplicity of dimensions of its impact; and there is hardly consensus on one definition of this phenomenon. Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” Many have raised questions on whether there is a science to leadership and the answer unquestionably is yes; but it is both science and art. Both knowledge and wisdom are essential components of effectiveness. The truth, however, is that people cannot be managed like inventory, they must be led; and in this lies the assertion that leadership is a lifetime development process. There is hardly a final perfect destination on this side of eternity. It’s like the myth of 20/20 vision. As optometrists tell us, a child can have 20/20 vision and still have a vision problem. A 20/20 vision describes normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of twenty feet. A child with 20/20 vision can see objects at twenty feet, but not necessarily clearly and comfortably at other distances. Therefore, 20/20 vision does not mean perfect vision. Other important vision skills - such as peripheral awareness or side vision, eye coordination, depth perception, focusing ability, and colour vision - contribute to a child’s overall vision ability. This is what makes optical illusion possible, even for people with otherwise perfect vision. The point is that the most effective and influential leaders have their struggles, but what sets them apart is that they can often resolve their own inner conflict.