Here's a rather unpopular opinion and reality check:
Not everyone is fit and cut out to be a successful leader.
Everyone can learn and strive to be one, hence the saying that most leaders are made and not born. I staunchly believe that everyone will eventually become a leader to someone or some groups of people at some point in time. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself has said:
“Every one of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock”.
(Sahih al-Bukhari 6719, Sahih Muslim 1829)
As long as people follow the rules of leadership, they are leaders. But, I firmly believe that not everyone will come out in the end as an actionable and effective one.
As much as some refuse to admit it, not everyone can or frankly should be a leader. Simply desiring or having the goodwill to become one doesn’t mean a person is qualified and equipped with extra ingredients such as character, skill, courage and motivation; things that surely not every leader will possess. The ability to effectively lead, motivate and direct a group of people requires a very complex set of skills, mostly acquired through experiences, self-development and subsequent pieces of training.
The harsh reality is that we live in a world awash with wannabe leaders, whose hubris and lust for positions and recognitions blind them from the fact that their denial of putting their ego aside and accepting the truth has caused more harm than good to the very group of people they’re supposed to lead.
I get it, it feels nice to be able to be entrusted with the golden opportunity to make profound changes in people’s lives. But with great power and privilege comes immense duty and responsibility.
To this day, I still remember the words of my high school teacher, who once told me of the incredible burden of Amanah (trust) that entails to those who bear it. All those who bear the responsibilities he/she held in dunya will surely be held fully accountable hereafter.
He gave me this one verse in the Quran that I will forever remember to this day, especially whenever I found myself contemplating becoming a leader:
“Indeed, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they all declined to bear it, being fearful of it. But humanity assumed it, for they are truly wrongful to themselves and ignorant of the consequences.”
(Surah Al-Ahzab, Ayat 72)
To think that other creations shuddered and both the heavens and earth chose not to be answerable for such a difficult task, while we humans took pride in flaunting our authority and influence sends shivers down my spine. Especially when we do not possess the absolute wisdom and knowledge needed to execute our amanah perfectly.
So to all my brothers and sisters out there, when presented with the opportunity to lead, think twice. Take the arrogance and vanity out of the equation. Self-reflect on whether you have the capabilities and competencies to lead. Truly deliberate and contemplate whether you can execute your duties fairly and justly. Remind yourself that with this sheer authority and responsibility, came the inevitable accountability for the quality and performance of the job in the hereafter.
If you can’t, have the decency and humility to back down and provide the opportunity to someone else who is more qualified and deserving. The right opportune moment will come for you eventually if God wills it.
That being said, this post does not in any way intend to inhibit others from striving to be a leader. The takeaway here is that while not everybody can become the next Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, or Martin Luther King Jr., everyone can still learn to lead and influence others as best as we can, while still being mindful of the sheer weight of responsibilities that you’ll endure.
May all of us gain the courage, guidance and blessings from the Al-Mighty in carrying out our duties in this world.