In today’s world, it seems like everyone wants to be a leader but very few understand what leadership actually means. Especially in small towns and villages, the idea of leadership has become more about drama than duty. We see people rushing to be called leaders as if it's a title for show, not a responsibility to carry. They fool others and even more sadly, they fool themselves.
Just the other day, our local social worker declared himself a candidate for the upcoming elections. His only plan so far is to print big banners, pose with folded hands and promise the sky. Ask him about real problems, like broken roads, irregular water, or unemployed youth and he is clueless. He thinks leadership is about giving free tiffins, holding a rally and offering fake smiles. Some think that if they wear white clothes, roam with a group of supporters and speak loudly into a mic, they automatically become leaders. What he doesn’t know is that true leadership isn’t about popularity. It’s about purpose.
We’ve confused leadership with power. We’ve forgotten that a leader is not someone who stands above others, but someone who stands for others. A true leader listens more than he speaks, works harder than he promises, and shows up not only during elections, but also during emergencies. But unfortunately, we admire noise over knowledge and follow style over substance. We clap for those who make big speeches, even if they have no clue what they are talking about.
I remember my wise neighbour, Uncle John, once told me, “A leader is not the one who walks in front for the photo, but the one who stays back to ensure no one is left behind.” That’s the essence of leadership. It’s not in waving hands from a stage. It’s in holding someone’s hand during their worst day. But who teaches this anymore? Not in schools, not in homes, not even in politics. Leadership has become a costume, not a character.
Real leaders don’t need a microphone. Their work speaks. Real leaders don’t wait for elections to act. They act because they care. Sadly, many of our present-day ‘leaders’ care only for votes, not for people. They talk about development while ignoring the damages right behind their house. Talk about progress but don’t even know the meaning of responsibility. Focussed more on selfies than on selfless service.
Until we understand the real meaning of leadership, we will keep choosing the wrong people. And worse, we will keep encouraging a system where anyone with money, noise and a few slogans can call himself a leader. But remember, true leadership is not about being someone great, but about doing something good. And as Uncle John always says, “Leadership is not a crown on your head. It’s mud on your feet”
