PROMOTING LEADERSHIP VALUES IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE: THE NIGERIAN YOUTH PERSPECTIVE
Nigeria is a heterogeneous society with an ethnic pluralism that is grounded in diverse cultures. With over two hundred different languages and ethnic groups, and diverse political ideologies that vary by individuals, communities and social strata, the variability of Nigerian culture is rather undeniable.
Democratic governance, as it stands today, remains the only bedrock of a value-based political system; a system of government where institutions function according to democratic processes and norms, both internally and in their interaction with other institutions. This system of government, as a matter of necessity, must operate within a solid system of checks and balances whereby each arm of the government operates independently, but with a form of mutual oversight to ensure there is no abuse of power within any arm.
Democratic governance is anchored on the standards that citizens participate in the affairs of the state, irrespective of social pluralism, thus enhancing multiparty political landscapes, and preventing the abuse of state resources.
Within a democratic setting, the participation of citizens in the affairs of state, which should be recognized and encouraged by the government as an exercise of franchise, is effective only when the rule of law operates in such a way that the government and people in power are not just seen to be subject to the law but, in actuality, are not above the law.
While appraising the democratization of any nation, there is a need to give credence to value-based leadership, which is necessary for safeguarding the tenets of true democracy.
Thomas Carlyle, in his great man theory of leadership, propounded in the 19th century, pointed out that “Leaders aren’t born, but made. Great leaders emerge when the need arises”, and according to the words of Sandy Clarke, value-based leadership is the only true style of leadership that separates the great from the rest.
Value-based leadership is a by-product of time and culture. The emergence of the twenty-first century was bedeviled with extensive, obscure, and demoralizing ethical leadership failures. In a bid to counteract the sour effects of these failures, there arose the need for a form of leadership that draws from the values of both the leader and the followers.
The role of leadership is to add value to others, and as such, the true measure of leadership is impact. Leadership values must be communicated by actions, mostly in the way activities and actions are conducted on a day-to-day basis, and not so much directly in spoken or written words. Insomuch that actions speak louder; written values that reinforce and support specific actions, coupled with specific actions that reinforce and support written values, also make a very powerful combination.
At its core, value-based leadership ideology posits that people’s lifestyles are predominantly inspired by values and led according to value-based principles. As such, it is critical that leaders at all levels have a clear understanding of the leadership values; humility, reflection, compassion and confidence, amongst others, and deploy them as motivation to forge ahead, towards the realization of their leadership visions.
No doubt, a democratic society that handles leadership values as a pinch of salt is rightly said to be sitting on gunpowder, thus, heading towards extinction. In contemporary society, there is a widespread lack of confidence in leadership; in business, government, education, and elsewhere; due to the absence of value-based leadership. Consequently, leaders need to regain and maintain the trust of their followers.
Positive value-based leadership goes beyond leveraging strengths and making meaning. A democratic government possessing leadership values must engage well with the citizens and help them grow in every facet of life. It helps boost productivity, encourages ideation, and fosters financial recovery and independence of citizens.
Meanwhile, value-based leadership may not be the antidote to every ailment the citizenry suffers from, it is a good place to start. Indeed, evaluating success based on values is the best way to build a high-performance leadership culture in any democratic setting.
It therefore, becomes imperative that our political inclinations as youths rise beyond toddlerdom. It is also important that we are well-grounded and groomed in the political school of thought of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, by drinking from the deep waters of his progressive ideologies and remaining steadfast in the philosophy of good leadership and representation which he followed during his lifetime.
As future leaders, there is a need to challenge our democratic narrative in a bid to produce stronger, result-driven, charismatic, collaborative, and innovative leaders. This can be achieved by injecting the system with and promoting the following leadership values for improved leadership experience:
Respect: One of the key values of leadership is respect. Nicholas Clarke, in his integrated conceptual model of respect in leadership, highlighted three types of respect. They are recognition, appraisal, and identification. Every leader must possess self-respect, as well as respect others, irrespective of their political affiliations or differences. This also connotes the treatment of followers with compassion, and empathy on the leader’s part.
Integrity: This connotes an exemplary lifestyle, characterized by trustworthiness and a commitment to the fulfillment of citizens’ expectations. Integrity is a character trait that gains respect and trust. As a leader, integrity means addressing matters with consistency and coherence. It means doing what you say you will do, as well as approaching difficulties in ways that are coherent with the values and beliefs of others.
Humility: Leaders at the helm of affairs must possess a sense of genuine humbleness, dignity, and an awareness of their own limits. Leaders must always be learning. To be in that receptive state of mind, humility is required. Resources to conceive wisdom can easily be forfeited if one is not willing to recognize and process one’s own mistakes. Humility also implies realizing when to ask for input from others. If a leader lacks knowledge in a certain area, such should seek advice. In a nutshell, possessing a strong sense of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and humility is a key leadership trait. It prevents leaders from becoming insulated from the outside world and in turn, allows them to focus on becoming better leaders all-around.
Wisdom: A leader must understand the dynamism of humans and possess the ability to balance the interests of followers or citizens when making decisions, regardless of their makeup or background. A wise leader must be genuinely non-partisan and fair in all his dealings.
Service: Leaders at all levels must exhibit unwavering commitment that extends beyond their self-interest; thus, possess genuine humility for the sake of a greater cause. Incredible leaders are not only skilled in commanding significance or communicating successfully. They are also committed to meeting citizens’ numerous needs and are passionate about the plights of the electorates.
Accountability: Citizens or electorates are interested in leaders with unshakable integrity and trust. They admire accountable leadership. Accountability means taking responsibility for one’s duties and goals and, at times, owning responsibility for the weaknesses of others. Accountable leadership is characterized by transparency and honesty.
Vision: Leaders are saddled with the responsibility of creating, maintaining, and actualizing societal vision and projections. Successful leadership also includes the leader’s ability to communicate that vision to the electorates and pass the same down to upcoming generations.
Conclusively, becoming a great leader is a cumbersome journey lasting an entire career, but also one which is made easier through true passion and zeal. Unarguably, the sooner the leadership of our nation starts to focus on the above leadership values, using them as the basis for everyday leadership engagements, the better our society becomes and the faster we all become the leaders we want to be. Most importantly, to ensure a wholesome leadership experience in any democratic society, the culture of value-based leadership must be embraced, reproduced, and sustained to avoid generational gaps.
