The Heart of a Leader

Through my studies and experience I have come to realise that the deep well of leadership is to be found in the heart of a leader.

It is the distinguishing factor inside the heart of a leader, not something external, that leads an individual to significance.

You can have all the great books, lectures and degrees but if your heart is not the place where the deep motivation comes from it is worth nothing. When I get up in the mornings I take time to ensure that my heart is in the right place. It is important for me to reflect and be quiet in order to hear what is going on inside me. Too often leaders jump in and make things happen every day without thinking of the consequences.

Let's take the industrial revolution for example. During this tremendous time of change many leaders came to the fore. None of us can deny that there have been much needed advances in production, medicine, technology etc. that have been critical to building our societies. The problem is now we need leaders who's hearts are in the right place that care for much more than the profit margin. Remember, Adolf Hitler was a phenomenal leader that could inspire and mobilise a nation into mass action. The question is what was in his heart? It is not enough that a leader has good ideas, the motives that drive the ideas are as important. Nuclear advances made by scientists were truly mind boggling (it still is to me) but the leaders who decided what to do with it had certain motives in their hearts and the rest, as they say, is history.

Back to the industrial revolution. At the moment we need another revolution because of the great needs in society such as mass hunger, severe droughts, shortage of water and war. We need to answer these needs in a sustainable manner becasue the answers we came up with during the industrial revolution have brought as many problems as they have solutions. We cannot come up with these kind of solutions again. In my opinion it was the greed (excessive or rapacious desire) and ambition of many that allowed the desires in their hearts to pollute the outcome. I am not saying that the steam engine should not have been invented - that would just be silly! The question is how has it been used and adapted? It is not only important that we do the right things, we have to do them in the right way.