My Thoughts

"power concedesnothing without a demand. But power won't even concede to a demand if the demand is coming from a weak constituency that looks like they lost their testicular fortitude."

Fredrick Douglas

Metaphor



The lion is one of the most majestic animals in this World. It is so powerful that it does not have any natural predators. Its physical presence intimidates most animals including human beings, and forces them to stay away from lion’s domains. Lions live and hunt in groups called prides. Lions protect their cubs, train them to hunt, and nurture them to maturity. This attribute of the lion represents my effective leadership of Challenging the Process, one of the Five Exemplary Practices of Leadership of Kouzes and Posner (2007). Furthermore, they help their injured, their sick and their weak. This attribute of the lion represents my effective leadership of Enabling Others to Act. Lions are also social animals that entertain each other by head rubbing and social licking which represents my effective leadership of Encouraging the Heart. In addition, lions are territorial and protect an area for their hunting. They keep other prides and other animals away from that area. This attribute represents my effective leadership of Inspiring a Shared Vision

Even though lions are wild animals human beings have always being fascinated with them. From ancient civilizations to the presents lion were described with positive attributes. They are considered strong, and noble. The attribute of nobility has an ethical connotation which represents my ethical leadership. Moreover, lions live in the harsh environment of savanna and grassland and hunt for long hours; they sleep many hours to recuperate. This attribute represents my enduring leadership.

I chose my metaphor to be a lion—powerful and noble. Like the lion, I would like to be perceived as a strong and a noble leader. Like the lion, I would want my constituency to trust me and socialize with me, and my enemies to fear me and dread me. Like a lion, I would like to protect my constituency and its resources.

I chose this animal, because, even though I believe in the goodness, fairness, and kindness of humans I am pragmatic and understand that humans can stray, and become greedy and vicious at times. Obviously, under these circumstances, only a powerful leader can deter and contain such aggressions. Hitler and his associates were be a good example of strayed human beings which strong and noble leaders stopped. I would like to lead my constituency with my three P motto—Powerful, Peaceful, and Prosperous— which I put together in 1993. If a constituency is powerful its enemies will be intimidated, and will not dare to challenge it or threaten it. Consequently, the absence of a conflict and aggression will bring peace, which in turn will attract business and trade; hence prosperity.

If my constituency was a country, I would make that country militarily, educationally, economically, and ethically powerful, so that no other country in this World dares to confront it. If that becomes the case my constituency will enjoy peace. That peace will definitely encourage international and local corporations to move and do business with my country. That will lead to prosperity. And if my constituency was community or a neighborhood, I will establish a very strong police force, and will encourage citizens’ participation in community policing, so that thieves and criminals will know that they have no chance of getting away with anything in that community. The resultant peace will attract good people to move in, and enable businesses to grow. As the population of the neighborhood grows, it will collect more taxes, and increase its revenue. With the new income (peace dividend) the neighborhood can afford to provide better social services to its residents, and build better schools for its youth. This is prosperity.


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