While at home one night I began thinking about my hero Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. what he stood for, what he believed in, and what he was willing to die for. I then asked myself, “What am I willing to die for?” The answer came in an instant: I am willing to die to make this world a better place. I know there is no one way to accomplish this purpose just as there is no one source of knowledge. Still, the first thing that came to mind is the epiphany I had in 2008 to lead a march for real leaders in this world.
A few days after asking myself that thought-provoking question I discovered the Horace Mann quote, “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.” That quote resonated with me and I knew my answer to the question, “What am I willing to die for?” was the right one. When I think of the current state of the economy and the misguided and unscrupulous actions that led to its meltdown, it is clear that this world is suffering from a profound lack of real leadership in government, businesses, communities, and families.
After mentioning my leadership initiative to a friend he commented, “We now have a new administration” referring to the Obama administration. I replied that it is not enough to rely on the government to create a better economy or a better country. Leadership is the responsibility of everyone. We must do our part to ensure a better future for ourselves and our children—children who are the future leaders of this world.
In reference to my leadership initiative, another friend said better leaders are not the problem. The problem, she said, is moral decay. She added that some of these people were good leaders; their morals simply began to decay. Her comments confirmed that more than ever we get to increase awareness of what real leadership means. Among a real leader’s competencies are: servant-leader mentality, integrity, empowerment of others, compassion, respect, and accountability. Mohandas Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are two such leaders who come to mind.
Stand up, and speak out wherever you see a lack of real leadership: dishonesty, absence of accountability, greed, injustice, poor judgment, lack of compassion, selfishness, and so on. And when someone brings these inadequacies to your attention: take action! In the recent Bernie Madoff scandal, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) received overwhelming information, time and time again, that Madoff’s operation was an exceptionally elaborate Ponzi scheme. Yet, the SEC did nothing to intervene until it was too late.
As you move into the second quarter of 2009 ask yourself, “What am I willing to die for?” Not sure? Email me to start supporting the initiative for real leaders and a better world!
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