Instead of blaming, responsibility is encouraged – Reason 60

Just visualise a room with a very beautiful flower-vase.  Now, imagine two little children playing, running around the table where the vase is and then, crash!  The beautiful vase is now part of history…  But, wait, their mother comes to the room and first thing she asks is: Who did this?  Now, can you see both children pointing at each other?

Blaming turns part of our general culture: you do it wrongly and you look for someone to get the blame for it…

However, a leader lives in a different way, by taking over responsibility as those who are responsible have the duty to correct their mistakes; instead, those who are guilty are excluded from our society.

As an example, Claudia Palacios[1], a Colombian journalist, quoted a very interesting statistics during a panel organised by Images and Voices of Hope (IVOH) in Bogota[2]: 70% of prisoners in the jails of Colombia continue on their same criminal path after leaving the institution, while only 30% are able to rehabilitate.

Mrs Palacios went on to compare these statistics with those of another organisation[3] that helps people from guerrilla and other illegal groups to come back to society, without the use of imprisonment.  They consistently achieve rehabilitation levels of 70% where one main element is to inculcate in those people a sense of responsibility.

Leaders encourage a responsible awareness, so, no matter how serious the error is, they will uphold the person’s dignity, by helping them to be responsible instead of punishable.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)

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[1] Claudia Palacios works actively in journalism.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudia_Palacios

[2] The panel was related to the present situation of the media in the country.   Besides Claudia Palacios, IVOH founder Judy Rodgers and publicist Ricardo Leyva were also present.   For more on Images and Voices of Hope: http://ivoh.org/

[3] Agencia Colombiana para la Reintegración works with people from a variety of illegal backgrounds.   They serve more than 50,000 people, helping them to rebuild their lives.   http://www.reintegracion.gov.co/en

Inside, there is a powerful source of energy - Reason 59

From time to time, we all lack energy, which is a generic name for all that stamina, that vital force that makes us want to get up, exercise, go to work, change the routine or to serve many others.

Then people look outside: movies, songs, drinks and food, good company, big parties, you name it!!  And these remedies do work, at least for some time.

However, a leader looks inside: experiences and teachings, virtues and values, inner powers and talents; the wonderful inner world…  They also work and they will keep working as much as the person wants, because these reserves are always there.  Not only that, the more an individual uses his or her inner resources, they will increase.

Outside sources of energy and vitality are limited, while inner sources are infinite; to tap into them, leaders need to have introversion, but not in the sense of withdrawal from the world.

Introversion is precious, because within each person, there is a vast treasure just waiting to be acknowledged and used accordingly.  By making a time to be by oneself and, with a methodology like meditation or reflection, to explore one’s inner world, a leader is boosting her or his energy.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)

You deal with your own darkness with an ignited lamp - Reason 58

A leader has bad moments as does anybody and maybe, because of being a leader, those moments look even worse.

But leaders don’t let themselves fall into a trap of problems, turmoil and insecurity, because even in the dark, their lamp remains lit.

Sometimes the lamp is just a better attitude.  Good thoughts, positive and constructive emotions and a powerful book help the leader to understand whatever she or he is going through. With understanding, they can find solutions, or at least momentary relief.

Other times, the lamp may be a change in the consciousness.  Meditation and yoga, reflection and contemplation, learning from someone who has a completely different approach to life, or travelling through an unusual place can make a deep change in the person and help to find long-term solutions.

The good thing about a leader is that there is always a lamp, which, by the way, will help others with its light too.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)