Written by: Santarvis Brown, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I’ve written in-depth about how leaders impact those they lead and how they can be inclusive and welcoming to a diverse population. Leadership is essential and keeps the world running smoothly, but there are as many risks as there are advantages. Making mistakes is inevitable, and there are many of them to make as a leader.
I recently ran across a poem encapsulating the attitude successful leaders should display. It’s named “The Paradoxical Commandments” by Dr. Kent M. Keith, and it has a lot of wisdom to provide:
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
With the above poem in mind, let’s take a closer look at the dangers of leadership and how to overcome them.
Leading without humility
One of the most significant risks facing today’s leaders is maintaining their sense of humility. Between successful projects and a sometimes-increasing number of followers, it is easy to forget that everyone is equally important. You are not a better person simply because you occupy a position of authority. On the contrary, you have an obligation to bring out the best in the people you lead and lead them to thrive.
Humility can be challenging to maintain when sitting on top of the world. Try to remain humble anyway because the results are worth the effort.
Neglecting their health
Leaders must prioritize their own health to lead anyone else successfully. Both physical and mental health, along with spiritual well-being, are crucial to leadership success. Leaders who allow their health to degrade compromise their reputation and authority in addition to their overall well-being.
Maintaining your health even when there just aren’t enough hours in the day might seem impossible. However, your overall well-being is the most important tool in your arsenal, so you must do it anyway.
Not weighing their words
Words are our most important tool, and everyone’s voice matters. Sometimes reputation and power trump everyone else, however, and it is easy for leaders to inject their opinions into a conversation without weighing the impact of what they say. People often take a leader’s words as law, regardless of the spirit in which they were offered. You must think before you speak and ensure that what you have to say is not taken as an official order.
Speaking carefully is an acquired skill, and some people find it difficult to master. Your words have value, however, so you must stick with it and do your best anyway.
What should you do when leading is sometimes dangerous and it might be a learning process? The answer is simple. Lead anyway.
Santarvis Brown, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr. Santarvis Brown has spent 15+ years serving as a leader, innovator, and changemaker in education, showcasing in-depth insight as an administrator, educator, and program director. A noted speaker, researcher, and full professor, he has lent his speaking talent to many community and educational forums, serving as a keynote speaker. He has also penned several publications tackling issues in civic service, faith, leadership, and education.
