Empowering a New Generation of Civic Leaders to Rebuild the Cities
The Broad Spectrum of Leadership from bottom to the top still counts.
We want to dwell on these three critical themes as regards nation building and promoting the beloved community among ourselves. At some point in time you have been a leader or have been led by someone whether in your cultural associations, students associations or professional associations where you acted as a leader or was led, right? So, when someone asks you if you have any experience as a leader, what do you say?
Some people have erroneously said that they have no experience as leaders because they were leaders of these associations and organisations.To them it is not enough to qualify them for a greater calling to lead a city council, state, country, industry or government agencies. They sort of think that a community organizer is just a mere community leader and can't be empowered to lead a nation. What a myth!
We are mistaken because I know one community organizer whose leadership abilities will influence a major landmark health care bill in the United States of America
One has to understand community and the human condition in order to have a sense of compassion for people. Leaders don't have to come only from the aristocratic class. It is very wrong to think that way. We must reverse the old aristocratic order.
Once we start among ourselves by debunking stereotypes and myths that surround the exact meaning and understanding of leadership, we will realize why people like President Abraham Lincoln, Moses, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King ,Mr.John Fru Ndi,Rosa Parks and President Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa etc including you serving as President as I speak is even more than qualified to become whoever you desire to become.
If you are President or have once been President and see a nation falling apart are you are going to fold your arms and tell us that " I don't know what to do?". No way. You can do something about it and Yes, We Can lead that nation to change instead of it falling apart like others.
The big question in recent time is whether leaders are born or made? If we cling unto the myth leaders are only born then we risk being accustomed to any stereotypes. This means to me and I hope you share in our perspective, that leaders were both born and made.
It is the community, society, city, state and country that make their leaders. The City of Newark is very inclined to chart a new course for her citizens in a new phase of civic engagement in this area of preparing genuine leaders to serve the citizens of Newark
Moses was definitely born a leader but was empower to be a leader because he was called from the burning bush. If we are not God to make leaders, then we are “We the people" , a community that must come together and make leaders for the people.
We don't want anybody to forget about the wonderful job they are doing at the level of our communities, associations and organizations to pay attention only to the highest office of President of a country.
It is rarely what we most crave for because a President of a country can only succeed if there are other leaders in that country within the community to support him or her with his or her vision. This is a good starting point for all us as we navigate this period in history, a time we must cross over from the darkness of dilapidation into the beaming sunlight of revitalization and change.
Our approach on leadership finds expression in courage, compassion and tough love, which is that aspect of holding people accountable in order to ensure that good governance and the rule of law prevails for all. So, we are certain everyone already understands that if we must have an impact on the civil society with a government and social policy then employing the valued -centered or principled - centered concept of leadership will be another mantra for rebuilding the City of Newark.
The Cities in Service of Newark provide a unique opportunity for learning and growing up to become responsible leaders. This is accompanied with a vision and the ability to educate, inspire, and empower people to be agents of change. But first of all as individuals, all of us citizens of Newark
Steven Covey as a Leadership expert has explored this subject in depth and this is one of his observations;
"We often think of change and improvement coming from outside in rather than from the inside out. Even if we recognize the need for change within, we usually think in terms of learning new skills , rather than showing more integrity to basic principles"
In the same vein, James O' Toole who is also another Leadership expert observes that leading change means "overcoming the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom”. He argues that successful leadership is rooted in high moral purpose and the consistent display for followers through a vision and plan of action.
The way to overcome resistance to change is to become an alternative force to reckon with by casting a clear vision as well as set clear goals for the people to believe and support that vision.
The Cities in Service of Newark will explore this theme in the coming years from ongoing research and experience so that all of us within the City and communities all over begin to come to terms about the birthing of a new community, new society and new State called New Jersey as America New Jersey must be America
This moment in history is critical...
Jonathan Awasom
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