Young Leader

When one says the word leadership, what are the first thoughts that come to mind? Thabo Mbeki? Mr Bapoo? Queen Elizabeth? It is strange how we associate the quality of leadership to people in power, this mainly being people of elder generations.

Let us ponder a moment on the idea that a man, Ismail Dinaat, was at the tender age of sixteen, the leader of the ANC Youth League. Yes, the leader of a major movement during the brutal days of apartheid.

We tend to focus our attention on leaders being government officials, army lieutenants and other big shot powers driven men and women. Very often turn a blind eye to true leaders, young leaders. What, you may ask, defines a true leader apart from leaders in power? More importantly, what defines leadership?

Leadership is not merely standing on a pulpit distributing authority and calling out commandments. Leadership is being able to stand on a pulpit, taking the first step and being able to win those who will follow. Leadership is a quality which every single person is born with, the true leader is the one who can lead, have those to follow and are able to achieve.

You may wonder how this description fits the “young leader.” The young leader is a nobody in the world during his young days. He/she is the one who will go out of their way to prove themselves. He/she does not know power, deceit and a puppet show. A true leader takes the first steps in his young days because all there is to see is achievement. These people strive with might to do something good and leave a legacy behind which would reflect in later days. People who we find as leaders today are power and greed driven. Money seems to be their language and self-gain is what drives them.

This is in contrary to what we see the young leader would do. We understand this when we look at Ismail Dinaat who was the leader not for himself but his people. We find many like these today, however we do not hear of them. If we look at our school, we find young leaders taking the first steps, starting campaigns and managing clubs. These young people are not self gaining. They have taken the first steps to make someone elses life better.

As the saying goes “Leaders aren’t born, but made.” Leadership is something the greatest men of all time had. The sahabahs and prophets were outstanding with this quality. They were young and prospered. You can too.